Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-07-24
TEE Enaun IA Anxanr


The ttcpOrt Submitted Dy the Com.
'nslitee 10 she Levy Court - Mr,
Tunnei ExOncraLed.
The report Of the committee OF the
Sussex county levy court appointed to
investigate the bogus order frauds has
besn prepared and printed. A summary
is es follows:
II pursuing the first subjsot OF inves-
tieation, viz, that OF bogus or !raudu-
lent orders, we found that bogus auEntv
oraers to the nmount Of 81, 400. 65 had
by some one or moro persons been issued
and circulated, aud upon presentation to
the county treasurer ut the tins been paid
out of the county funds.
Alithese orders were drawn on the same
kind OF blanksas were used for all country
orders and were regular in appsnrsnos,
except that the endorsements OF most OF
them were written with blue or black
pencil ACROSS the centre Of the order,
aud the order was then folded through
the middle of the endorsement. Many
81 these orders locked as il they bad
been soaked IN water and rumpled so as
to give them the appearance of age.
We also found bogus court orders to
the amount of SO 500 Is that had been
issued and circulated and paid by the
county treasurer the same as the county
orders. Those orders were also drawn in
the names Of fictitious persons, and
many OF these names had been added to
the lists of witnes0es in criminal cases
az appearing upon the record book or
blotter OF the court of general sessions.
Other names had been added to the lat
OF witnesses summoned before the grand |
jury, and still others were found which |
were forgnries without any effort made
TO cover them mp. In some CAGES the |
suopmAas themselves had boon added to |
after tho sheriff had made HE return.
Ihese ofdess were endorsed in The sans
maaner rs tine county orders.
ALI OF the orders pronounced bopus
were therefore Issued from the Office OF
the clerk Of the peace or obtained from
them by some one or more PERSONS IA
mtlisr with tho workings OF said offloe, an
All OF them were properly aligned by tho
respective oaairmeu. and most OF them
G Undersigned by Eds w. Tunnel, per
W; the remainder Of them were signed
by Ebe w. Tunnel himself and the
signature pronounced genuine. Ia ex-
Plating this Mr.. Tunnel said il was at
lines habit Of his to leave orders signed
BY him ia blank In the Office, aud that he
supposed the orders so found signed by
him had been used by others after being
left by hin signed in that way. He also
sal ! any one could have oome into the
1tiice and taken orders ont who knew
where 10 lock for them, Us the offios was
generally left open during the day
whether be was ia or out. We deem It but
Just to Ebn w. Tunnel to say that there
vas no evidence bsforo us connecting
aim In any way with the issuance of the
eogus orders or having any knowledge Of
heir existence until the fact was brought
INT BY this investigation.
We can hardly believe. however, that
ye found ali the bogus fraudulent orders
hat have been issued or that one man
lone Was connected with it. Appear
noes lead us TO believe that it was the
,rowth OF years and the concoction OF
aore than one. !
The report alac alludes to the investi |,
alton OF county finances as far back as
$40, but makes no conclusions on this
'oint, simply quoting the figures sub. I
aitted by the expert accountant who ex.
mined the books. :
The report is signed by James RI.
TOLLS and William II. Psettyman, the +
republican members of the committee.
he Democratic member, Thomas A,
osephs, refused TO sign. 1