Evening journal., 1890-03-07
THAT FRAUD FIzzIE.
SUSSEX COUNTY WILL NOT LOSE
A CENT.
The Democratic onicer. Ebe w. Tunneii.
WIN aoId Himself Responsible for Any
subordinato's Fraud-A Sad story of
Plot Against Drunken Man.

subordinate's Fraud-A Sad story of a
Plot Against Drunken Man.
Special Correspondence EVENING JOURNAL.
GEORGETOWN, March Now that
the Republican volcano that was to keep
Delaware in a state of agitation from now
till November, by its belchings, has
turned out to be a hzzle of the smallest
sort, and one. which despite allthe tanning
given by staff correspondents, is slowly
dying out, it may be well TO briefly re-
late the true state Of the case:
After months of the NEST careful
search Of all county records, the Repub
licans found that money on few bogus
road orders" had been drawn by Rufus
Wheatley, who had been deputy clerk
under Ebe Tunnel, the Democratic Clerk
of the Peace of the county.
Here was fraud Democratic fraud.
And what might there not be behind IL.
Perhaps enough campaign fuel to run
the campaign on. Rufus Wheatley, of
course, himself amounted to very little
He was very small game. Now If there
could be others implicated, what a politi-
cal bonanza 1t would be. It was worth
investing money in.
So the Republican clique raised fund
and sent to Philadelphia for Wheatley.
They paid his fare from Philadelphia to
Georgetown and had a consultation with
him. They were TO pay his way back
again and give him FIVE dollars
beside If he would con
sent to say that certain men
whose names they gave him were impli
Gated in fraud upon the county. This the
poor tfellow-a physical wreck from an
extended debauch-Rnd craving moral
liquor consented to do, but he begged for
time to get bis wits together and formu-
late plan by which he could give color
to the charge Of fraud against the men
they desired to have accused. The clique
who were padding him consented and
further stipulated that he himself should
60 scot free as it was not legal
prosecution" they were after but
political capital. For two days Wheatley
was allowed to mediate and drink, and
then they notified him on Tuesday that
they would wait no longer. He pleaded
for more time, but the men who desired
to use him for their own foul purposes
were obdurate BE must come to time on
Wednesday morning or they would put
the screws on him.
Poor Wheatiey, debauched by rum,
victim Of the cursed appetite, weak and
vaeillating, and even criminal, when his
appetite held sway over him, he still had
in him small spark Of true manhood
that even rum had not washed out. and
he could not do the deed these Republi-
can intriguers requested Of him. He
could not defame the character Of the
men who had been his friends and whom
he knew to be the soul of honor and
he deliberately took his life There Is no
question about his death being deliberate
and by his own hand, and he sinks into
his grave criminal In small way. A
man who betrayed a trust reposed in him
perhaps, but despite all this he leaves
behind him one little, but bright memory
in his refusal to do the dirty work re-
quired of him, that places him far above
those at whose door his death must stand
as grim spectre to haunt them for many
a day.
And now for the FRAUD that has been
heralded far and wide by 'staffn cor
respondent Il. w. r. Here'is the whole
story In nutshell. Wheatley was deputy
clerk Of the peace under Ebe Tunnel.
Having full confidence in him, Mr.. Tun-
nell did what every clerk of the peace in
Delaware does, and is doing with his
deputy, allowed him the full control Of
all the books as well as the sig.
nature and seal Of the Office. Wheatley
abused this privilege by drawing veuch-
| ers for fictitious road orders" a little at
time until he had reached the enormous
sum of 1000. The matter was easily
worked, neither the clerk, Ebe Tunnel.
nor the Levy Courts discovered the
crookedness, why, simplyzbecause they
had no reason TO question his honesty
and they did not look for it. But when
search was made it was the easiest matter
n-the world to discover the trick and
see just how it was done. But the
very men who discovered it knew--or
ought to have known-that Wheatlev
was alone culpable. There is not decent
man in Sussex county, Republican or
Democrat, who would for a single moment
suspect Ebe w. Tunnel of petty steal
ing. He is a man whose honor or integ
rity has never been called in question BY
friend or foe. When the matter came
out he himself went before the Levy
Court, demanded the fullest investiga.
tion and said in effect: Gentlemen.
| not only request, but have a right to
demand that the fullest investigation
be made. And further / wish to say
tAoD - 1AoacA SuuuA1 hhn AuSb duylHlHE
through any subordinate Of mine hold
myself ready to pay all these losses, what
ever they may be, in full to the last
penny. You know / am financially able
to do 1t, and while, perhaps, not legally
responsible hold myself morally respon-
sible and insist on the privilege Of repay
ing whatever my subordinate took
wrongfully from Sussex county
These were the words Of an honorable
man, delivered in open court and every
man who heard them knew they were
meant
That is all Of the story. No, emphati-
cally no, that is mistake. This is NOT
all Of it. A deep sentiment is pervading
this community that the men who
were in the damnable plot that
drove poor Wheatley to suicide, overdid
the matter. They were after political
capital and by the Eternal. they've got
it--but 1t is Of that character that most
men would travel far to avoid. Il is the
kind Of political capital that acts as
milestone around the neck Of its wear
ers, and drags them down and down
until they reach depths to which even the
worst enemy of their poor victim,
NNIantIarv Ice ,.of oo0.s.-,,rI L..