Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-03-13

eiit might accrue from the disclosures
already made public.
COLLECTOR WILSON'S STORY.
When the investigating committee Of
the levy court appointed only after Olerk
OF The Peace Tunnell had sternly insisted
upon thorough investigation OF all mat
tiers pertaining to his Office, met yester.
day morning, the first man summoned
was Elisha IL. Wilson, late collector for
Georgetown hundred. He was asked
whether he had Dashed any of Wheatley's
bogus ord rs and replied that he
could recognize only two of these
orders AS having passed through his
hands. He did not remember from
whom be had obtained the orders he had
thus honOsed. As to the payment OF
county orders Mr.. Wilson most positively
stated that he had never discounted q
county order presented to him by Mr..
Whestley or any other man in the county.
He further stated that he had repeatedly
called on Wheatley for the latter's tax,
and that Wheatley would not even con.
sent that his tax should be taken out Of
or charged against any county orders
then held in the possession Of the county
treasurer. 1t was further shown that
Wheklley did not even attend to the pay
ment of his own oapitation tsx, which
duty was performed by his brother in.
law, WILDER L. Tuunell of this town.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At the afternoon session, Jesse D.
Stevenson. late county treasurer, aF-
peared and freely gave his testimony.
Mr.. Stevenson promptly accounted TOR
every fraudulent county order received
by him, and was ready with names of the
collectors from whom such fraudulent
orders had been received. His accounts
were ns straight Us die on this point,
end the disappointment OF Mr.. Bacon
and his party friends vas plainly APP
parent.
The bogus county orders issued by
Deputy Clerk of the Peace Wheatley were
then gone through with again. County
Treasurer Stevenson stated that he had
received the bogus orders among thou.
sands of genuine ones, and thus his su5
picions we're never aroused. In his per.
sonal transactions he had never taken NJ
more than four or five county orders nj
one time, but no nGver made q settlement.
with q collector Mt which there were not
at least 40 or SO county orders presented
and turned in az cash. As to which OF
these orders were bogus and which genu.
inc, he bad no idea, Rs he accepted them
aa they were presented by the collectors,
without suspicion of their legality.
At the conclusion of MIR. Sravenson's
testimony the investigation adjourned
until this morning. To-day State Audi.
tor james H. Boyce is here and will ap
pear before the committee with all the
county orders in his possession as far
back as 1850.
With the funeral of Wheatley yester
day morning tho excitement over this re-
markable affair died out. Political in
terest in the developments has subsidized
and the incident 10 now simply looked
upon as personal defaloation that can
not in any way affect the standing Of
either political party. 1t is no. likely
that there will be any further attempt IA
make political capital ont OF poor Rufut
Whea ley's unfortunate fall.
GEoRaErowN, March S.-The Whsatley
Gsralcation, and other matters pertaining
to the county government of Sussex, grow
Ing out OF the present seFslon OF tho levy
court, are serving to turn the attention Of
their taxes are expended by the lazy cour
system OF local government that pre-
walls In this State. In Sussex, MS 10 Ken
and New Castle, the expenditures by thI
levy court have been careless and extrava
giant. and there are already limitations tina
the people will soon demand a change
either In the mode OF conducting opera
lions or In the stem itself.
There are IS members of the Sussey
county levy court, two more than Ia New
Castle, and 1t is not denied that three good
men could readily do the work now a..
tended to by 10, and do 1t far better at
considerable saving. In the administration
OF county affairs loose management hai
been permitted TO prevail, particularly II
the matter oil expanding money for roaC
purposes. The extravaganza charged ii
the report OF the levy court committee, las
Tuesday. is undoubtedly true, but that Their
Is any rascality or thievinR bahild 1t is no
believed. Nor is 1t purely political failure
chargeRhle only to the Democratic repre-
sentatives. for the present Il publican lev,
court has been guilty Of the same loosenes
and extravaganza In the expenditure o
money for road purposes. In fact, 1t We
shown at yesterdays session, that in on
hundred alone Irregular and suspicion
road orders to the amount OF about 81, 20
have been issued, to come OF which tn
name Of the levy court commissioner wa
attached By other parties. the road man
agement Ia as bad now as 1t was before tn
change In the political complexion OF tn
levy court.
The system In vogue with respect 20 th
public roads OF Sussex II to apply 30 pa
cont OF the entire taxes for the benefit o
the roads, which amount 10 HppOrtione
among the various hundreds In accordanc
With tue total tax levy of each, the lev
( court commissioner OF each hundred the
distributes the road tax among the differ
ent road sections into which his hundre
1 Is divided, aud Is ues WarrRnt 10 tn
road overseera OF these sections for tn
/ amount apportionei 70 each. The over
sssrs repair and Improve the roads an
bridges Us they deem necessary aud issu
/ their ord rs to parties having claims 70
4 work done and material turAlshed, whlo
orders must also be- siS2Od by the lev
court commissioner OF the hundred whar
the work Is doAa. The levy court commi.
sioner has power to order the psriornanc
/ OF road work and TO pay for tho same viii
out consulting ths oversesrs, but this
loidom done. When a large permanent
imTs Ovemsnt is u Us mad5 In Il huHdre.
Il sp cial appropriation Is sometimes mad
/ by the levy court. 1t not unirequentl
happens under this promiscuous system
road expenditures that road ovSraeerB .,
coed the amount OF thuir warrants. La,
Year, II Is saidi they Hero exceeded 10
iarge extent.
IRREGULAR ROAD ORDERS.
The loose system OF road management
was pertlnen'ly Illustrated At yesterday
session OF tina levY court. and decide
lluuer was caused 10y tho report get ing OF
that iis. Locates, the Democratic mant
OF tho coumiJtos 10 settle with Cou4j
Treasurer btetir, hal discovera1 IRE
etr5lessnuss on the pa5t OF SAID ONCE
IIat many errors, 10 fur uEaccGunted 10
had been found and tnat ha would obi
10 allowing gbout 81 200 OF the road Orus
OF Little Greek hundred. The Republican
Fnd their friends rltlad In state Audit,
BDyce, who Was present beiore the inyss,
eating committee, aal Inquired whothsr
would alicH tho Orlars ii tho lav7 cou
| MnMIl dndlt thnIn wit b fhA ilnaanrn. III