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

Henry u. flsher lO.@3
March term, Jacob Short .........., 1925
IL. T.. Johnson, l2.a0
cyrus McAllister.......... 21.a5
Juno torn, Howard c. Wiley. 1888
Peter w. Jester............ 30.f3
Burton w. lnsley.......... 2l.S3
Total. ........,........,...... .sl,l7i.G3
THE INVESTIGATION.
The sudden and unexpected death of
Wheatley, who had Seen relied upon TO
give force and effect, by his revelations,
to the discovery Of his defalcation made
through the levy court caused the Re
publican majority of that body to stop
short in the prearranged programme.
There was to hove been motion, with
great flourish OF trumpets, for committee
of investigation, but somehow or other
no one had the courage to make the mo-
tion. But Clerk of the Peace Tunnel
was not satisfied with this and demanded
an investigation for his own vindication.
He made his demand Immediately after
the presentation OF the oommittee's re-
port, on Tuesday afternoon, and renewed
1t yesterday morning. He followed this
up with resolution which was offered
by Burton Mitchell, Democratic men,
Der of the court. Il provided for a
special committee of five, with in5truo.
tions to maks q prompt and thorough
investigation, and authority to employ an
attorney and an expert, il deemed neces-
sary.
But the court did not adopt this motion.
It was postponed for one hour until the
Republican members could confer with
j. Frank Bacon, the courts attorney, and
receive instructions ss to what course to
| pursue. At the expiration OF the hour
MIR. Bacon had prepared resolution
which was offered by James III. Hollis,
| the Republican member from North West
| ForS hpn5ced. Il provided for q com.
mites OF three (Which was subsequently
| increased to five), with instructions to
maze general investigation, and no
| limit as TO time. This resolution was
adopted, and Q committee was appointed
consisting OF James nj. Hollis william
H. Prettymsn aud Thomas Il. Steele, Re
| pubiioans, and Thomas A. Jogephs and
Il. Burton Mitchell, Democrats.
GOING THROUGH THE ORDERS.
Through the energetic efforts of Bur
ton Mitchell, meeting Of the committee
was secured during the afternoon in the
Office Of tue CLERK of the peace. II Is
directly opposite the sherif'J Office,
which, since the election Of Sheriff James
H. Ward, Republican, at the last cleo
ton, is the headquarters OF the Republi-
cans in the court house. A number OF
active politicians of both parties appeared
at the meeting, among the Republicans
being DIR. Hiram Il. Burton of Lewis, and
Ed. Bacon, Frank Bacon's brother, who
was last week appointed to position in
the Philadelphia mint, but was able to
find time to devote to political work in
Sussex.
The committee organized with Mr..
Hollis as chairman, and Joseph L. Oshall
was appointed clerk. A resolution was
first adopted making j. Frank Bacon,
ESQ.,, the levy courts attorney, attorney
for the committee. A. 2. Robinson, ID.
T. Marvel, William II. Boyoe, and Il. O.
White, Esqs., appeared informally as at
torneys for Clerk of the Peace Tunnel
The latter told the committee that it was
his duty, at the end OF each session OF the
levy court to send list of the allowances
to the State auditor. Occasionally, orders
issued for work done by virtue of appro
prations made by the court would moi
appear in the regular list but would be
sent TO the auditor later.
County Treasurer John Rodney Ste Il
was summoned and produced the count,
orders received by him since he has beer
in office. They include those issued
since March, 1888. Prior to that tim,
} the orders were taken away by the audi
tor after he examined the county treas
urers accounts, but Legislative act o
1887 authorized the county treasurer t.
J retain them,
; Attorney Bacon took from the pile o
; orders those which he knew, by his pre-
vious investigation, TO have been issued
frsudulently. They all appear on TIT
above list. OF the names first appearing
Treasurer Steele identified those drawl
3 TO the orders of Ephraim Wiley, Ehial
Rorsey, Enoch Salmons, Ezekiel Hart
, man, Howard b. Vlnosnt, Parker L
Mousley and Harry King as having beer
received by him from Elias Il. Wilson
late collector of Georgetown hundred
4 The one drawn TO the order of Enocl
9 West he identified as having heen re
, csived by him from William T. Jefferson
. late collector of Cedar Greek hundred
, He could not say from whom he had re
ceiyed any OF the Others.
Q Clerk OF the Peace Tunnell next prc
q daeed his levy court minute books On
3 carefully compared all the orders cor
= tanned in the above list with tina allow
9 sucas made by the levy court. Most G
: the Crders did not appear on the MINI,
!, books at oil others appeared on til
y minutes bot did not show in the auditor
: rsports, thus showing that they bad bee
y surreptitiuusly added to the minutes a
n they were fraudacntly Issued by TIA
1t deputy clerk of tae peace. Mr.. Tunne
y frankly admitted that all of the order
u thus shown we're undoubtedly OF frauag
n lent issue.
n II was 8 o'clock when tho exgminatio
Of the bogus orders wRs concluded. TIL
committee, at Attorney BGcon's sugge
q tlon, decided 10 iJsu subp Cenaes for %
9 leotora Jefferson and Wilson and Jesss
y Stevenson, the la.e county treasurer; ais
10 one for State Auditor James II. Boyc
. with Instructions 10 hEiug from his eff
It ct Dover all OF the SassaR county orde
q in his custody % fag back as 1882 The
@ the committee adjourned until III o'cloC
tlis morning.
., blue PENCIL ENDORSEMENTS.
81 Nearly all of the bogus orders issue
e by Wheatley were endorsed on the pAc
q with q blue pencil, aud those famili
. with his cbirogrRphy had no difficulty
Y recognizing IL in the endorsements. 7!
~ names were in all csssa carefully writ,
. sorcss the middle o; tao paper, whe
they would be broksn ny the crease ma
M III folding, with the evident intention
ol making it difficult of Identification. In
~ few Instances Lao endorsements were
Z ink and bore tho appearance OF hRvil
No oesn wfitton by the parties in who
- favor the orders Wsrs drawn.
- The county orders We're lept in boz
form with stubs to remain in the boz