Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-10-16
LAST EDITION
HICKMAN AND The INVESTIGATION,

HICKMAN AND THE INVESTIGATION.
He Thinks the Production of a. g Tax Re-
ceipts Absolutely Necessary TO Prove
Guilt
Levy ConrtmRn Hickman's opinion of
the manner in which the Republican in
vestigation of the affairs of ex County
Tax Collectors John j. Dougberty and
George w Mckee is being conducted
does not improve with age.
An EYBNING JOURNAL repor ter
strolled into his place Of business this
morning and began an interview by ask
ing:
DO you think that the Republicans
really have the tax receiptsY
Well, Mr.. Hickman replied, IF they
have them believe they are still in blank
that is, what they have not already is
sued to their voters. For that reason
they did not want them brought before
the committee when we demanded them
Gould the Levy Court seize them il
they were produced in blank3'
II don't know whether they could OF
not
How will the Dougherty investigation
be conduetedf'
"0h, just the same as the Mckee in
vestigation. do not see what they are
investigating What have they to in
vestigate7 They have no tax receipts to
look into. II they do not produce these
receipts how are we to know that any Of
those men who were returned as delin
quents have paid tax, or that tax has
been paid for them. hey are going by
what is known as list No. 3. What do
we know about list No. 81 II was drawn
off by young Mahaffy at the instigation of
such politicians as Bach, Mahaffy and
Stewart Il has neither the hand nor
SEAL nor the verbal endorsement Of the
county collectors. II would not amount
to anything in court of justice Any
body could take the error list and type
write lot Of names, but that would not
make it proper document to base such
an investigation upon. Now Young
Aahaify is making list No. at the ex-
pense Of the county. They are simply
making valuable assertions aud Offering
absolutely nothing to back up such as
sertions. From the thousands of names
they select a few and build up the
mountain from molehill "
What other objections do you urge2"
"This-they have counsel there with
words prepared to put into the mouths Of
the witnesses. The minority members
of the committee are not allowed any
counsel
as that according to agreement
mo, it is just contrary to it, Il was
positive agreement on the first day we
met that neither the majority nor the
minority were to have counsel. They
asked us If we had counsel Mr.. Eliason
answered in the negative, aud said he
did not think counsel necessary. They
said they did not see the need of having
lawyer. II WAS with that understand
ing that we went into the investigs
ton"
when did you first discover that
they had broken that agreement"
when we came together Mr.. Bradford
was sent for. He came on the first call
with his queries all written out, Not
only this, but he also had had all Of his
witnesses before him and duly examined
before they came before the committee
The whole thing is just q farce The
first man who should have been placed
upon the stand was Daniel F. Stewart,
the man who says he bought the re-
ceipts."
Why didn't you demand itg'
- - A. ...a,.
put on the stand was Dougherty. | would
IKE to ask one question right here: II
+NssoeA % pLouBnb Delore the judges
who will be the first man on the stand
the collectors or tbe men who claim that
they bought the tax reoeiptsy Dougherty
and Mckee ase not bringing the suit
The other men are II Is for them to take
the stand hrst and make their charges,
ana produce ample proof to sustain
them. Then 1t remains for Doueherty
and Mckee to defend themselves BY re-
futing such evidence Look at the in
vestigation going on in Harrisburg, Pa
There they have counsel on both sides
and both sides are protected In every
particular See what our Levy Court
paid 81 900 for. II was simply q blum
der
WIN you be at the Court House this
morningf
mo, will not be there to-day"