Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-24
MxEE AND DouGHERTY SUMMONED

VII Ntonuhy 4>tAt tht ftNVU Aah AtttttPt'
VIII Be Exhibited aud Witnesses Will
Tell on Their Oath all They Know of
the Political Bargain OF Last Campaign
"a Rigorous Investigation to Be Made.
The committee appointed by the Levy
Court to ascertain information in regard
to the alleged receipt of county money
ny ex-tax collectors, which money had
not been paid over to the county, met at
the Levy Courtroom at 11.30 o'clock
Tuesday morning. Those present were
Chairman Hutchinson and Messrs. Ella
son, Clark and Jolls. There was gem
eral acquiescence to Chairman Hutch
ison's suggestion as to the propriety OF
Immediately subpnnaing witnesses and
of obtaining documents bearing upon
the charges. No further progress was
made and the committee adjourned to 2
o'clock in the afternoon.
A reporter who was present mentioned
the rumor heard around the court house
on Tuesday that Mr.. Lore, counsel for
the Mckee sureties, proposed asking the
superior court for a mandamus ordering
Levy Court to grant satisfaction on ex-
Tax Collector McKee's bond The
members replied that they had not heard
of it,
While the big court room upstairs
was crowded Tuesday afternoon with
the din and buzz of the opening of
superior court and all the passageways
and general offices Of the county build
ing contributed their share in the busy
incessant going back and forth there
vas one sequestered spot which the
tramp and rush of humanity passed
close by, quite unsuspicious that matters
as sensational as anything that could
develop from the docket of the criminal
court were transpiring there.
All the morning until ll.30 o'clock
the Republican members OF the commit
tee were in conference with the courts
attorney, L. G. Bradford, Esq, or other
wise making trips between that office
and the office of Senator Higgins. From
o'clock until 11.30 Mr.. Eliason sat
waiting in the Levy Court room for the
committee to meet.
The committee of the Levy Court
and two reporters were seated alone III
the spacious Levy Court room. The
matter under discussion was the now
notorious 1000 names problem, the
residuum of the recent political cam
paign which gave political ascendancy
w VIC itcpupiNuh party III ANoH N"S'iO
county.
THE OPENING GUN.
What was accomplished was the pas
sage of resolution unanimously by the
committee instructing the clerk of the
peace to issue summons for the presence
of the junior United States senator of
Delaware, the postmaster Of Whining
ton, the United States marshal, the
deputy clerk of the United States court,
deputy collector Of the port, q deputy
United States marshal, the private sec
rotary of the junior United States sena-
tor-all United States officials who are
commonly credited with some knowl-
edge of the circumstances Of the political
barter of tax receipts.
| All these and others, including the
two ex-county tax collectors, George w.
Mckee and John j. Dougherty, are
commanded to appear before the com
mlttee without fail at 10 o'clock on
Monday morning next.
1T WILL BE A FIELD DAY.
It will be a field day when these
| public personages stand up to tell the
people Of this county all they know of
the greatest political mystery Of these
udys III New NWslle county.
The afternoons session was conducted
in quiet, informal manner, but as may
be apprehended, with most rigorous at
tention to the important matter in hand.
Each member of the committee appeared
to recognize the extreme importance Of
what was being undertaken.
One of the members, Mr.. Clarke Of
St. Georges, was suffering from sud
den and severe attack of lumbago.
At o'clock chairman Hutchison OF
APPOINTMENTS tapped on his desk and
brought the meeting to order with the
remark that it is very evident business
cannot commence without witnesses.
OPEN OR CLOSED SESSIONS?
Mr. Jolls then put the pertinent qucs.
ton, "Shall these investigations be open
or not?"
Chairman Hutchison---'I think the
press ought to be present at any rate"
Mr.. Hickman-"All the tax receipts
should be obtained and brought before
the committee, and we should see whose
they are"
The remark was emphatically endorsed
by Messrs. Eliason and Jolls.
Mr.. Jolls turning around to Mr.
Eliason)- saw them ?e
Mr.. Eliason-"No, not exactly.
just passed back and forth through tn,
room where that former committee haC
them in charge
Mr.. Jolls-"Oh, well, no one saw
them all.
The Chairman--"There will be dis
crepancy as some Of them went out a
the June election"
III lG1N.x ~ 49,
we had before. want to get the name
of the men themselves who paid thu
taxes"
Mr.. Hickman-"The tax receipts O
the Southern and Northern district
should be separated"
The Chairnan-"Certain that's tn
only way we can do il"
sUMMoNING WITNESSES.
Mr. Eliason Ito chairman)-"Is Their
! any doubt in your mind as to the sum
moning of witnesses, or to the power o
administering the oath? I've heard tina
there is"
Mr., Joils-"of course we will get tn
, clerk Of the peace"
Mr.. Eliason-.'I understand Mr.. Bgg
! wont until he gets advice from the al
, torney general. understood this morn
ing that several attorneys asserted tina
Levy Court has no such powers"
f. G. BRADFORD SAYS Eyes"
Mr.. Jolls then read section 80, pag
6s, Laws Of Delaware, which IL wa
, stated comedies these powers.
Mr. Eliason-"Did you ask Mr.. Brad
ford whether we have these rights?"
/. Mr.. Jolls-"Yes. He said yes. w
1 have much greater powers than are ger
Y orally supposed. Even in the buildin
! | of Il bridge YOU can summon any ma