Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-09

of these names, so placed upon receipts
obtained in such questionable manner,
the Republican members of the levy
court claimed that 1000 men had been
returned as errors after paying their
taxes, and had a legal right TO be placed
upon the assessment for 1891.
II had been urged, in extenuation of
this bold proceeding, which was clearly
In defiance of law and opposed TO all
precedent, that it would secure to the
county the taxes represented by these
names for the years 1890 and 1891. But
IL is as clear as anything can be that the
sureties of the collectors would resist
being held responsible for taxes charged
against their principals in such Wild
cat manner, while as far as this years
tax is concerned any man with an idea
above an oyster knows that the county
treasurer would be lucky if he realized
$500 out of the entire batch of 1000
names. This years tax payment is not
at all necessary as a qualification for
voting at next years election, and the
Republican managers therefore would
not concern themselves about paying
these taxes even should they succeed in
getting the names upon the lists.
me real opJect was 10 quaniy these
NAMES as iegal voters without the pay
ment OF taxes az all. Inc TAX receipts
naa Deen paid tor IN oulk, ana II was
desired TO utilize the large stock LETT
over aiter iast iaiis electlon, so they
were filied out with names taken from
.he error llsts anu men began the at
lehipt 10 restore uhe names 10 the TAX
auphcates. had tue scheme succeeded
'ne result would nave neeh inc removal
o. tnese names from tne error list ior
io9V taxes, Whlch wouiu place az IN the
positioh OF taXapies VINO had PAID their
.aAes ana whose receipts, therefore,,
were Vaiid ana legal. All the receipts
uear uate OF various Gays IN January OF
inc present year. 1911, ana as q receipt
IS good LOT Young purposes for Two
years from It's date, TINS bold stroke
Wouiu nave qualilieu ABOUT a,Ouo he
Pupllcan voters ior the general election
.. November, iS9s without costing the
hepupilcah committee dollar beyond
lhe expense OF the clerical labor IN.
vowed Ana these 4,ooo votes would
DC extra ana above the vote That VIII be
qualliied ny the assessment Oh nextwln-
VT ana the payment OF the leD2 YAK.
W ltn the receipls saiciy slowed away
untl the proper time, negroes from
maryland ana pennsylvania would be
brought here and each receipt would be
made certain Tor a Republican vote at
the election, such y the wholesale
scheme OF iraud by when the hepubli-
cans hopea 70 carry Delaware IN ls9S.
FIGURES THAT REVEAL THE FRAUD.
IL does not require much analysis TO
reveal the fraudulent character Of the
attempt to force these 4 900 names upon
the tax lists. One significant feature is
the fact that all the receipts used for the
purpose are fresh ana straight, without
a crease or dlsilgurlnE mark. Had the
taxes been genuinely paid some of the
receipts would undoubtedly have been
used at the recent city election, in which
event they would have borne the marks
q the registration and voting stamps.
And for the names Of all who voted at
TINS election either the original receipts
or duplicates thereof would have to be
produced TO prove that they had been
wrongtully returned as errors. But in
stead, the restoration committee" Of
the levy court started TO work with
bran-new tax receipts, which the par
ties whose names they bear have never
seen, much less handled and voted
upon. This fact alone sufficiently OK
poses the fraud.
But figures also Will throw a little
light upon this delectable subject. II Is
urged that 1000 poll taxables, all Of
them Republicans, were wrongfully re-
turned as errors last February. Now,
u is known that there are only about
5000 poll taXables in the city, Republi-
cans and Democrats. OF this number
about 300 Republicans mot more than
20 OF whom are negroes) and 600 Demo-
Gratis, 800 in all, pay their own taxes.
The taxes of the remaining 4,500 poll
laxables are paid by the committees of
NE two parties. These $500 poll tax
ibles represent members of both politi-
cal parties, and yet the Republican
of the levy court now claim
hat about 1000 Republican poll tax
lbles alone were returned as delinouents
Tor taxes OF 1890, The absurdity of this
claim is apparent upon its face.
OF these 1000 delinquents only one,
Philip @. Churchman, has thus far per-
,onally and publicly substantiated his
claim to having paid his tax and there
fore been unlawfully returned. Nor is
Mr.. Churchman'S claim disputed, for
year after year the error lists contain
he names Of hundreds Of well known
even after they have paid their
axes. 1t is caused by such people
icing assessed more than once, in
which event they pay one tax and are
returned as errors for the other. The
error lists are, in fact, largely made M
IF such mistakes. Mr.. Churchman can
produce his receipt at any time; il is not
N the custody Of the Republican com
mlttee; but Of the 1900 delnquents
who have been held up as the victims
If Democratic trickery and whose III.