Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-16

So therefore, the Republican committee
might have known when this deal was
made, that the only benefit the col
lectors could derive would be by re-
turning the names as errors and using
the money for other purposes. The
evident intent of the deal, as far as the
Republican end of the bargain was con-
cerned, was to get the receipts at whole
sale rates and then prevent the col
lectors from returning them as errors.
IL looks very much like game of po-
litical rascality in which both parties to
the agreement were eventually cheated.
1t is also stated by Postmaster Stewart
that the receipts were received in large
envelopes, each envelope containing the
receipts for ward. And yet, when the
clerk of the peace sought to restore the
names to the duplicates, from the list
furnished by the Levy Court which was
made out by wards, 80 names were
found on the First ward list alone that
did not appear on the assessment of
1880, and therefore had no right to go
on under the plea that their taxes for
that year had been paid.
These facts do not very well agree
with Postmaster Stewards declaration
that "all the work was done systematic
cally" and that Everything was done
honestly" The result clearly shows
that somebody blundered," and that
there was an evident attempt, under the
arrangement ma with the collectors,
to "ring in" lotN Of names that had no
right on the lists, and thus qualify lot
OF tax receipts that were clearly fraudu-
lent. How many names like these First
ward names the lists of the other wards
contained is not known, but the number
is no doubt considerable. II looks like
a tremendous breach of faith on the part
OF both parties to this disreputable
agreement.
WHY THE LONG DELAY?
Another curious circumstance is the
long delay on the part of the Republi-
cans in making a move to prevent the
return, as errors, of the names for which
they allege to have paid the taxes. The
error lists were returned in March and
held open for five days for public in
spection. The unusually large number
OF names returned as errors was made a
subject of public comment at the time,
but still the Republican committee
made no move to ascertain If there was
anything wrong. 1t was not until the
last minute that the attempt was made
to restore lot of delinquents to the tax
lists, and then a careful inspection Of
only one ward out Of 10 showed that a
large proportion of the names were
fraudulent and had no right whatever
to be considered
DEMOCRATS NOT CONCERNED.
Democrats generally are not at all
worried over these developments. They
feel that at the utmost it is but dis
reputable deal between the collectors
and the Republican committee in which,
apparently, each side attempted to get
the better of the other. The Democratic
party is in no manner interested except
TO see that the deal Is not permitted to
be carried far enough to fraudulently
enfranchise lot of negro votes to be
used for the defeat of the Democratic
party at the next election.
The exposure of the open manner in
which the post office has been used as a
political workshop is not relished by
many Republicans. 1t is not denied
that all the transactions of the corrupt
deal, including the payment of the
$1,000 and the delivery of the tax re.
ceipts, took place in Postmaster Stewards
private Office.
Mixes AFFIDAVIT.
McKee's affidavit was drawn I'D by
Willard Salisbury, Jr., who used ii for
his argument of the case before the
chancellor on Friday last. Mckee
voluntarily made all the statements
therein contained and then, after they
were written out by Mr.. Salisbury,
swore to their truth before Esquire +.
E. Smith. Between the statements con.
tanned in the affidavit and the
assertions of the Republicans, coupled
with the receipt for 81 800, there is
discrepancy that can only be attributed
to bold perjury on the one side or the
most wilful lying ever known on the
other. Mr.. Salisbury took only one
copy Of the affidavit and it is on file
with the other papers in the case in the
office of the chancellor at Dover.
Monday the attorneys in the case
Messrs. salisbury and Bradford-sent
their briefs to Dover, and Chancellor
Salisbury, it is expected, will give the
application his immediate consideration,
so as to render decision as soon as posi-
BILE. Until this matter is settled, County
Treasurer Dickey cannot receive this
years county taxes for Wilmington,
and hundreds of taxpayers are waiting
to pay.