Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-05-28
MIR. MKEE VAS IN DoUBr,
But Finally He Decided That His sigma
turc Was Genuine--Ah UnreoOrded Tax

ward, Saturday afternoon, had a hear
ing before Judge Ball, in municipal
court, Monday morning. The distinct
charge was attempting TO register upon
tax receipt to which the name of
George w. Mckee had been forged.
Collector Mckee was present when
court opened, and Fred E. Bach, w. O..
r. Colquhoun and United States Mar
shall Mahaify were present to look after
the interest of the accused. The Negroes
counsel was H, H. Ward.
Before the case was called Collector
Mckee and Bach retired together and the
latter came back alone. When Notes was
arraigned his counsel wanted to waive a
hearing, but City Solicitor Lyman in
sisted that testimony be heard Harry
Witsil, chief registration officer of
the district, detailed Notes attempt to
register. Chauncey P. Holcomb, secre-
tary of the Department OF Elections,
also testified.
Then Collector Mckee was called,
but failed to respond, and an officer
was sent for him. He soon appeared,
but did not have any of his tax books
with him. He was sent after them and
returned with the duplicates of the
First, Second and Third wards. Taking
the stand he was shown the receipt
which Notes said he obtained at Repub-
lican headquarters and in answer to
Mr. Lynam's inquiry said he could not
say whether the signature was his or
not.
Don't you know your own sigma
tureE" asked Mr.. Lyman.
After further examination Collector
Mckee finally said he believed the
signature to be genuine one.
The receipt was dated January It'll,
1891, and was for tax of 1890. Solicitor
Lyman then sent Collector Mckee after
the other tax books Of his district and
also his cash book An examination of
all the tax books showed that Notes
was not assessed, while the cash book
contained no entry of the payment Of
any tax by him on January 18th, the
date Of Notes receipt.
In explanation of the appearance
of the mans name on the books Collec-
tor Mckee said he might have come to
the office with a certificate of the clerk
of the peace, to the effect that he was
duly assessed but that his name had
been accidentally left out Of the collec-
tors duplicate.
"DO You keep record of these certfi-
Gates ?" asked Mr.. Lyman,
Mr.. Mckee said he did not He said,
in explanation Of the lack of any entry
on the cash book Of Notes alleged pay
mont of tax, that he might have for
gotten to make the entry. The cash
book showed that SO or 40 persons paid
their taxes on that day.
As Collector Mckee established the
validity Of his signature the charge
against Notes of attempting to register
on receipt to which the collectors
name had been forged was abandoned.
The city solicitor, however, asked that
he be held for further hearing upon u
charge of attempting to register lille.
gally, it appearing from the collectors
books that his name did not appear on
the assessment lists,
The court asked Mr. Ward if he de-
sired to procure from the clerk of the
peace certificate to show whether
Notes had been assessed or not. After
consultation with Mr. Bach, Mr.. Ward
announced that he would waive hear
in the second charge.
Notes was then held in 5000 bail for
his appearance at the general sessions
court. Marshal Mahaffy went his bail
and he was released.
The testimony of George W. Mckee ex-
collector Of county taxes, before the muni-
cipal court Monday, created profound
sensation in political circles. His own
statement ard his books were the first
direct and distinct proof that has been adj
duced TO show TINT the county tax offices
in this city have been surrendered 10 the
Republicans. This had been strongly sus.
pected, in fact, generally believed since
last fall, but never was such clear light
shed upon the matter as by Mckee him
self. The tax receipt in question Monday
bore the signature Of Mckee in a disguised
hand, and yet he swore he believed it was
his writing and if it was he has issued
scores of the same kind, il is stated show
ing precisely similar classification of
writing
Mchee's great apparent unwillngness to
he brought before the municipal court is
cited as another conirmatory circumstance
which, in view Of the facts adducel mt the
trial, leaves little room to doubt that the
Democrats have been ruthlessly betrayed
and sold out There is much cumulative
evidence upon this point and it Is likely
that the treachery will be more fully and
directly exposed later on.
John ]. DOugherty, the other ex-c0llec-
tor rs ny no means clear of d suspicion of
havingparticipatedn the sale of Ills party.
After the last general election il was clearly
shown that the Republicans HAD more tnx
receipts than they could use and supplied
them to every applicant upon his pledge to
support the Republican ticket. II made no
ditlerence-nOt the slghicst-whether the
man had any right TO vote or not. hecOuld
have one OF these purchased receipts and
vote on it. A very great many of these
bore the signature, it is said, Of John !.
llnughertv, and it is further stated that
there were 1000 of these sold To the Re
pnblicans for 50 cents each. The Repnb-
licans had more than they wished and last
fall offered to sell some of them back to
the Democrats at cost price.
To cover mp the base rascalty some one
has stolen the error lists of 1880 from The
office Of Clerk of the Peace Riggs. thus
seeking 10 obliterate the records by which
detection and the extent of the treachrrv
could be ascertaned, only portion Of
the magnitude Of this bit of debaUchery
can he shown by the assessment lists. but
the evidences that the party has been sold
out are complete.
To revert 10 Mckee and his tax receipt
for the negro Notes ii shows that ii Hid
been very recently filled up, the ink being
scarcely dry; the man had q striking face
one that could not he forgotten readily.
but Mckee could scarce remember that he
had even written the receipt but evcntu-
ally admitted that the signature was
his, The receipt, il was stated had been isl
sued to take the place of one crroneously
filled out, but the collector neglected Ia write
''duplicate' across Us face as is usual and
obligatory, Tho man Notes got his tax at
a Republican club and had not appeared
before Mckee ut all, 50 il is stated, hence
Mckee remembered nothinp az IN, trai,g.