Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-10-22
HIGGINS AN ERROR.
DOUG HERTY RETURNED HIM FROM
THE SIXTH WARD.

Observation-Disclosures Called To-day.
The session of the Dougherty. Mckee
investigating committee yesterday after
noon was not SO dry as was generally
expected. The chairman took glass OF
water. Mr.. Eliason was absent, but Mr.
Hickman put in an appearance shortly
after the meeting was called to order.
For two or three days Attorney +. g.
Bradford has been holding forth in the
Court House law library, booking him
self in points bearing upon the case, and
he informed the committee that he would
be ready to say bis little piece that after.
noon. Pending this rendition the com
mittee proceeded with the examination
of the Fifth ward list and hearing wit
nesses
The name of Minor C. Smith. book
keeper for the Charles Warner Company,
was discovered to be on list No. 3 and on
the court record as delinquent. It Is
not, however. on Dougherty's DELINQUENT
list Smith was the man warned by
Joseph L Carpenter, Jr, not TO vote ia
the Fifth ward. He was afterward ar
raigDed in the Municipal Court for
illegal registration, and his case Is now
pending in the courts. At the Municipal
Court hearing Mr.. Dougher'y swoRe that
he had never received tax from Mr.
Smith
A Roland for an oliver
Letter Carrier James A. Oliver, Jr.
appeared before the committee and stated
that he paid John j. Dougherty himself
and got receipt from him. he lived at
No. SlS Jefferson street in the Fifth
ward. He produced a receipt bearing
date of February %. for $l20.
Hickman Wants the Recei pts
Ever since the investigation began
Commissioner Hickman has contended
that the receipts should be produced aud
compared with the delinquent list. He
again suggested it Yesterday afternoon
Mr.. Jolls said that he thought it would
be better to compare the delinquent list
with list No. and afterwards compare
the tax receipts with list No. 3.
Mr.. Hickman made a sharp retort say
ing that No list was not reliable
document, as it was made at night by
boys and he did not believe 1t was cor.
rect document nor one that should guide
the Levy Court.
Mr. Jolls said there were seventy Eve
cases where names appeared on the court
record, but not upon the deliI quent list
He claimed that it was proof that
Dougherty had taken taxes from persons
for 1890 who had been returned as de-
linquents in 1889.
Mr. Hickman said tnat according to
his belief the first lists furnished to the
Republicans were the delinquent
lists of the two collectors. and by their
aid they made up the lists for which
receipts were furnished Mr.. Jolls said
that he might have been lead to think so
himself If il were not for the mixed up
conditioned the Dougherty lists Since
he ascertained that he had discarded the
idea
Bradford Advises the Committee.
At S. 80 o'clock Attorney Bradford put
in an appearance. Mr.. Jolls referred the
Fifth ward list to him and asked him
\ what was best to be done in cases where
q tax had been paid for 1890. although
the person had been returned as delin-
/ quent in 1888.
After reviewing the presumed facts IL
the case, he said:
Now then, the question IL, what is
reasonable course TO pursue3 / do moi
know how the members Of the committed
may feel on the subject, but l, for one
do not propose to be connected with this
Investigation unit the 4th of July next
OF even until next Christmas do not
think it reasonable to expect that thi:
committee shall do either impossible
things or grossly unreasonable things, OF
things which will lead to great delay
and unnecessary expense 1t will occur
to each and every one Of you, think
just as soon as suggest 1t, that 1t il
impracticable for us within any reason
able time to find and produce here al
the receipts issued for the taxes whiel
we're raid as testified To- 1t would prolonl
this investigation unduly-there can be
no doubt in the world about that. and il
would be very expensive proceeding
before we got through with 1t.
The question then is, how can WI
test the accuracy Of the work Of the com
mittse; test the correctness of the con
clusion at which the COMMITTEES arrived
in the case Of Mckee, at or before the
| time the answer WIS filed in the mRnda
mus case, in some reasonable way by tn
production of tax receipts, If they can b.
} producedf would suggest that both OIL
either of the minority members Of thi
committee select in any way they or h
may see fit, at random OF with delibers
! zion, a reasonable number of names ap
, pearing on list No. 3, and which
you have ascertained to appear ais
on the assessment lists as we'll as o.
thee list for 1890, and then let thi
committee undertake to produce Rs man
of the receipts, genuine receipts, CORES
, ponding with the names so selected. a
this committee shall be able to find
would suggest that either Mr. Hickman
Mr.. Eliason, thu cl,rk of th
peace, Mr.. Mckee or Mr.. Mckee
counsel, any one Of them select Eft,
names that appear on list No 3, as veri
fed, and in making that selection tina
! be, at his own pleasure, select the Eft
names either from snylgiven ward or ward
! in the Southern district Of the city Q
Wilmington, or from the whole Of tn
Southern district OF Wilmington, anC
; hand that list Of Fifty names to th,
: chairman OF committee; and then
would suggest that this committee forth
with use all diligent effort to aseertai
how many genuine receipts correspond
3 ing to those fifty names, signed an
J sealed by Mckee, can be produced befor
: this committee. think, gentlemen,
. you will pardon me for q moment, 20
will see the advantage Of that course
The point has been raised and discusse
not only in the public prints, bu
1t is question which evidently hs
arisen in the minds of th
minority Of this committee, thH
D even il money was paid by Mr.. StewsI
to Messrs, Mckee and DouGheFty to th