Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-16
DON'T APPROVE THE PLAN.
Dover Republicans Think a Mis-
take Has Been Made.


The Error Lists in the Court-.A Deci-
sion VIII be Rendered This Week.
Argument of the Celebrated Injunction
Case Before Chancellor SALISBURY on
Friday.
STAFF Correspondence Ct 'iazette and journal.
Dover, July lit took the four law
yers who came down here yesterday from
Wilmington to enlighten the chancellor as
to the status of the tax lists of Whining
ton hundred Just two hours and fifteen
minutes to do it but the general opinion
among lawyers here is that it will take the
chancellor great deal less time than that
to decide the matter when he makes up his
mind to render decision.
So little anxiety had the bar and the citi-
Gems of Dover generally in the affair that
the entire number of auditors and specta-
tors, outside of the Wilmington quartette,
comprised but five persons-State Treas
urer Burnite, James L. Wolcott, Hon. John
A, Nicholson, John r. Nicholson and
James II. Hughes.
John II. Rodney, who presented the
case, confined himself to the law as writ
ten in the code, and copiously quoted
therefrom. He commended that the Repub-
leans Of the Levy Court had no right
whatever to tamper with the lists they had
accepted AS correct, and their doing so was
fraudulent. He held that Mr. Mealey,
who brought the action. had right to
have the permanent injunction asked for
granted. as the action of this Republican
Levy Court committee-if it was permitted
to go on with its nefarious scheme-would
increase his liability, and he did not feel
inclined to pay the taxes of Republicans
and alleged citizens" that votes might be
manufactured for the benefit of the ma
lority Of New Castle county's Levy Court
| and those who controlled them.
L Lace. 4 a L = A
swer of the Republican committee. He
held that the lisi in question-that of Col
lector Mckee-had never been sworn to,
as the law requires, and hence its correct.
ness has never been vouched for The
Levy Court of New Castle county, he con-
tended bad perfect right to Investigate
this list before turning it over to the re-
cciver of taxes. and this is Just what they
are doing. No names, said he, have been
added to or taken therefrom as vet, and
the work of the committee has thus far
been entirely of an examining nature.
Among the questions propounded by Mr..
Bradford was this: "When the Levy
Court upon investigation. finds that
man having paid tax for 1890 has been
fraudnlently returned as q delinquent and
tho delinquency has been allowed by the
Levy Court, can that mans name be re-
placed upon the assessment list Of 1891,
''+'N''Hf -. 'fAtA l''' hAAN AhSO NaA ~ l1AN
son or not ~
Willard salisbury, IT,, who followed
Mr., bradford, answered this query by
arguing that as on May 18th last the 14egis-
lattre passed law repeating the delin-
qadncy clause Of the tax law, under this
law the lists must stand as they are now
allowed or We're allowed in March for this
year, In answer to the assertion of Mr..
Bradford that thousands of men who had
paid their poll taxes were returned as de-
| linquents by Collector Mckee Mr.. Sauls-
bury presented the affidavit Of Mr.. Mckee,
| in which, as wired yesterday to EVERY
EVENING. the collector emphatically de-
nonnces as forgeries the tax receipts which
the Republicans are holding up as prima
facia evidence that the taxes of these de-
| linquents have been paid.
| This affidavit was evidently surprise to
Mr.. Bradford, and il was also evidently
squelcher, as he made no reply whatever
| to Mr.. Salisbury The latter, in his argli-
| ment, commended that the Levy Court of
New Castle county came here with a very
peculiar plea. They say, in fact that they
have been derelct in their duty. That
| they, in March last allowed the delinquent
lists 90 the collectors, without so much as
examining them, as under their oaths and
under the law they are required to do, and
now they want the court to say that they
| shall be allowed to tinker at these closed
lists as they please. There had been
great deal of talk about saving thousands
of dollars TO New Castle county, but ii was
plain that there was here a bold and
shameless attempt to place upon the legal
assessment lists thousands Of fraudulent
names. He closed by asking the chancellor
to protect Mr.. Mealey and the other sure
ties of Mr., Mckee from this illegal attempt
to increase their Inability.
Az 20 O'Clock p. m. the talk ended and
the chancellor now has the case under
consideration, but he will do nothing with
it until he receives on Monday. the briefs
Of counsel as this was a brietless case in
truth, neither side presenting paper. 1t
is generally expected here that the deci.
sion will be given about Wednesday. To
a correspondent Of THE GAZETTE, last
night, however, the chancellor would not
say when he would be prepared to give it,
He would wait. he said, for the briefs to
be sent down on Monday.
The Republican leaders here look on the
whole affair with disgust. They openly
say that the action Of the Republican Levy
Court committee plainly shows that their
advisers--whether Higgins Bach Brad
ford, Mahaffy, or who-know very little
about law and a great deal less about poll
tics. Their time to fix those lists, said
a leading Republican, twas last Marchthen
they had the power and could have done
as they pleased; but the fools let their
chance slip by, and its no use for them to
| try any 'monkeying' now"