The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-10-22

Doughcrty Looked Into-They are
Past Finding out-Attorney Edward
q. Bradford's Earnest Speech.
The Investigating committee of the
Levy Court resumed its deliberations
yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Mr.
Hickman appeared and took his seat
In the committee In response to the
resolution OF the committee.
Among the funny things come across
was the case of Minor @. Smith, book
keeper for the Charles Warner Com
pany. 1t will be recollected that Jo-
seph L. Carpenter, DR., wrote to him
advising him not TO vote at the city
election, as he was q returned delin-
quent by Dougherty. Having, as he
thought bona fide receipt from col
lector Dougherty for 1880, he regis
tered and voted regardless of MIR.
Carpenters threat.
He was arrested and taken before the
Municipal Court charged with Illegal
registration, and he waived a hearing
and was bound over to Court, where
the case now stands. Ex-collector
Dougherty testified that he hal never
Issued receipt for Smith. and yet his
name doesnotappear on the delinquent
list. but IL does appear oil list No. 8,
with his tax paid for 1890 and tax re-
ceipt issued by Mr., Dougherty. That
will end this case before the Court.
James A. Oliver, Jr., whose name
appears on Dougherty's delinquent
list came before the committee with a
receipt that he got personally from
Dougherty for taxes paid.
At this stage MIR. Hickman came
with the same old plea that the tax
receipts ought all TO DO produced.
After a general irrelevant discussion
on the question Edward G. Bradford,
ESQ.,, for the Levy Court, evidently
chafed by such continued puny oppo-
sition took the floor, and said:
y would state, as attorney for the
Levy Court but more particularly for
this committee at the present time.
my views as to what ought to be done
IN the further investigation Of the Nc
kee case and also what ought to be
done at the proper time to complete
the Investigation OF the Dougherty
Gaze. You will recollect that it has al
ready been shown by witnesses,
against whose evidence no testimony
whatever has been offered, that an un-
Outstanding was reached between
Messrs. Mckee and Dougherty and
certain gentlemen on behalf of the
mington as to the payment and receipt
OF taxes, and that understanding was,
n short, that the collectors were to
furnish list of the names of all the
PERSONS who had failed to pay their
lakes and who, presumably, would fail
10 pay their taxes, in order that a list
might be prepared OF Republican taxa
les, for whom these gent lcmen. on
behalf OF the Republican party, desired
to make payment of taxes.
You will recOlleet that it was proved,
without any evidence to the contrary,
that list was furnished by the collec-
tors, which list was copied and on the
copy the letter RI" was placed oppo-
site the names of all the Republican
taxables, and that from that copy OF
he original list. furnished by the col.
lecturs, third list was made, known
rs list No. 5, which embraced only the
names opposite to which the letter
RI had been written. You will reeol.
lect The testimony OF MeAsrs. Stewart,
Bach and Mahaffy that settlement was
made upon the basis OF list No. 8 and
that, whatever may have been the
clerical errors or discrepancies in
amount, they supposed at the time
hat settlement was strictly on, that
basis.
luu will further recollect that these
gentlemen testified to the amount OF
money paid; that tie first payment
WIS n payment Of fifteen hundred dol
iars made on the third day. OF january.
sol, II ! reeolleot rightly. and that OF
he fifteen hundred dollars paid Mr.
pougherty received one thousand dol
Iais and MIR. Mckee received Tie re-
nalning five hundred
NOu will rppnltant Int nj fha {fn,a ~
he initial payment on the third day OF
January. receipt was taken, signed
~ both Dougherty and Mckee, which
expressed that that money was on ac-
count OF either taxes or tax receipts.
luu will furt her recoliect that on the
tenth day of March, 1891, the final
ayment was made OF some three
lOusand or tlirty-one hundred dol
,ars, at which time either all the re.
eipts were issued. or whatever re-
reipts had not Leen Issued before were
hen issued. The committee very
Properly took list No. 3,upon the busis
OF which, according to the testimony
he taxes had been paid and compared
| hat list with the assessment list FOR
1850 and also with the error list for
$50. Why?
Why. in order that IL might appear
! hat the persons for whom taxes has
teen paid, as testified to- had Leen as
-essed FOR the payment of taxes for
1850, and in order that it might fur
lher appear that those very persons
who had Ieen assessed for payment
of taxes for 1890, and whose taxes had
been paid as testified TO by witnesses.
were returned as delinquents for that
year by Mckee or EougheIty.
You will recollect further that it was
estifled to that receipts were issued
for each and all of names on list No. 3, |
and that those receipts were not
blank receipts, but were filled ls{, prior
tn their Issuance and bore the sigma
IRA of one or the other of those tax
and were duly stamped and
YOU Will recollect that il was testified
TO, without any contradictions at all
Nessis. Mckee and Dougherty both
having been subppned hero us Wit |
.esses, and both having declined to |
Z s'iiN nnnn the ground that their ties
timony might crinlinate themselves
Lat dollar Tor dollar was paid for |
hose receipts; that there was no |
premium paid and that there was no |
lbatemeHt or deduction made: that il |
was a payment of So much money, |
)ne hundred cents on the dollar. for |
uNes represented by these receipts, |
ahich were DULY filled up, signed, |
and issued,
Now, lconfess. gentlemen, that when
We reached that stage OF the case my
mind was satisfied. It is 10 more ne
as a matter of law aside from
lie polls to prove the payment of a
AK 10y The production OF the tax re.
'oipt, than II is TO prove the payment
IF u hill for groceries by the produc-
ion OF the receipt-yOu can Drope H.
~ any evidence. But there evidently
yas dissatisfaction on the part of some
VI the members OF this committee as