The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-11-18
THE TWO REPORTS.
The Investigating Committee of the Levy
Court Diyides-A Majority and Minor
ity Report-Both sides Given. ..-.

Owing to the lateness OF the hour at
which the two reports OF the Levy Court
Investigation were read yesterday, they
could not be given in detnil in yesterdays
REpuBL1cAN, but that the people OF the
county may have the benefit OF both, tlc
following full texts are reported
TO THE LEVY CouRr OF New CASTLE
COUNTY
GENTLEMEN: The undersigned being
majority of the committee appointed by your
body to investigate certain ch irges that some
of the collectors OF county taxes for Nav
Castle county had unlaxfully withheld
moneys received BY them in payment of
county taxes, and to take such action as
should be necessary to recover from such col.
lectors all such moneys so received and un-
lawfully withheld by them ,raPpett 'uliy rep rt:
That on the seventh day of July last
past the Levy Court, on motion Of Mr.. Snt-
ton, unanimously passed the following reso-
luton, VIZ:
"Whereas, 1t is alleged and currently re-
ported that certain collectors of county taxes
heretofore appointed have collected from va
rons taxables of this county large sum OF
money aud uulawfally withheld aud retaiued
the same aud appropriated 1t to their own
use; and whereas no subsequent action of
said collectors can absolvs them from their
obligations in paying to the county any
money unlswfuly withheld by them and due
the county; therefore be it
"Resolyed, That committee of five be ap
pointed to investigate said charges and pro-
csed without delay to take such action as
thall be necessary to recover from said collec-
tors all money by them collected and nnlaw.
fully and frsudulently retained"
That under the above rected resolution the
Levy Court appointed as a committee to act
thereunder Messrs Sutton, Hutchison Hick
man CLARK and (1ill,s
That the committee appointed under said
res lluti IN was never called together by the
chairman thereof to take action in the dis
charge of it's duty, and on the seventeenth
day Of September last past, on motion of Mr..
Sutton, the said committee was discharged
from the performance Of any duty in tie
premiscB
That Immediately upon the discharge of
said former committee tho chairman Of the
Levy Court on motion Of Mr.. HuchsoD, ap-
pointed your committee to act under the re.
going resolution in lieu Of the committee 20
discharged. That your committee on the
twenty eighth day of September last past en-
tered upon the discharge Of its duty, all its
members being present, and concluded its
iabors on the sixteenth day of November
instant, having held many sessions and de-
voted much time to The work with which it
was charged.
That alter the most careful aud painstak
ipg investigation your committee finds that
George w. Mckee, collector of taxes for the
Southern district Of Wilmington hundred for
khe year 1890, received the taxes of ,ll2
poll taxabes in said Southern district, who
wore duly assessed with poll tax for the
year. 1899, amounting to 81 294 06, and there
k@&r unlawiully and fraudulentiy made re.
snru to the Levy Court on the lth day of
March 1891, Of all said poll taxables as de-
Hnquents; and that the said John J. Dough.
erty collector Of taxes for the Northern dis.
trict OF Wilmington hundred, for the year
1890 rece we'd and collected the taxes Of
1899 poll taxables in said Nor hern district
" 10 vera duly assessed with poll tax for the
ysar 1890, amounting to 81, 2,0l0 60, and
thereafter unlawfuily and fraudulently made
return to the Levy Court on the llth day of
March, 1891, of all said poll taxables as de.
lnquents
That the qeid George W Mckee and John
J Daugherty, late collectors of aforesaid, at
She March term, A. D., 1891, Of the Levy
Court uulawfully and frandulen,ly claimed
credit in their settlement with the Levy
Court, for the amount Of taxes so uulawfnlly
and fraudnlsntly returned by them rtspec-
lively as delnquents, and that the Lsvy
Cut in ignorance Of the fraud practiced
upon it by the said George w Mckee and
Jyhn ] Dougherty, allowed to them aB
said fraudulent rsturn WAS made AZ afora
said.
That by reason Of said fraud the said
Georpe W Mckee now owes to tho county
and is chargsabls on his tifieial bond, after
tha making of all proper allowances for
commissions and payments heretofore made
by him, the sum Of 81 ,2l6 AZ, together with
inttr3st thereon from the twenty.third
day Of June, 1891, and that the said John j
Dongherty nov owes to the county and is
charpeable on his eff ial bond, after making
all proper allowances for commissions, the sum
of 81 .92l %, together with interest from the
twenty third day OF June. 1891, in addition
20 the unpaid balance Of his account as set
tisd b} the Levy Court in March last
That Yeur committee in pursuing its in
Ytssigstion cffered to both the said George
W, Mckee and John J Dougherty fun
opportunity TO explain under oath ths
transactions inquired about, both OF them
having been summoned before yonr com
mittee and appsaripg personally as well as by
counsel; yet both the said George w Mex g
and the said John j. Dougherty, although
Intercepted generally and particularly BY
th6 attorney Of the Levy Court as wal as by
the members Of your committee, positively
declined to answer any question tonching or
relating to said fraud practiced by thsm, upon
she ground that their answers If given,
might tend to incrimnate them.
That among other witnesses who gave evil
dence before your committee were three repu
table and responsible citizens, who teatifiel !
positively and without qualification to the
payment to the said George w. Mckee and
John j. Dougherty as collectors for the year
1890, of the moneys in payment OF taxes
with which your COMMITTEES fads the said
George W Mckee and John j Dougherty
shargeable on their oflieisl bondH; and neither
the character nor the testimony of said wit
nessss was impeached or assaisd in any man.
ner.
That in addition TO the oral testimony ad.
ducsd before your committee documentary
evidence was offered to and received by your
comm ttes Of such character ss to leave no
doubt of the truthfulness and accuracy of
snch oral testimony
That Your committee, in order to ascertain
epnclnaively the correctness of the result