Evening journal., 1892-04-13
HUTCHINSON AND JOLLS
What Clerk Of the Peace Riggs Says
Of the Charges Against Them.

They We're Revising the Assessment
Preparing the Totals snd tho Over
paid Tax Rspsrt-olerk Biges says No
uIegitir.a,e work wSs Done and he
70 corroborAtsd BY Deputy Clark Ella
son.
Last night one of the evening papers
contained very sensational article on
the doings Of Levy Court Commissioners
Hutchinson and Jolls The arti,le stated
that they were locked 10 the Levy Court
room with the assessment books and in
timsted that they were tamPering with
the assessments for political purposes
Last night the EVENING JOURNAL told
lust what they were doing, in a brief
notice, stating that 1t was in connection
with the overpaid taxes and footing up
the assessments.
The sensational article was referred to
Clerk Of the Peace Biggs. In reply to it
he said.
There is no truth in any such state
ment The books we're not being tam
pered with. Now, will tell you the
facts in the case. Mr.. Jolls is airmsn
of the committee on ovsrpaid taxes he
was going over that prepar-
ing his report. Messrs. Eutchison
Clarkiand Hickman were the COMMITTEES
appointed to revise the assessment of
the city. Mr.. Huchison had added up
the number OF names on the pages but
had not added up the total on each
page He did the first part OF the work
In March. That is what he was doing.
I think the attack altogether uncalled
for. They went into the room and locked
the door in order that they would not bt
disturbed Mr.. Hickman, the Dem ocratiC
member. would have had just as much
right in there as anyone had he coma tC
the court room. The only thing DO moi
think right about the whole matter was
that they took the books out Of the
office have known Mr.. Jolls all my life
aud / don't believe he had any idea OF do
ing such thing as that attributed.
saw him last night in Middleto1n Be
was indignant at the article aud said il
was the last thing he thought of.
don't believe there is anything in It.
They can't change thing In those books
unless find it out. Mr.. Jolls told m,
he had found overpaid taxes amounting
TO something like $3.50 which
will have to be refunded b,
was very much surprised when he reaC
the article. My God, man Nobody
wants to change the books now. W.
have more voters now than we know
what to do with. Tie books havl
27,040 voters In the city o
Wilmington. OF this number 9,O7l
were already on the record; 13, 800 poll
we're reported by the sssessors they ais
reported 2. 800 polls with property quslif
cations and 2, 140 were added in March
CLERK ELIAsoN KNEwIr.
Deputy Clerk of the Peace Elissol
said
Il knew what they were doing, The
took the books in there TO es
cape the confusion. They were al
through by dinner time. Afte
they brought the books back wen
over them ALL as is my custom when
book leaves this Office and is returned
They had not added a name, erased
name. or altered the assessment in an
way"
The two commissioners are not /
town to-day. but the books wer
shown to the EVENING JOURNAL reporte
by Clerk Biggs and the adding up {
names was manifest upon each pag'
None of the figures were changed, 8
would have been necessary had name
been added or erased
The only Levy Court Commissioner 8
the Court House to day is Paul 6illii
whe is busily engaged building up h
shrievalty fences with negroes for post
and nomination cards for panels. 3
buttonholes almost every negro
meets.