The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-03-07

They Block the Assessments and Stop
the Work of the Levy Court.

the Work Oh the Levy court.
The Levy Court convened this morn
ing at 10 O'Clock. After some 20 names
were put upon thesassessment, John
Il. Dlckey and Frank A. McCloskey
were several times seen In whispered
conversation, and there was general
feeling that something out OF the
usual course would take place.
About 11.30 o'clock Dlckey handed
Clerk of the Peace Biggs a slip of
paper with some names thereon. Mr..
Biggs handed tho slip to Doorkeeper
Levy with instructions to call tho men
named in to get assessed.
As the mon were not Mt the head of
the line Mr.. Levy refused to call them
In until their turn came, and in II rath-
or excited manner told Mr.. Biggs he
would not devlate from the rule. A
sharp croSS-lire of words took place
between the clerk and tho doorkeeper
in which language was used by both
that should not have been used.
Chairman. Buckingham raped to
order, but the confusion only In
creased. Amidst the dine Levy Court
man. Simpler who is a small man. but
has very strong voice, called Clerk
BiggS to order saying: You are only
a hlreling OF this court, and have no
right to dictate what IL shall do" These
words angered Mr. Biggs exceedingly,
when he said he did not come here to
be insuted. He said that In swearing
the vouchers he was not acting as the
clerk of the Levy Court but as Clerk
| of the Peace, and he had q right to OBJ
ject and counsel tho Levy Court, as he
was the man that was held RESPONSE.
BILE.
Mr.. Biggs then left the court room
"a nd To bn NIfi - lao, -
the Peace, where he engaged In con
vorsation first with Dlckey and Nc
Closkey, and afterwards with Chair
man buckingham, who called from
the Levy Court room MIR. Jolls and
others.
Mr.. Jolls told him that he had moth
ing to do or say in regard to who the
Levy Court assessed, it was simply
his duty to administer the oath to
vouchers.
Mr.. Biggs dissented and said that he
did not know who the men were that
were wanted, but had understood that
they had been pushed out of line. He
denounced Janitor Levy for Interior
ing and for the language lie had used.
He utterly refused to administer any
mole oaths to vouchers until Levy
Courtman Simpler apologized to him
| for saying that he''wa5 only hirelIng
of tie Lovy Court.
Before all this took place, Chairman
Buckingham went out into the com
mittee room and going along the line
OF men IN waiting asked them il any
one had been pushed out OF his place?
| No one responding he called Mr.. Hick-
man out who also made the same In
| quirv and found two men who said
they had been compelled to go to the
rear of the line.
An investigation showed that three
mon who were first at the head of the
line in the morning dropped out and
went TO saloon to get drink. and
whom they came back their places We're
occupied. These were the mon Mr..
Dickey wanted to get In.
After long talk chairman BuclIing-
ham and Mr.. Biggs returned to their
seats in the Levy Court room.
Mr.. Simpler not making any apolo.
ay for his remark, Mr. MRgs declined
to swear any more vouchers.
Mr.. Jolls then offered resolution
authorizing the employment of two
county conStables to mind tho doors
aud guard against Interruptions.
Mr.. GrubD and Eliason opposed the
adoption of the resolution us II was an
unnecessary expense.
Chairman Buckingham advocated It's
adoption. lie said he had no other
moUive in view and he did not believe
MIR. BiRgs had. than to place the names
OF applicants entitled upon the ASSESS
ments. He was surprised at tho high
character of the men coming to DO as
sessed.
He had boon led to believe by some
of the papers that the men left of
were buns and the lowest order ol
creation. Instead of that he found
that these men are substantial mechan
les and workingmen, the very best
citlzons of Wilmington.
Every man who presented himsel
In line should he assessed in his turI
without re a"d to politicssHe regretted
the interrupts ion that had taken place
and thought that tho ianitor had sale
a little too much. Therefore lie fa
vored tho employment Of the twC
constables that the law allows.
The ayes" and 'tnays" being calico
on the resolution it was adopted by I
vote of q to >.
At 11.l5 o'clock recess was taker
until i.80p. III. 1wenty-one name,
were placed on the assessment, two oil
whom were from New Castle.