The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-29

i w
these houses are sold before We have any
title to them in this way. Any man has
claim to these houses because they are
on the tax roll, the property of any man
who pays the taxes on them. People
generally sell the houses first, get the
money for them and they go and pay the
taxes and thus get the title for what you
have sold. Ny object in selling these
houses is patriotic one. l am doing i.
in the interest of the county and do you
think I would pay money out Of my own
pocket when the transaction is purely for
the public good. If l was doing this
purely in my own interest it would be
different
You sold the house for $40, didn't
you? How much was the taxes you in
intended TO pay against it?'
THE taxes were s2S and some odd
cents"
We'll, then, you got s12 for the house
more than you would have to pay to Sc
cure title. Wasn't that making a sale
in your own interest to the extent of 1872
You don't seem to understand me at
all. Don't you understand that / would
pay that So on the next one of the
houses l would SELL"
"Oh, that's il?
Yes, that's it. You understand it
now, don't you?"
Yes. perfectly"
Then, what is all this talk about? II
is "a little political skulduggery. 1 am
the only city officer in the county build
ing, and they want to get rid of me.
They have nc love for the city admins
tration for certain reasons"
Now, then, is il true that you wanted
the house taken away on Christmas
morning? That looks bad. What were
your reasons for .that?"
Yes. that is true. 7 wanted the
house taken away on Christmas morn
ing so that Cooper would not get out an
injunction against removing it,
why did you sign A. Hilbert's name
to the receipt for the house you sold?"
We'll, as l told Farmer. that is all
plain enough, when you understand IT,
There were three old houss on the prop
erty. lot s. and IL l had made the certi-
hcate TO Sample ne might have taken it
and obtained a deed to the lot. which
would have entitledhim to all three of the
houses. To avoid that ordered the Ger
tificate made to A. Hilbert, the young
man who IS working for me. I, of course,
had his consent TO do so. Usually have
had the tax deeds made to the parties
who bought the houses, but in this case
ii was impractical ble.'
How does it happen that there are
three houses on one lot?"
at is a big lott
well, then, you must have paid the
taxes on all three of the houses with the
s2S. So then you own all three OF The
houses, or in other words. you have
made two houses clear and S12, out of
the transaction"
You don't seem TO understand this
thing at all. Don't you understand that
l paid only one years taxes and wnen I
sell the other houses 1 will pay the sub
sequent taxes, that is the taxes for 's5,
"a '95 and 49,
you needn't pay the subsequent taxes?"
But l will. I told the treasurer /
would OF course l will pay EN-
But isn't ii a fact that you now have
a monopoly of the sale of these houses"
81 have no monopoly at all"
How can anybody else sell them
when your boy Hilbert has the certfi-
cate to them?''
well, Frank Goode and old man
Wells or anybody else that l say can
sell them, because Hilbert will then give
the title when / say So"
well, but isn't that monopoly Of the
sale of these lots?'
Il can't see how you can make that
out. It's no monopoly at all. You don't
seem TO understand what 1 am driving
at All want TO do is to sell these
houses in the interest Of the county, and
propose to sell them for a better figure
than Cooper offered for them in his
deal with the county commissioners"
But the county commissioners had no
deal according to the statement of Coun-
ty Commissioner Harmon. Mr.. Harmon
told me, himself, that he and Mr.. Webb
refused the proposition of Mr.. Cooper
''Tney did when I told them that 1
would give more for the houses than Mr..
Cooper offered. Then they refused Mr..
Cooper's offer and let the matter lay over
until Mr.. Wilson returns. Mr.. Harmon
said that | came into their office and
said that l would do so and so. when the
fact is l was invited in there and heard
the proposition Of Mr.. Cooper. When he
went out l told them that he didn't offer
enough and there is when I said would
pay more than Mr.. Cooper offered. This
blocked the game and hence all this talk
Understand me that L don't say there
was any bribery in the deal or that any
money was to be given to the commits
sioners. but l do say that Mr.. Cooper in
f1uenced 'em with the talk ne made and
some political favors from him might be
expected. Now. when you are writing
that up" continued Mr.. Caldwell, II
don't want you to give me the worst Of
it.
Good night. my boy, and if you don't
quote me right and give me a square
deal you won't live half a year"
Caldwell has an air of confidence that
the public will see that he is right in
this whole matter He talks as If the
whole thing was a put up job to :njure
him politically.