Evening journal., 1896-02-01
BIG FRAUD UNCOVERED
Assessor Whann's Books Out
rageously Padded
WITH NAMES OF NEGROES GALORE


Executive Committee and Formally
Protested Against Yesterday After
noOn-Un'ess Needed BY whann the
Levy Court VIII BE Appealed To.
The Democratic County Executive
Committee has discovered fraud OF the
most outrageous aud hlgrsnt description
IN the books Of Charles Whann, county
assessor for the Third district OF this
city, embracing the Sixth. Seventh and
Ninth wards They are padded from
one end to the other with
the names Of nearly /, 600 negroes who
do not exist in this city or elsewhere.
1t Is regarded 10 political circles as the
most brszsn outrage ever perpetrated IN
this county, where Republican outrsges
have never possessed ths redeeming
feature OF modesty.
The fraud was discovered several days
Ego, and yesterday Peter J Ford, John
Biggs and Willard Salisbury, Jr, VIII
mngton memhers OF the committee.
framed formal protest l. was served
upon Assessor Whann at his desk Ia the
Levy Court room by Frank A. McCloekey,
clerk OF the Department Of Elections,
and the unexpected assault almost took
the Republican assessors breath.
Hs was called upon to purge his lists,
else protest would be framed and pre-
sented to the Levy Court
After he had sufficiently recovered bis
composurs he intimsted that he would
do the proper thing. but the Democratic
managers are not accepting intimatioDs
and are prepared to carry the bat q
tie into the Lazy Court, which
is Democratic and which will not hesitate
to administer a purgstive II Mt. Whann
does not heed the protest II can bs
relied upon that there will be no halt
way Measures II tie Levy Court is called
upon to act.
The TelI-taIs Figures.
10 the First assessment district OF the
city 653 negroes registered as voters at
the last general election. This year
Assessor McCoy's books show the names
OF Ss4 negroes which is natural, the
assessment always exceeding the regis
trstion.
In the Second assessment district $50
negroes registered IN 1894 The new
assessment made by Assessor Farley,
shows but 62l, which is a falling of, but
the number will probably be bro ight up
to tho standard by the sitting Of the
Levy Court
These two districts are all right, but
when it comes to the Third, which is aud
has been Assessor Whanu's territory for
years. a different condition Of affairs
exists
la 1894 the number Of negroes Who
registered In Whsnn's district was 7s2
This time he comes 10 the Court House
With an assessment bearing the names
Of 3 36J negroes, a difference Of 57e
bstwesn the negro registration Of 1894
and the negro assessment Of 1896 the
padding only applies to three wards, and
its magnitude may bs appreciated
Leaving out the political side Of the
offense 1t i5 also an outrage on tho tax
payers. as the expense OF copying the
assessment by the clerk Of the peace will
be largely increased II Whann does not
heed the protest
Take the figures by wards ard the
padding is even more apparent
TIE Sixth ward In 1894 showed a negro
registration Of 367 This year Whann's
books bear the names Of / 493 colored
tsxables.
10 1894 the number Of negroes regis
tered In the Seventh ward was 24S.
Whann has 1,066 on his books at the
present time unless he has stricken them
of since the protest was filed yesterday
afternoon.
In the Ninth ward the increase is from
1877 registered to sol assessed.
Il have had long and varied political
experience" SAID a prominent Democrat
this morning Il have had to deal with
all sorts OF Republican triokery. but this
is the most outrageous piece of work
that l have ever known TO bs perpetratsd
by an assessor and the Republican man-
ayers back OF him. You may depend upon
1t that Assessor Whann will strike of
those names or the Levy Court will do it
for him