The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-27

| did Mr. Cooper offer TO compromise
with the board of county commissioners
for the taxes on this or any other prop
erty of hisT'
| Yes. Mr.. Cooper made one PROPOSE
ton and the board rejected his offer. He
| then asked Mr.. Wilson TO go with him
and see the property in question. Mr..
| Wilson did so, and when he came back
| he tod me that he thought we ought to
compromise with Mr.. Cooper, as he did
| not believe the taxes could ever be made
| out of the property, and as he was leav-
| ing for Canton to inspect the Clearwater
| bridge he would leave the matter for
| Mr.. Webb and myself TO determine a.
we thought best. Mr.. Webb, Mr.. Coop
er and myself met at our Office on Dec.
10 and talked the matter over. and de-
| cided to lay 1t over til Mr.. Wilson re-
turned. Mr.. Cooper asked US not 10 al
low any assignments TO be made to the
property until Mr. Wilson had returned.
| Mr.. Webb and / instructed the treasurer
| to hold the matter over until Mr.. Wilson
returned and We would give Mr.. Cooper
further hearing. When Mr.. Cooper
went away Mr. Caldwell came IN and said
! that We ought not TO compromise with
| Mr.. Cooper as the whole amount OF the
| taxes could be made out Of the property.
We told him what agreement We had
made with Mr.. Cooper and if anybody
would take the property for all the taxes
that we would have no authority TO COM
promise for less amount and would not
| think for a moment of doing so. The
board desired 10 treat Mr.. Cooper as well
IS every other citizen fairly and impair
tally. Mr.. Caldwell, at the time he was
talking with us, had already sold one Of
the houses in question to Mr.. Sample,
and / suppose had the money in his
pocket for the same, but he did not talk
that to us or offer to turn the money
over to us.
rs it true that he had sold other
houses and did not turn the money over
to you?"
Il do not know Mr.. Sample said that
he had told him that he had sold one of
the other houses for s35, but I do not
know whether the money has been turn
ed over to the county treasurer. / know
IL has not been turned over to us for wo
do not receive any money for taxes.
Even if he did it was without authority
from the board of county commission
ers, as he never had authority from them
TO collect money!
do you think the board Of county
commissioners would like to know it. IL
Mr.. Caldwell has received money for 9TH
eF houses that he may have sold %
any person that has paid him money TO
call and inform them Of the facts, de-
scribing the property and the amount,
so that we can take the proper steps to
recover the same from him."
DO you know anything about the man
Hilbert, whose name was signed to the
receipt that Sample said he got from
Caldwell for the $40 that he paid hm?''
Yes. Sheriff Cone and I took the city
directory and found the name of a. Hill
bert and I sent the sheriff after him
and found that he was colored man.
When l showed him the receipt and ask
ed him If he knew anything about it he
said that he did not A asked him if
he had signed it or had anybody signed
it for him and he said no. That he knew
nothing about the matter, whatever"
Was the receipt in Caldwell's hand
writing, if you knew?"
''Yes, sir; it was
MR.. CALDWELL'S STATEMENT.
Mr.. Caldwell was seen on the streets
by reporter and after being informed
Of the grave charges against him he was
asked for mis- side of the matter.
Il don't see." said he, why there
should be anything said about il, but il
there is L want you to get 1t right. I am
going to make some of those fellows
sweat who are circulating that report.
Yes, L sold that house, as l had authority
to do, from the county commissioners,
and that is all there is to it. 1 went to
pay the taxes against it and the boys In
the treasurer's office were so busy that
they told me to wait until the rush incl
dent to the annual payment of taxes was
over. / am ready and willing at any time
to pay the taxes
"Who is this Hilbert whose name you
signed to the receipt given Mr.. Sampler"
He is a young fellow that works for
me-"
Mr.. Caldwell did not appear IN the least
excited. He did not deny any part of
the report as it was stated to him. He
stands, apparently, on his claim that the
county commissioners not only hired him
to watch the property but to sell it also.
This assertion by Mr.. Caldwell is vigor-
ously denied in Mr.. Harmon's state
ment.
II is the opinion Of everybody that the
most vigorous investigation of the whole
affair be made.
Sheriff Cone was interviewed and he
made a statement substantially the same
at that made by Commissioner Harmon
Of course, there are some things in Mr.
Harmon's statement which Mr.. Cone did
not know but when, in their statements, |
they touched on the same points, their |
agreed in every particular.
Nothing for a long time has aroused |
the people like this and ii is the opinion !
of everybody that the most searching in |
vestgation be made.
There Is a feeling, however. that the |
natter will blow over, as did similar SEN !
sations heretofore.