The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-25

to deliver the statement required
by the said tlfty-seVenth section, he
shall forfeit not less than ten nor
more than one hundred dollars. and
II ANY PERSON FAIL TO GIVE
A TRUE LIST OF ALL MONEY
LOANED WHICH SHOULD BE
ASSESSED, HE SHALL, IN ADJ
DITLON, FORFEIT FL, FIVE Eel, PE ~
LISTED. WHICH SHALL GO TO
Code Of W. Va, Chap. %. Sec. 50.
The section of chapter 50 of the Code
Of West Virginia, quoted above, be-
came law in 1854, and. although 1t has
been on the statutes fourteen years no
body has taken advantage Of IT'S pro-
visions until ]. E. W. ATCcuiley
young lawyer, and NJ. W. Bird, strau-
ger in this community OF whom little IS
is known, became Imbued with the Idea
that the "informer" role was just about
their gait, and would be instrumental
in providing for them Httte Klondlke
without the disadvantage Of over
wheamIng avacanches OF snow and ice,
also without the necessity Of much e%-
ertiou on their part.
The principal reason for the section
of the Code remaining q dead letter.
for fourteen years throughout the state
Of West Virginia is that few persons
care to go Into the "IDforIner" business,
first, because OF the odium that at
taChes to such an occupaEton, and Sec
ord, because in most parts of West
Virginia they have a habit OF taking
mauters In their own hands when a man
tries this very short cut to n handsome
income, without giving value received
In the way Of earning that income. Up
In Steubenville, a number OF years ago.
this same game was tried on the
strength Of q law passed by the Chic
legislature, but the inforners didn't adj
mlre the particularly hot brand OF
"Warnv' wenther that followed, and as
a result suddenly left the community.
Similar experiences were had else
where. and had the effect OF making
"informer" laws void and of no effect
even whale they remained on the stat
ute boolB.
Mr.. McCulley is the author of the
scheme to foiSt the "imormer" way OF
making money upon the community.
Associated With him Is the man Bird.
at the office OF County Clerk Robertson
for the past three weeks. he was not
one of the visitors who 81. around and
''paSs the time away" On the contrary
he has been quite industrious. His
operations were confined to the record
vault, and the trust deed records re-
ceiVed his undivided atteHsion, except
ing WheE the assessors books were
brought into play. As n result OF his
operations, Bird has filled out several
hundred blanks. OF one Of which the
following is copy:
WHEELING. w. Va, Aug. q, 1893.
To Assessor Of Ohio County, w, Va.
slr:-You are hereby notified Tint
James T. Goodwin. resident OF
Ohio county, West VIrglnln na1
money Invested and loaned to SallIe
n Meeks as evidenced by the rec
ord OF a deed OF trust. duly recorded
in the county clerks Office OF Ohio
county. West Virginia, on decd OF
trust book No. 70, page 4is. ana tnat
said investment and loan was 70,
corded by said county clerk In said
once on September Is, 1881, and that
NO taxes have been paid on sniu IN
vestment and loan of $l,OOO Tor the
year 1895. Nor has, the same ever
been returned to the assessors Oh
O fsignSdS Copy NJ. W; BIRD.
lntormer.
vo.,ordov several hundred OF these
,rtorTatIons were placed in the hands
~ County Assessor Addison Israel, by
n " bird. The assessor was surprised
10 learn Of what was going on. He said
lost piuht that he and the other county
assessor Robert Anderson, had MADE
what they believed TO be fine record:
In the city district, Assessor lsrhel hnu
Increased the personally assessments
10 the tune OF $4,000, and realty IN
creaed $4,000. These were legitimate
increases and were brought about with-
out any inQuIsitorlal processes
Birds suits are being entered IN tne
courts OF two justices of the peace, J. A.
DuHnIng, of Sixteenth street, ana Johh
G. HaberncId, OF Chnpllne street. me
first entered was that Of NJ, W. birg
VS.. Jerry O'Bricn, for $40, being the
per cent on loan OF $500 maue oy
O'Brien, record OF which Is entered III
the county clerks office. The hearing
on this action was set for next MONDAY
by Justice Haborheld.
Justice Hnberhcld declined to allow
nm inspection OF his docket, and rather
discouraged any publication OF the
matter. II was learned, however, that
number OF these suits will soon be
brought into Hnberheld's court. Two OF
these are by Bird against Henry Brnn-
haus and ". ]. BodeP, respectively
Justice Rogers. who was sitting near
Justice Eaberfiell, volunteered the IN
formation that no such suits would eyer
lnd their way into the docket OF his
court
In this connection, It may be added
that story IL going tho rounds on
Chapline street In the 'Justlcr shop
district that McCullcH proposed his
scheme TO Constable James Creighton
some time ago, enthusiastically calling
II "gold mine" He invited Crciph-
TOMS corporation, but the lnttcr replied
ih0t he expected 20 remain permanent
- In Wheeling, and until he wanted to
leave the place no such scheme would
receive his cooperation,
At Justice Dunnlngs Oillco several
suits have been entered, aud summons
issued Like his fellow squire. Justice
DunnlnG did not want the suits given
any publicity. for the reason that It is
moi customary to publish civil proceed
lngs Flnailg he decided TO SIvc ont the
names Of parties TO suits fo- which
summons had been lrsue1. These are
sct for trial on Auguri 20 and 30. as fol-
lows:
August 20 Bnder & Mnurcr 50 "a. r
yer cent oi 'i25: Sarah 4. Brown. $40, Z
'er cent ~ 500; Henry Bayhp, $685. .