The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-10-11

money is supposed to be at the disposa
OF those who are needy and in want
and he has lately given some public
examples Of his liberality. His pur.
pose in coming to the poor citizen
with his gold in one hand and a ballot
In the other, will mislead no honest
man. While making these
Pretension For Political Effect,
he has been less considerate of his
legal duties in the payment of his
taxes. If he were honest in his desires
to assist the people he would not throw
upon other taxpayers an additional
burden byfailing to pay his own proper
share. But he is not sincere, for we
find him SYSTEMATICALLY AVOID
ING A PROPER RETURN OF HIS
PROPERTY AND A JUST PAYMENT
OF TAXES TO THE STATE. The
facts presented herewith are taken
from the records of the county auditor
Of Hamilton county, and a photo
graphic copy of his tax returns is pub
lished herewith for the inspection of
every citizen and taxpayer.
In the year 1884 Mr.. Mclean, while
a resident Of Cincinnati, made no re-
turn of his personal property for tax
alton. Presumably he had no property
exceeding the sum of S100 in value,
which he was entitled to hold exempt.
In the year 1885, however, Mr.. Mclean
made a return of his personal prop
erty, from the Fifth ward of the city
of Cincinnati, amounting in all to
the sum of $3,725. This was the year
which he was candidate
For the United States Senate
to succeed Hon. John Sherman, and to
promote his candidacy the famous
tally-sheet forgeries in Cincinnati and
Columbus were committed. His re-
turn for taxation in that year was
probably due to his candidacy for office.
1t was during the next year that
Mr.. Mclean left Cincinnati and estab-
lished his residence in the city of
Washington. 1t was presumed at the
time that he gave up all his political
aspirations and left the state with no
intention Of returning. Consequently
for the year 1886 his return for taxa
tion from the Fifth ward in the city
of Cincinnati was
Only Six Hundred Dollars.
During both Of these years it wa
known that he was a man of great
wealth, and should have returned a
large amount of property for taxation,
in comparison with which the paltry
sum returned is Insignificant.
Although Mr.. Mclean claims to have
been a resident Of Cincinnati ever since
those years, THE RECORDS OF
THAT COUNTY SHOW THAT HE
MADE NO RETURN OF PERSONAL
PROPERTY AND PAID NO TAXES
FOR THE YEARS 1887, 1888, 1889.
1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895 and
1896. 1t can not be presumed that he
had no personal property, no house
hold furniture, no jewelry, watches or
stocks, and no money in his posses
sion during these years. 1t is not sup
posed MR.. M'LEAN HIMSELF
WOULD MAKE SUCH A CLAIM.
His action in failing to make a re-
turn was probably due to the fact that
he did not consider himself resident
Of the state of Ohio He had not voted
during these years and all that time
had resided in the city of Washington.
IN 1897, THE YEAR IN WHICH MR..
MLEAN WAS A CANDIDATE FOR
THE SENATE AGAINST MR.. HAN
MA, HE MADE HIS FIRST RETURN
FOR TAXATION SINCE 1886. The
idea of man of his wealth and a can
didate for Office paying no taxes was
not favorable to the securing of votes
in his behalf. HIS RETURN FOR
THAT YEAR WAS MADE FROM
THE CITY OF WASHINGTON on the
2Sth day Of May and was sworn to be-
fore A. B. Kelly, notary public of the
District Of Columbia. The value of his
household goods and furniture of ev-
cry kind, gold and silver plate, his
china ware, books, pictures and paint
ings, was estimated at the sum Of
Thrpn Hundrad nnIIare
His jewelry, pins, rings, necklaces,
bracelets, and other articles set with
valuable stones were placed at $780,
His watch was given at S100. The
value of the credits owned by him,
that is, of money due him from others,
including stocks and bonds held by
him, amounted to $4,000, from which
he deducted the sum of 1913 for the
debts owing by him, leaving a total Of
$S,OS7 and an aggregate return Of
SS,6S7, upon which he was required to
pay taxes in Hamilton county during
the year 1897. MANY A MAN IN THIS
STATE WOULD HAVE TAKEN MR.
M'LEAN'S WEALTH DURING THAT
YEAR AND BEEN WILLING TO PAY
TAXES ON A SUM A HUNDRED
TIMES LARGER Is it possible that
his aggregate wealth was not $4,000 in
the year 1897?
The following year, in 1898, Mr.. Nc
Lean made no return himself, but his
statement was made by Mr.. Ed Wis
newski, his confidential financial man,
of Cincinnati, on his behalf, and was
sworn to on the 11th day of June, 1893,
before E, T. HOllingsworth, a notary
public Of Hamilton county. This re-
turn of Mr.. McLeans wealth, as made
by Mr.. Wisnewski, is