Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-12-27

After having held up the notorious
bill Of Mayor Evan g. Boyd for about
eight months, the Levy Court Thurs
day afternoon by vote Of three to two,
after the bill had been reduced to
s., 300, passed it. The final action on
the bill was preceded, it may lie said,
by q comedy of cutting, and the tax.
payers may thank President William
A.. Scott and Commissioner John j.
Gallagher, whose opposition has saved
the people S3, 69l for let it be under
stood, that the warrant as authorized
| Thursday covers the period of 10
months and total of $685. commit
ments, for which Mayor Boyd originally
claimed 40 cents each, or total Of
1894. The fact that the mayor III
| willing to receive 81, 300 for it is q
| tribute to the opposition and COM
mentary on his faith in the Justice OF
the original hill.
As the commitment bill came before
the Levy Court Thursday, it was for
S1,501. 25, for 16,005 commitments to
| New Castle Jail in the year 1899. Mayor
Boyd had at first charged 40 cent? in
| each case, which made total of 50, 402 /;
but after the bill struck snag and
Every Evening began telling the public
about it last spring. the mayor con.
descended to knock off Is cents of the
charge in each Ease. SO that he Pared
the bill down ny S900.75, leaving the
figdres at 81, Commissioners
Henry M. White and John Lynn bean
to take deep interest IN the bill, but
we're unable to get 1t through at a pre-
vious meeting, Commissioner John j.
Mealey voting with Messrs. Scott and
Gallagher and seeming to oppose the
bill. Mr.. Mealey apparently thought
that more light was needed to be
thrown on the subject. As the end oil
the year drew near, the indications
were that another effort would be made
TO pass the bill andl Thursday morn
ine's session Of the court brought Q
resolution from Mr.. White in it's behalf,
ACCOMPANIED by affidavils from Sheriff
Taylor and Mayor Boyd saying thai
the bill was all right and the com
mitments represented real persons.
Mayor Boyd neglected to state whether
he ever saw any Of the persons com
, United by him, or whether any of then
ever had a hearing before him or any
opportunity to meet the charge o.
being an idle or dissolute person.
President Scott had not forgotten
that there was an apparent ambiguity
about the bill when it was up fo
earlier consideration, and although i
was established that the bill was fo
!, commitments in 1899, attention wal
drawn to the claim for the first quartz
of the present year, which represented
! the enormous figure of $3.50 for com
mitments.
When the court convened Thureda.
after noon, Alexander B. Cooper, coun
sci for Mayor Boyd, and John "A. Rod
ney, attorney for the court, were OF
hand. The FIVE members OF the oour
and Mr.. Rodney, retired for privat
! | conference on the bill, and after abou
20 minutes, returned to the courtroom
Then Clerk Janvier read the follow
ing:
Whereas, Evan @. Boyd, mayor of Ne,
] Castle, by his own affidavit and the affidavit
, of John e. Taylor, sheriff, has furnishe
/ the Levy Court with sufficient proof of th
county jail for the year 1893, and has ais
| produced said commitments therefor.
Q Resolved, That his bill is hereby Above
8 and warrant ordered drawn on the count
: treasurer in favor of e. q. Boyd, mayor Q
o New Castle. for the sum of $1,000 being tn
!. amount of said bill agreed upon by the sal
= Levy Court and E. q. Boyd up to April Isl
1900. j
This resolution started off like tn
one presented in the morning, but
! change was made in cutting the hi
: from 1851. % to 81. 800, and nothin
' was said about paying the warrant "a
!. soon as there are sufficient funds in tn
: treasury to pay the same" which ha
been the case with the earlier resolr
tion.
Mr.. White moved the adoption {
q the resolution and Mr.. Mealey seconde
o it. There were no remarks, but Chair
o man Scott announced that the yeas an
:, NAYS would be taken. He and Nj
i Gallagher voted nay, and Messrs, Whit
l. Mealey and Lynn voted yea, whic
l. passed the bill.
+, Here is table showing the dates {
10 the quarterly claims made by May
~ Boyd, the number Of commitments an
D, the amount for each quarter ut the raj
"a of 40 cents commitment:
f. Quarter ending. Commitments. Ahoun
10 March 81, 1888. .,.......1, 500 $780,
June 30, 1889. $50 Ga.
Sept. 80, 10 &c.,. .....1 ESQ 506,t
Lee. 81. 1S-9,.......-.t.l IUJ ISL.
IA Mar. 81, l9OO...... ......o,9So l,b92'
10 Total ........,......9,9S5 SO, 1884,
4. Instead of SO, 994, he receives ST.
~, 10 "Burn those - things" said M
I White to Fireman John Campbell, r.
ferring to the stack of commitment
- which had been brought in to back I
: the Boyd bill. Campbell took 81
Il papers down into the basement
: