The sun., 1901-10-16
ADAMS TAX COLLECTORS.
Reply to the Order Of the Levy
Court.
John p. Donahoe and Lewis Diekey
GiveTheir Side OF the
Case.

| In letters presented to the Levy Court
yesterday John i. Donahoe and Lewis
| Dckey, former collectors of Adams tax,
refused to nlaRe settlement as the court
had ordered and demanded that the
money paid over to tile court us II lUnti
be refunded. AIf D0iiahoes letter W;is
as follows:
The resolution of your body passed at n
late meeting making demand upon ME
rs collector of taxes for the Northern
district of Wilmington hundred, for the
moneys collected by me under the Adams
| Tax law, in which yOu contemplate legal
proceedings against me aid My siiretits
has had my attention.
My counsel advises me that he con
Si,lcrs neither you nor | have any right
to said moneys, and that | am liable to
be called upon by the persons who paid
me. and especially those who paid under
protest, for the repayment Of tile ni0hty
to them. Any payment made by ME to
| you or the treasurer of said moneys
would involve me in expensive litiga-
| tion. | must. therefore, decline to pay
,his money to you.
hereby demand of yOu that you repay
| "a me tile sum tif 81, 900 which | advanced
.ou us il loan, which will appear by tie
minutes of your body and for tile repay
| mcnt of this to ME | hold your bbnd of
indemnity. | do not think yoii liavr
| treated me properly in the matter by
passing this resolution without at the
same time giving the public full informa-
| ton ON the matter. If you should deter
mine To bring action against me for this
money. will meet the matter i'll the
/ itl .,IiIn l,,. thaip In,iSi,,u Vim
are no doubt aware that your honorable
| oody now has money belonging to me
lis such collector, which | advanced for
the purpose Of assisting you when the
county funds were very low: you had no
right to receive it aiid l had no right to
loan it, since the court has declared tile
Adams Tax law unconstitutional and
ioid. Hoping that you will give this
.etter as much publicity as you gave to
vonr resolution, which attempted to
place me in II false position, | remain,
Respectfully yours,
John L. Domlioe
T.. S.-Two Of the parties from whom
have received money under the Adams
Fax law have already entered suit
against me. in one Of which the claim is
| IS. 200; in the other | cannot give you the
Exact amount at PRESENT.. l.. -.
In his letter, Which follows, Mr.. Dick
~ asks for the return Of s1,1S0, whicn he
'lnims he advanced rs loan out of the
Adams Tax money he collected:
may further say, adds Mr.. Dlckey
in his letter, that | consider it very mn
Just to me to have you continue ms you
have started to attempt to place me- in Il
false position by passing resolutions of
| his character, and simply raising Il use
.ess contention iii the newspapers. If,
after consulting with capable counsel,
YOU should determine to bring any legal
iction against me for this money. | am
perfectly willing to meet the matter i'll
he courts in II proper way, but | must
respectfully suggest that ii is improper
and uncalcd for to be subjected t0 the
implication contained in resolutions of
the character which you have passed. As
/ matter Of fact ana law, your honorable
body now has money belonging to me
advanced by the for the purpose of tiding
you over embaSsaSsing conditions, ana
tou had no right to recciv" and had 40
right to pay you the money which is in
my hands collected under the terms nf
void and unconstitutional act of us
;embly.
On motion Of Mr.. Acaley the lhtt ,rs
we're filed and the matter was referred
% the courts attorney, Horace g..
Knowles.
Charles NJ. Curtis. representing the
trustees of Henry du Pont asked that
he court take action instructing County
Treasurer Rettew to refund to the trlis.
tees 81, 231 rs paid under protest to George
McIntire. former collector of the Adams
Tax in Christana hundred.
On motion of Mr.. Armstrong the mat
trr was referred TO Attorney Knowles.
Mr.. Willitts urged that all Adams Tax
lpayers be reimbursed. Attorney Knowles
,pinion will apply to all claims.