Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-17
TO FIGHT OVER ADAMS TAX.

Instead of Paying 1t Over. DOnahoc and
DicIey Ask Levy Court TO Pay IT Back.
"If you don t pay over the money you
collected in Investment taxes We'll sue
you and your bonds. said the Levy
Court to John p. Donahoe and Lewis
Dickey, formerly collectors of Adams
tax money in this city.
well not pay the money" answer
Messra. Donahoe and Dickey, and they
add: Moreover, we want you to pay
back to US the money we loaned you out
of the Adams tax receipts.
This state of affairs was indicated in
two letters from the former collectors
read before the Levy Court at its ses-
sion Tuesday morning. MIR. Donahoe's
lettor was as follows
The resolution of your body passed at
late meeting milking demand upon me as
collector of taxes for the Northern district
of Wilmington hundred, for the moneys
collected by me undsr the Adams Tax law,
in which you contemplate legal proceedings
against me and my sureties has had my at
tention.
My counsel advises me that he considers
neither you nor | have any right to said
moneys, and that am liable to be called
upon by the persons who paid ME, and es-
pecially those who paid under protest, tor
the repayment of the money to them. Any
payment made by me to you or the treasurer
of said moneys would involve me in expen-
sive litigation; must, therefore, decline to
pay this money 10 you.
/ hereby demand of you that you repay to
me the sum of So, ,000 which advanced you
as loan, which will appear by the minutes
OF your body and for the repayment of this
| TO me hold your bond of indemnity. do
not think you have treated me properly in
the matter by passing this resolution with;
| out at the same time giving the public iull
information on the matter. Ii you should
determine to bring action against me toI
| this money, | will meet the matter in the
courts and abide4 by their decision. You are
| no doubt aware that your honorable body
now has money belonging to me as such
collector. which advanced for the purpose
| OF assisting you when the county funds were
| very low; you had no right TO receive 1T ane
had no right to loan it, since the court hal
declared the Adams tax law unconstitutiona
and void. Hoping that you will give thi!
letter as much publicity as you gave to you
resolution, which attempted TO pace me II
false position, ! remain,
Respectfully yours.
John p. Donahoe
p. S.-Two of the parties from whom
have received money under the Adams Ia;
law have already entered suit against me
in one of which the claim is $500; III tn
other | cannot give you the exact amour
at PRESENT.. Z. ID.
4 letter of similar character wa
received from Mr.. Dickey, who asket
the court to return 81, 1870. which b.
claims to have advanced it as loan
ont OF the Adams tax money he hat
collected.
/ may further say, adds Mr.. Dickey il
his letter, that | consider it very unjust t
me to have you continue as you have started
to attempt to place me in a false poSitio
by passing resolutions Of this character, an
simply raising useless contention in tn
newspapers. IT, after consulting with capa
! BILE counsel. ecu should determine to brin
any legal nc on against me for this money
am perfectly willing to meet the matter
; the courts in n proper way, but must rt
. sbectfully suggest that it is improper an
uncalled for to be subjected to the implied
tion contained in resolutions of the charaC
ter which you have passed. As matter I
| fact and law, your honorable body now ha
J money belonging TO me advanced by me IL
the purpose OF tiding you over embarrassin
, conditions and you had no right TO receiN
Z and had no right TO pay you the monf
which is in my hands collected under tt
3 terms of void and unconstitutional act {
assembly.
After recovering its breath, the Lev
Court, on Mr. Mealey IS motion, decid
2 to file the letters and let the court
9 attorney, Horace @. Knowles, pass upo
: them.