The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-05
TINE EXTENDED ON
= CLIFFORD DUPLICATE
Three Local Bondsmen Given Until
!, October /, by School Board, in
:. which to Make a Settlement-The
. Debate on the Matter-other School
Board Business.

Board Business.
!. An extension of sixty days--until Oc-
tober lin the collection of the In
volved duplicate of Tax Collector +. b.
Clifford. was granted last night by the
Carbondale school board. in behalf Of
the three local bondsmen OF the col
lector Hon. James j. O'Neill. Henry
Cook and John Clifford, father OF the
collector.
This extension is q period of grace
allowed the bondsmen in which to
make what collections they can in
order to recoup themselves, and In
order that definite report may be OBJ
tanned which will be a basis of deter
mining how much remains to be paid
the school district: the time for the
cash settlement to be likewise fixed at
this time.
Every member of the board was pres
ent when the matter came up Attor-
ney H. C.. Butler the boards solicitor,
twas in attendance to look after the
boards interests. The Fidelity Casu-
atty company, the original bondsmen,
was represented by Fred Williams. of
Scranton, its representative for this
district. Hon. james j. O'Neill and
Common Councilman Henry Cook, two
of the three signers of the indemnify
ing bond, were likewise present.
Hon. James ]. O'Neill addressed the
board in behalf of himself and Mr..
Cook and the Fidelity company. He
said that they were now endeavorinS
to ascertain what the liability was be-
tween them and the bond company.
This is in process now Clfford's dupli-
cate has been assigned to them, and
every effort is being made to collect
the unpaid taxes. Notices have been
sent out and. besides. several of the
city aldermen are assisting in the col
lecting. Until such time as a thorough
effort in this direction has been made,
there is no way of ascertalning what
the liability of the bondsmen is to the
bond company: in other words, the
amount of settlement depends upon the
success of the collection now under
way.
What Mr.. ONeill wanted and what
was being asked of the board he said,
was an extension of time that would
give them an opportunity to collect all
the unpaid taxes they could. Sixty
days from August (which would be
until October Twas suggested as a
period of grace, and 1t were. in which
to do this. At the end of this time, a
report would be submitted, what al
lowable generations there were would
be deducted, and the sum in cash due
the district would be ascertained. A
time for final settlement could then
be determined and cash settlement
on the part of the bondsmen could be
fixed upon.
Mr.. ONeill allowed that there had
been a good deal of delay already in
the settlement of the duplicate: but
this was in favor of the collector. Now.
the bondsmen felt that the exercise Of
leniency in their behalf was timely.
Nothing was asked OF the board that
would reflect on the school directors,
nor injure the taxpayers. but it was
felt that the bondsmen ought to be al
lowed reasonable time to recOup
themselves.
Mr.. Williams. of the Fidelity COM
pany, followed with the suggestion that
there was no disposition on the part Of
his company to do anything but what
was fair. What might be- due, would
be paid. but there was no way of de-
termining what was collectibe from
the bondsmen until it could be ascer-
tanned how much of the duplicate could
be collected. Whatever deficit might
then exist, the bondsmcn stood ready
to make good. The extension asked for
he did not think unreasonable only
fair. AS suggested by Mr.. O'Neill it
was not in behalf of the collector that
this was sought but the men who went
on his indeinnifying bond.
AS the time limit in Collector Cliff
ford's bond was fixed at September IS,
the directors We're of the opinion that
the time could be extended beyond that
date. Mr.. Butler, the boards solicitor,
assured them. however. that this limit
did not affect the bond, that the bond
was collectible at any time. Mr.. Will
lams supplemented what Mr. Butler
said. by SUGGESTING that the bond was
good for a lifetime.
The directors seemed satisfied with
these assurances. but Mr.. Evans was
not in favor of waiting, and made a
resolution that only thirty days, until
september L. he allowed.
Mr.. Hughes frowned on such action, |
asking that some consideration be |