The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-27
TREASURES ANSWER.
Barron Replies 70 Charge That
He DISTINGUISHED Democrats.

He DISTINGUISHED Democrats.
The following reply from RIP Barron Bar
treasurer OF Wise county. hat he dis-
franchised Democrats, Is published sinl-.
ply In the interest OF fair play ana 70
give both sides Of a question:
Big stone Gap. Va, May 2, 100
i have not heretofore deemed II neces-
sary TO reply to ccriain charges made
against me in regard to mys"leavlng my
OF duty MS It was called. on sat
+ urday. May 9Th. No attention IS paid 70
the matter here, where the people arr
acquainted with the facts In the case,
hut owing to the wide publicity given It
tf(of which L have Just lcarned).5 feel "
nv duty to let the public know just what
took place. 9as @ 5.l 4,
SIN the first place. I was not collecting
taxes myself, but for the convenience OF
the Taxpayers have placed deputy
in the eastern end of the county at Coe -
burn, one in the western end at. bis
Stone Gap. and one in the center az WISE
4 Courthouse, who take charge OF the de-
8IInouent tax tickets after December LIST
N 81 en- Oh year collect the taxes, and settle
4 with me forSthe same.
. Every person has had ample oppor-
tunity to pay his taxes. myself ad-
vertised and sat at every postotiice and
public place in the county last fail. and
my deputies have done like wise this
spring, by posting large handbills dis
5trlbuted over their respective districts TO TO
individuals, calling especial attention 10
tho tlisfranchising clause Of the Const!-
tuition.
/ am cashier in the bank here. and my
Office is In the same building, and my
+ home Is less than one hundred yards ! rom
my Office. I have been at all times IN my
Office or in the bank. with the exception
of IA few days while was receiving
license tax i have never refused TO re-
ceiye taxes from any one. but, on the
other hand, have always done all ]
could to accommodate everybody Only
( two days before at the request Of sew
eral persons, all OF whom were Demo-
Gratis. went to my deputy and took up
five tickets with my own money and held
8,hem for their convenience.
Tho tax books were open at all times
for examination by the Democratic work
ers, as we'll as the Republicans and they
checked off the paid and unpaid whell-
ever they desired. And only two weeks
before ] checked up the books of my
home district with my deputy and fur
nished the Democratic committee w!th$a
complete list of the commissioners books
with the names of those who had. pad
marked.
AS to my wherea bouts on May 9Th:
Early in the morning l went over to East
Stone Gap, about one mile, TO license
the merchants at that place. returning
to my office about 10 o'clock and remain
Ing there until after512, and no one came.
In tho afternoon went down below town,
hardly outside Of the corporation, TO see
some parties, returning about O'Clock,
After my return to town. receipted three
persons for their poll tax. all Of whom,
were Democrats. i had not made cay
engagements to be at my Office on that
day, and no one came while was there
to pay their taxes. If they had GER
tainly would have received their money
and turned 1t over to my deputy, as
usual. u
Now as to the list 'phoncd over to
Wise by the Democratic committee 70
he paid by Mr.. w. d. Fulton to my
deputy there, twelve OF them had pre-
vlonsly paid their own taxes; seven were
at Stonega and Norton, and none Of them
were In town that day: seven were not
in the county on that day; eighteen OF
them lived In Biz Stone Gap and saw
the treasurer or his deputy every day,
and the remainder were scattered over
the district Twenty-three Of the nuns
her were not assessed and could not have
legally paid without clerks certificate Of
|Ereglstration. as the law directs in such
cases, which none of them had, Several
OF atneIn IlaI DetIl tTtluIlteu tlVueiN slpA
| the previous year and should have pald
| their taxes for that year to the clerk.
1t was simply an open and fragrant
attempt upon the part of the Democratic
committeeto violate the letter and spir''
| OF the law
I,also note that the report casts re-
Election upon Colonel Slemp and his son
| G. b. slemp who is the Republican stat.
chairman. desire to state, for the ben
eft Of these gentlemen, that they have
never, directly or indirectly In any way
consulted or advised the treasurer or III!
deputies in regard to the collection o1
poll taxes
regret very much that this malicious
1 attack has been made upon me for po
| litical purposes. but as this has beer
done. 4 am as anxious as any one thai
the public know,the facts and the par
1 ties connected with the REPORT You will
4 please, therefore, give this letter tht
same prominence rs you did the attach
j upon me. 3s$R III
. Yours respectfully
! r. p. BARRON,
Treasurer Wise County.