The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1905-09-22
so SAY THE VETS.
NOTICE OF INJUNCTION SERVED
ON TAX COLLECTOR
WILLARD.
Claimed That Poll Taxes Paid
Since August 18th are Of no
Avail in ThiC Election.

Avail In IhlC Election.
There was CONSERVATION i'll the
camp of Palatka's "wet" contingent
Monday morning, and there has
been uneasiness ever since.
At one o'clock Monday morning
Sheriff Howell, accompanied by the
attorney for the dry campaign CON-
mittee, called on Tax Collector A. S.
Willard at his home, routed that
popular official out of bed, and then
and there served him with a notice
and copy of bill in chancery:
This bill in chancery is "to enjoin
the tax collector from making and
filing with the supervisor of regis
tration u certified list of qualified
voters who have paid their poll taxes
for 1904 SINCE the second Saturday
in August, 1905, and to require him
to make and file with the supervisor
of registration certified list of only
such voters as may have qualified
by paying poll taxes up to said sec
ond Saturday III August"
Stripped of it's legal verbiage this
action simply means that the dry
campaign committee, as advised by
it's attorney, holds that the poll tax
books, for the purpose of qualifying
voters in the approaching special
election, should have been closed,
under the law, on August 18th, the
second Saturday in that month-in-
stead of being kept open until the
Sth day of September.
Arguments on this bill are being
heard before Judge Wills at Starke
today. Mr.. Willard is represented
by Capt. E. Noble Calhoun.
On the result of this decision much
depends. If Judge Wills decides
that the books should have been
closed on August 18th, then all who
have paid poll taxes subsequent to
that date with the purpose of voting
in the election next Tuesday, will
be denied the privilege.
If he sustains Collector Willard s
view of the law, all who have paid
poll taxes up to and including the
9Th day of September will be entitled
to vote.
Saloon advocates are calling this
bill for an INDUCTION "a mean, dirty
trick" Why?
Because if Judge Wills issues the
injunction it will disqualify the
hoard of dissolute negro riff-raff for
whom the liquor men have paid poll
taxes. This class is the real back
bone of the liquor power in this city.
Therefore when the backbone is
broken. Well, you know the rest.
Reports have been circulated that
Mr.. Willard has been arrested, and
these have been circulated with a
view to securing sympathy for the
''wets."
The report is absolutely untrue.
He was simply served with notice
and bill of iniuction-a necessary
legal step. 1t was served at one
O'Clock on Monday morning at
the instance of the attorney
for the dry committee, who accom-
panied the sheriff at that officers re-
quest. Why it was served at that
hour is not known, but it is presumed
the attorney felt he had reason. The
attorney left here the same morning
at 5 o'clock.
In this connection the News de-
sires to say that Collector Willard
has acted in this matter without pre-
judice to either side. He kept his
books open until the Sth of Septem-
Der on the advice of his attorney and
no one questioned the correctness of
his view of the law until late last
week.
Even the dry campaign committee
supposed the collector was acting eX-
actly in accordance with the law un-
til its attorney stated differently.
There is also a report going the
rounds that in case Judge Wills
grants the injunction the officers can.
not prepare the registration books in
time for the election Tuesday.
This is a mistake. When asked
concerning this matter both Collector
Willard and Supervisor of Registra'
tion Peterman assured the News thai
no matter how the decision went the
election would be held on Tuesday
next. as called by the county com
missioners, and that the books woulC
be ready.
1t is well that the legal point in
volved in this bill for an injunction
be settled now rather than after the
election, when it would surely come
up. In Columbia county's wet ol
dry election there was about the
same length of time between the
calling of the election and the cleo
| ton itself. The months were differ
ent, but the tax collector closed hi!
books on day corresponding TO thu
18th of August in this case. Th'
dry's won the election, but the wet!
contested it, basing their contest OF
the claim that the collector shoulC
have kept his books open to the sec
ond Saturday of the month in which
the election was held. The case wa
carried to the Supreme court, ant
the court decided that the collecto
was right in closing his books on til,
second Saturday of the month befor
the election. This decision has no
been published, but the attorney TO
the dry committee is authority TO
the statement that it was rendered
1t is on this decision that the "dry
committee pins its faith for grant
ing of this injunction by Judg
Wills.
LATER, 4 p. Nippon going t
press we received a telegram from
Starke stating that Judge Wills
decision was as follows: :" n
electors are qualified to vote in tn
coming wet or dry election eN
cept those voting at general cleo