Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-05-25
Letter From Wise County Treasurer


WI. EulIOI.-
have not deemed i
necessary to reply to certain charges
made against me in regard to my 1eav
ing my post of duty" as it was called
on Saturday May 9th. No attention il
paid to the matter here where the peo
pie are acquainted with the facts in the
case, but owing to the wide publicity
given to it, (of which have just learn
ed) feel it my duty to let the public
know just what took place.
In the first place l was not collecting
taxes myself, but for the convenience
of the Tax Payers, l have placed deputy
in the eastern end of the county at Coe-
burn, one in the western end at Big Stone
Gap, and one in the center at Wise
courthouse, who take charge of the de-
linquent tax tickets after December 1st
of each year, collect the taxes and set
tie with me for the same.
Every person has had ample oppor-
tunity to pay his taxes. myself ad-
vertised and sat at every Post Office and
public place in the county last Fall, and
my deputies have done likewise this
Spring, by posting large hand bills and
distributed over their respective dis
tricts to individuals, calling especial
attention to the DISTINGUISHING clause
of the Constitution.
l am cashier in the Bank here and
my Office is in the same building, and
my home is less than one hundred yards
from my Office. l have been at all times
in my Office or the Bank, with the ex-
ception of few days while l was re-
ceiving License Tax. have never re-
fused to receive taxes from any one,
but on the other hand ! have always
done all / could to accommodate every
body. Only two days before, at the re-
quest of several persons, all of whom
were democrats, went to my deputy
and took up five tickets with my own
money and held them for their conven-
fence.
The tax books were open at all times
for examination by the democratic
workers as well as the republicans, and
they checked off the paid and unpaid
whenever they desired. And only two
weeks before l checked up the books of
my home district with my deputy and
furnished the democratic committee
with complete list of the commission
er's books, with the names of those who
had paid marked.
AS to my whereabouts on May 9th.
Early in the morning went over to
East Stone Gap, about one mile, to
license the merchants at that place, re-
turning to my Office about 10 o'clock,
and remained there until after twelve
and no one came. In the afternoon l
went down below town, hardly outside
of the corporation, to see some parties,
returning about o'clock. After my
return to town Ireceipted three persons
for their poll tax, all of whom were
democrats. had not made any engage
ments to be at my Office on that day
and no one came while / was there to
pay their taxes. If they had ! certain
ly would have received their money and
turned it over to my deputy as usual.
Nov as to the list 'phoned over to
Wise by the democratic committee to
be paid by Mr.. w. B. Fulton to my
deputy there. Twelve of them had prev
iougly paid their own taxes; seven we're
at Stonega and Norton, and none Of |
them were in town on that day; seven
were not in the county on that day;
eighteen Of them lived in Big Stone
Gap and saw the treasurer or his deputy
every day, and the remainder were
scattered over the district. Twenty
three of the number were not assessed
and could not have legally paid without
clerks certificate of registration, as
the law directs in such cases, which
none of them had. Several Of them
had been returned delinquent for the
previous year and should have paid
their taxes for that year to the clerk,
1t was simply an open and hagrant
attempt upon the part of the Demo-
cratic committee to violate the letter
and spirit Of the law.
also note that the report casts re-
Election upon Col. Slemp and his son, c.
B. Slemp, who is the Republican State
chairman. / desire to state for the
benefit Of these gentlemen, that they
have never directly or indirectly in any
way consulted or advised the treasurer
Or his deputies in regard to the collec-
ton of poll taxes.
regret very much that this malicious
attack has been made upon me for po-
iticsl purposes, but as this has peep
lone, am as anxious as any one that
he public know the facts and the par
les connected with the report. You
will please, therefore, give this letter
he same prominence as you did the at
aek uponHe.
Yours respectfully,
ID ID pADDON