The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-02-22
A Card,

To THE TAXPAYERS OF hartford COUNTY:
The grand jury, which has just adjourned,
in its report to the Circuit Court makes the
following statement:
1T has come to the knowledge of the grand
jury that whilst the law makes it the duty of
the treasurer OF Hartford county to assess
such property in Hartford county as does not
appear upon the last regular assessment,
that he does not perform that duty but in
stead Mr.. William F. Hays is employed by
the County Commissioners to perform that
duty at rates much in excess OF what the law
allows to the treasurer, though the treasurer
IS reported to have received part of the pay.
1t Is claimed. however, that by SO doing a
much larger revenue is secured for the
county"
This statement does me gross injustice is
absolutely false and gives the impression to
the public that am receiving from Mr.. Will
liam F. Hays money for pretended services
which have not performed.
The facts are as follows:
The Treasures law provides that, "The
said treasurer shall be clothed with the pow
er OF general assessor and shall receive the
fees heretofore allowed by the law or usage
to collectors of taxes for assessing new prop
erty in said county. and his valuation shall
be subject to revision and corrected by said
commissioners upon appeal
"Ail laws or parts of laws general or local,
inconsistent with the provisions of this arti-
Gle are hereby repealed"
These fees found fixed. when | went into
the office, at fifty cents IS 5o) for each assess
ment.
l appointed my deputies to make these
dSSeSSlIlSntS. Wlllia1n T. hays ana Robert A.
Mitchell allowing them twenty-five cents
1S.25) for each assessment turned in; each of
them accepted the appointment and made
assessments, and by my report published in
November last, it is shown that | received
one hundred and eleven dollars (S111.OO for
this work, one-halt OF which paid over to
Hays and Mitchell.
The sum of four hundred and nineteen dol
lars ($+19.0O), shown by my said report to
have been paid to Mr.. Hays. was paid to
him on orders issued by the County Commits
SIOncrS, and for this Dayment am in n NyiSt.
responsible, nor was | n party thereto.
Under the law it was my duty to make
these assessments. and if have not done it.
but (as the grand jury claims) have received.
as treasurer, m oney for services not rendered.
why was | not indicted If on the other
hand, Mr.. Hays was my deputy to do this
work, and the commissioners in defiance of
the law have paid him additional compensa-
ton as gratuity, why were they not in
dictcd !?
do not fear investigation bv any grand
jury, but | insist that it is grossly unjust for
a grand jury to make charges about my Of
fee and then intimate that some future grand
jury may take action upon subject which it
has undert taken to inquire into, and about
which all necessary proof was easily obtain
able.
will also call attention to the peculiar ac-
ton taken by the grand jury in relation to
the books belonging to the county removed
from the treasurer's office when Mr.. Allen re-
tired, and which were brought back on Fri
day last by his deputy. Mr.. Harry. under a
subpoena duces tecum, issued by the grand
jury. Was the confession forced from the
late treasurer and his deputy that they had
press short time since good excuse for
not finding an Indictment?
The report of the grand jury looks to
like a deal by which the County Commits
sioners and the former treasurer were to be
protected and the investigation into the
]. FINNEY WELLS,
Treasurer of Hartford County.
Aberdeen, Feb. 20. 1907.