Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17
DELAWARE SENSATION
COUNTY OFFICIAL MISSING ow-
ING FULLY $4,000.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
WILMINGTON. Del, March 16.-The dis
appearance of Horace G.. Rettew, ex-re-
ceiver of taxes and county treasurer of
New Castle county. has caused a sensation
in this city, He left Wilmington two weeks
ago, since which time his family have re-
fused information of his whereabouts. The
sensation in the case is due to the fact that
he owes the county. approximately, $4,000
for taxes collected and uncollected. In ad-
dition, large number of his personal
friends are on notes for $4,000 or more
| which. it is feared, they will have to pay.
The levy court County commissioners
have adopted resolution officially notifying
the six bondsmen Of the ex-receiver of
taxes of the irregularities in his accounts
and requesting. that they (the bondsmen)
meet the court on next Tuesday morning
with view to the settlement Of the same"
The bondsmen are liable for $4,000. They
are: Senator Henry A. du Pont, United
States Marshal William r. Finn, ex-Presi-
dent of the Street and Sewer Commission
James d. Garter, Robert w. Tadman,
Charles NJ. Smith and George A. Elliott.
| Mr.. Tadman is president of the Whining
ton and Brandywine Leather Company: MI
Smith is president of the Charles M. Smith
Printing and Stationery Company, and Mr..
Elliott Is a lawyer.
Would Mean Heavy Loss to Bondsmen
The friends of Rettew who are on his
! notes, personally, include Clerk of the
Peace Winfield s. Quigley. Receiver of
Taxes Robert M: Burns, ex-Sheriff John r.
Taylor Clerk of Council Thomas 8. Lewis
and others. Mr.. Burns, who was deputy
under Rettew during the latter's term from
1901 to 1905, and who was elected to sue
coed him, informed several Of his friends
within the past few days that the affair
wOlll6 financial loss TO him
To use Receiver Burns own words: Il am
poorer now than when ] went into office,
and must start all over again" This is due
to the fact that he has been a liberal in
dorser of the. missing ex-official.
The statement was made today by one of
the bondsmen, that, on the face of the
situation Rettew owes about $4,000 This
includes the taxes and the amounts on per-
sonal notes. This bondsman, who, for bust
ness reasons, does not want to be quoted
| admits that he will probably lose $4,000
as result of his accommodations to Ret
tew.
The heaviest individual loser, outside of
the bondsmen, however, is Receiver of
Taxes Burns. His losses on personal notes
will exceed $1,000. Clerk of the Peace Quig-
ley, it is said, will lose about $780, ne and
Burns having been indorsers for Rettew on
notes recognized by the Farmers Bank.
Mr.. Quigley states that his obligation will
not be this much. His friends, however,
insist that 1t will reach that sum-
A1ouO1S oeSdu Last august.
County Controller Philemma Chandler,
who supervses the accounts of all county
officials, declared today that Rettew's ac-
counts were all right up to last July. 1t
was since that time, Mr.. Chandler said,
that the difficulties have begun.
The sureties have hope that the court
will order the several houses owned by
Rettew in this city and which are said to
be covered with mortgages, given to Mrs.
Rettew, to be turned over to them to help
make good their obligation to the county.
Whether this hope will be realized, how
ever, is another matter.
1t is declared that of the $23, 900 due the
county in collected and uncollected taxes,
this being exclusive of the unpaid check of
sl3,99S, the levy court will allow errors of
about $1,000. 1t is believed that the I'M
paid taxes amount to upward of $4,000,
and, If this shall be the case, the sureties
will be enabled to reimburse themselves to
this extent by collecting the amounts due.