Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-12-07
CAUGHT A TARTAR

The story of how Mayor Wilborn
tried to bluff Architect H. C. Allen in
] to paying that unlawful and unjustly
discriminating occupation tax that 80
many Yorkville people have paid and
so many others have refused to
pay, and how Mr.. Allen called the
bluff, and has not yet paid. is several
days old; but it Is still worth telling.
The amount assessed against Mr..
Allen is $40, and when the policeman
Boney and presented a check in which
he had stipulated as the consideration
something to this effect: PAY to C. A.
Boney, treasurer. ten dollars, for occu-
patton tax claimed by the town, sub
ject to such notifications as may sub
sequently be established under the
civil laws Of the state"
Treasurer Boney, II seems, refused
to receive the check as drawn by Mr..
Allen, although there was no question
Of the validity Of the paper and Mr..
check or nothing.
Later Col. w. w. Lewis, the town at
torney, tried his hand on Mr.. Allen,
and among other things chided him
with the alleged fact that he was the
only man who had declined to pay the
tax, etc. Mr.. Allen did not believe any
thing Of the kind; but was not dispos-
ed to come across anyway, for various
reasons, the principal one being the
discriminating injustice Of the tax. AL
so he advised the colonel about his
| tender to Treasurer Boney, and the
colonel wanted to see the check 80 he
could determine as to whether or not
Treasurer Boney's position had been
satisfied with the tender he had al
ready made and was not inclined to
repeat. There was some discussion
about a check as a legal tender; but
in this Mr.. Allen came Off first best
with a declaration like this: Surely
you would not undertake In behalf
Of the town government to bubble over
a little matter like that, under cir
cumstances where you know positive
ly that the check is as good as the
money, and the writing thereon
committed the town to absolutely
nothing beyond the preservation Of the
legal right Of citizen"
In the course Of time, Mr.. Allen was
summoned before the mayor to show
cause why he did not pay his license
prescribed. Col Lewis, the town at
torney, was out Of town at the time.
and Mr.. J. 8. Brice appeared In behalf
Of the town in his stead.
Upon the call of the case Mr.. Allen
requested that he be allowed to see the
warrant upon which he had been ar
raigned.
There is no warrant" announced
the mayor.
What" exclaimed Mr.. Allen. You
people undertake to arraign me here
before this court without a warrant
setting forth whereof I am charged ?
You had better get one and you had
better get 1t quickly"
A warrant was duly written out,
signed and served, whereupon Mr..
Allen was duly arraigned.
Now" said the defendant, Il want
jury"
This demand seemed to increase the
agitation Of the court, and suggestion
was made that the case would be con-
tinued until another time.
How Is that?" demanded the de-
fendant. You bring me into court to
ar swer to a charge Of violating your
laws and when demand trial; you tell
me that my case Is to be continued on
motion Of the town? Why, / never
heard Of such thing"
Attorney Brice, realizing the impreg-
nable position Of the defendant. ex-
planned that there were several other
cases pending for trial and that OF
course Mr.. Allen would be willing to
wait until o'clock in the afternoon.
Mr. Allen made no objection; but
gave notice that he held in his hand
a copy Of The Yorkville Enquirer con-
tanning list Of all the people who had
paid the tax and he would demand
that each and every taxpayer be sum-
moned along with q number Of others
who are presumably liable for the tax
but who have not yet paid.
The hour Of o'clock arrived; but
in the meantime Mr.. Allen had receiv-
ed a quiet tip that to go into the thing
along the lines he was proposing
would burst up the whole tax scheme,
and 1t would be just as well to leave
things where they were; that in the
meantime the council would take up
his own particular case and act upon
1t as might seem proper.
AS to what the council may or may
not have done about the case on the
quiet, there Is no way by which The
Enquirer can get information; but at
last accounts, which last accounts are
very recent Mr.. Allen had not yet
come across with his assessment.