Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-26
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY Is, 1918
A Most Astounding Action.

The indifference Of the Levy Court q
Suv Castle county TO the interests of th,
rnh6c il xv4l-known- II has, for ycars,
tk1splayud innpscity and rcvelled IN
u4yavaxanre. II has wasted the money
M the taxpayers, and then laughed in
|-saeir fsce- Also, as an additional brutal
faGsnn4> hiss increased assessments and
NmA Why7 Because, election after
k<Asrtiun. thosc taxpayers, totally indif-
fesens 10 Their own interests went TO the
spo[k and deliberately indorsed the Levy
'Cnnt and All its imperfections. In
Nch circumstances, is II any wonder the
lry Court hiss become so insolently
,adrnGve7
But evrn such body msy become too
amolent and go too far, and it i. probable
'sAc Levy Court did this, at IT'S session
isss week II deliberately reelected TO
Nhe position Of tender Of the bridge across
the Rrandywinc river at Seventh street
N Acknowledged violator of the lava
man who is now serving n term IN the
NV Castle County Workhouse. II
cvvn authorized continuation cf his salary
IA bridgetender during his Incarceration
in the county jail.
This law-brcakinc county official was
arrested, indicted and tined on charge
Of "ohstructlng justice. His specific
acts were IN the direction Of endeavoring
10 "spirit away" important witnesses
ks sasn laI Cor ke
successful prosecution of violators of the
registration for the Local Option election
in this city last November On his ar
raignment he pleaded guilty and was
punished with a sentence of fine and i'm
prl>onment And he is now in the county
,orkhousc. serving time for his admitted
fence
he ml-demeanor 20 which this county
official pleaded guilty Is Of very heinous
character. nv many regarded as far more
serious than the ordinary offences of
assault upon person or property Ii
involved the integrity of an election,
and If Is held that political righteousness.
the asoertaining of the exact state of
public sentiment at elections, Is of the
utmoct consequence ID a Republican
form of government. lnsidious attacks
upon the honesty OF elections are regarded
- the most dangerous Of offendings.
Yea the Levy Court OF New Castle
county gave public Endorsement and
epndnnstion TO this mans misdoing He
I'D . piAc, on the county payroll as
eomey official His Official term expired
rUmle he = stin IN prison, and the Levy
tOuSut deliberately reelected him-a
confessed offender against the law Also,
0e Levy Court had the audacity To
continue payment of his ealary, despite
h Incarceration IN prison, where he
eannos even make pretence of perform
0e the duties Of ms position.
Nothing moro audscious, nothing that
- haunts decent pubic sentiment, was
Svvr' before known in the State of Del
svare. What excuse can the Levy Court
offer for Ix amazing action-its insolent
Indifference TO public propriety and the
influence Of Official action. What ex-
PLANTATION can il offer for the 'pull''
winch thrs prison inmate and his friends
must have upon the Levy Court to induce
that body TO make such an astounding
Endorsement of vicious lawlessness, and
offer such an insult TO public decency?
This man is not the only convicted or
confessed law vlolator on the county
payroll. But ms case il especially |
vicious, and reflects most discreditably
upon the Levy Court, from the fact that
he Is continued In an official position
and his salary allowed right along while |
he II spending a term in prison, In ac-
oordance with his plea of guilty to a
serious offence against the law
" hat can the Levy Court or its apollo
g.sts say in extenuation of this most out
rageous fouting of the honest sentiment
o the people of New Castle county?