Evening journal., 1918-04-05
Council FEARS Of
UNCOLLECTED Taxes
Mayor Lawson Sends Let
ters About Unsettled
Accounts of 1907
MATTER IS REFERRED
TO CITY SOLICITOR

Members Of City Council at their
meeuns last evening received letters
from Mayor Lawson relative TO uncol-
lected city taxes Of 1907. Following the
reading Of the two letters the matter
was referred TO the law committee OF
Council and City Solicitor Bayard Coun-
Gilman Robertson, chairman OF The
finance committee. stated that if The city
solicitor could collect the money out
standing &c would be a feather IN his
hat. and he and other members Of Coun-
cil would give him credit for doing 10.
The letters were as follows, the frst
being addressed TO Council:
Gentlemen: On July %, 1917. Rob
ert Adair. attorney for the Taxpayers
League. Inc, wrote 10 your body in
quiring about the tax collections
charged to George II. Mccall, who was
tax collector for the Northern district
OF the city during the years i903-l907
inclusive. The records OF The city dis
close that there were uncollected or
unacc0unted for taxes during this
period, 1908 to 1907. amounting to SiS,-
S4S.72 ! am informed tnat this COM
muuication of Mr. Adalr was received
by your honorable body and referred
TO the law committee and tho city
solicitor, but that no reply has been
made thereto by the law committee Of
your body nor has the same been re-
ferred to the city solicitor
"On January %. 1918 / received a
communication from Mr. Adair, attor-
ney for the Taxpayers League, enclos-
ing copy OF his letter to your body
OF July %. 1917, and asking II could
give him any information on the sub
iect The enclosed copy Of my letter
70 Mr.. Adair is based upon all the in
formation / can gather regarding the
matter, and. as am sending this letter
to Mr.. Adair, deem It only fair to
your body to send you a copy thereof.
Very respectfully.
John w. Lawson, Mayor"
The letter referred to by Mayor Law
son as having been sent to Mr. Adair
Is as follows:
"AIr Robert Adair. Attorney Of the Tax
payers League. Inc, Wilmington,
Del
Dear Sir: Replying further to your
favor Of January 25, 1918. ] beg TO
state 20 you as follows
81 assume that your statement the
matter Of taxes collected by a former
collector Of taxes for the Northern dis
trict OF the city, refers 10 George II
Mccall who was elected assessor and
collector Of taxes for the Northern dis.
trict OF the city in 1908 and again ir
1905. An examination OF what IL
known as the bond book in the oiilc
Of the clerk OF Council shows that Nc
Call gave bond In 1903 IN the sum o
$4,000. with personal surety TO faith
fully perform his duties as assessor an
collector for the Northern district. tn
book further shows that Mccall afto
his reelection TO The same office q
1903. gave bond with surety for IN
faithful performance of his duties a
assessor and collector for the Southern
district Of the city. The records do
not disclose that Mccall ever gave an.
other bond 10 1905 90 the city for thN
faithful performance OF his duties al
assessor and collector for the Northern
district.
Just what action the proper cit
authorities ever took upon the matter
J have no information Of, but II Mccall
failed in the performance Of his duties
and proceedings were taken TO enforce
the penalties, these, / suppose. woull
be matters Of public record in th
courts 20 which you have full access
So Tar as the city records arc concern
ed there does not appear to be an,
entry showing what. II any. proceed
ings were taken
Yours very truly,
John W. Lawson. Mayor