Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1924-02-01
FILING FEE PAID
BY FLEETWOOD
Sussex County Farmer Who Said
He Would Not Pay The Tax
Settles With Costs.
WIFE NOW REFUSES TO PAY
Officials Will Push Her Case For
An Early Settlement Because
OF Attitude Taken.

After openly bOasting that he would
not pay the State filing fee of $500 as
sessed against every man and woman
in the State, and causing the officials
to take action looking to the cOlIec-
ton of the fee, Cyrus Fleetwood, a
Nanticoke District farmer, had a
change of heart and has paid the fee.
Instead of the original 5000 assessed
against him for two years, he had to
pay S26.50 when final settlement was
made. By the transaction he is just
S20.50 worse off than he would have
been had he paid the fee when due
and caused the officials no inconVen-
fence. Many persons opposed to the
filing fee have been holding Fleetwood
up as an example of how man could
refuse to pay the fee and get away
with it. Their claims have now been
exploded by the action just taken by
Fleetwood, and many who are tempt
ed to take his attitude will probably
change their minds and settle without
legal action having been taken.
The story of the whole Fleetwood
affair is about as follows:
Fleetwood, despite all efforts of the
Tax Department to collect the two
years taxes by sending out notices,
stated he would not pay and intimated
that he would carry the matter to
court.
On Tuesday of last week, however,
he had a change of heart and turned
over to Constable Abraham L. Adams,
of Seaford, S26.50, which represented
his filing fee for two years, the pen
atty, interest at the rate of six per
cent per month for the period and the
legal costs.
In December of last year, Fleetwood
was sued by the Tax Department be-
fore Justice of the Peace James K. |
Phillips, at Seaford, for S13.26. This |
amount represented his tax for two
years with double the amount added |
and interest from March Is, 1921. He |
paid no attention to the suit and Con-
stable Adams on December 81 was in
structed to get the money by adVer-
Using his personal property for sale.
On January 10 the sale was held.
A few farmers in the vicinity gath
cred, but as the articles were put up
for auction no bids were received.
Constable Adams saw that the far
with Fleetwood and showed their dis
approval of the filing fee. He was de-
5ermined that he would collect the
money if it became necessary to adj
1ertise the property a dozen times.
Fleetwood caused a surprise on
Tuesday of last week by turning the
money over to Constable Adams on
Tuesday and the officer handed it into
he Georgetown branch of the Tax De-
)artment. +
Mr.. Fleetwood's wife, Mrs. Hattie
has been just as opposed
o paying the filing fee as her hus-
)and. The consequence is that a suit
or S13.26 has been docketed against !
Ter by Justice of the Peace Phillips at
Seaford. 7
Mrs. Fleetwood, it is said, has sent !
word to the Tax Department that she :
will not pay the tax. ;
Her attitude, it is stated, has been !
uch that the officials propose to take ;
lrastic action. Unless the tax with all
ccrued costs, are paid by the time ,
# the converting of the February :
erm of court, it is said, a criminal :
ction is going to be brought against :
er.
In the meantime, however, accord !,
ng to Deputy Collector William R.
Iessick, of the Georgetown branch of :,
be Tax Department, an effort will be :
lade to collect the tax without hav- q
1g to resort to the courts. g
According to Deputy Messick, the Il
AK Department is determined to so :,
he limit in an effort to collect the =
lxes, and if they find it necessary to y
ave a bill of Indictment presented to =
ne grand jury each year, for any one "
erson's tax, it will be done. :