The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-09-08
ITO THE PUBLIC.

As candidate of the Democratic party for
County Commissioner, l recognize the fact
that my actions rs public officer hitherto are
legitimate subjects of criticism. l do not
object to criticism if it be fair.
do denouncc the attempt made in recently
published pamphlet to place me in false light
before my fellow citizens, through mean innu-
endoes artfully intended to mislead and de-
ceive the people of Hartford county. While
do not acknowledge any obligation to defend
myself from any implication contained in the
scurrilous pamphlet referred to, my respect
for the party which has honored me by NOM
inatiOn impels me to deny most positively and
unequvOcally that have ever, directly or in
directly, received any commission OH any con-
tract or agreement for the purchase of any
road machines or any other implement or ar
ticle purchased by the County Commissioners
of Hartford county at any time. l also deny,
without any reservation or equivOcation that
any offer of commission, rebate or drawback
was ever made to any County Commissioner in
my presence in contracting for any road ma
chine or any other article purchased by the
Commissioners for Hartford county.
/ was County Commissioner from 1885 to
1891. In 1889, having seen a Champion Road
Machine owned by the Darlington Road
League, and believing similar machine could
urged upon the Commissioners the purchase
of one. They consented and the machine was
bought and paid for by the county. Even my
enemies do not say that received any COM
mission upon that machine, it being the first
one purchased of the American Road Machine
Company for the county. Subsequently the
commissioners ucCtlCu 10 Duy several ma
chimes for other districts. l asked the agent of
the American Road Machine Company if 5000
was the lowest price of the machine, aud sug-
gested that reduction should be made to the
county, as several machines we're to be pur-
chased. He replied that 5000 was the lowest
net price ut which the machines would be sold.
The county therefore bought them. The bills
for every road machine bought by the County
Commissioners while / was in office were pre-
sented to the Board ut the full price charged
by the company, ordered to be paid, and the
full amount of the same charged in the levy
list. Those bills are on file in the Commission
ers' Office and can be seen by any one who
may call on the Clerk for that purpose. If
anybody received IL commission on either of
these machines the transaction was made out
side of the Commissioners Office and without
my knowledge.
In transac citing business for the county al
ways endeaVOred to make the best bargains |
could, the same as l would have done in my
own private business, and challenge investf-
CATION of my record US County Commission
or.
1 have further to say, that while l have
deemed 1t proper to reply in this manner to
ty newspaper, so far as they refer to me, l de-
sire to add that hold myself in readiness to
invoke the aid of the law to protect my good
name from all lying accusations printed over
the signature of any person, pecuniarily re-
sponsible, in Il suit for malicious SANDER,
In conclusion can say that feel the natu-
raj and righteous Indignation which every
honest man must feel at being wrongfully ac-
cused, even by implication and innuendo, and
having been fairly nominated by the Demo-
cratic party, | have right to be defended and
supported by every fair-minded Democrat.
Respectfully,
EDWARD q. HOOKER