The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-02-06
SIXTY YEARS AGO.
FOW A TEMPERANCE MEETING
WAS INTERRUPTED AT
COWANTOWN.
An Episode in the Early Lives of the
Late EX-Judge McCauley and the
Late Palmer c. Ricketts,, Founder
of the "Cecil Whig."

What will you take to drink" was the
general salutation in Cecil county sixty years
ago. in every circle of society. Not only was
the use OF Intoxicating liquors general among
the people, but in the misguided ideas that
then prevailed, they were considered n neces-
sity of life, good in sickness and in health.
good in summer to dispel the heat and in
winter to dispel the cold, good to help alike
the frolic Of the young and the collie of the
aged.
The whisky jug was ubiquitous.
The farmers of the county were expected
to supply their farm hands with their daily
drains, and barrel of whisky was tapped at
the election polls.
We recall one case where II well-known
farmer f'this county, who has children still
living. upon his conscientious refusal to sup
ply whisky to his hands at harvest time, was
compelled to take the cradle and the scythe
himself and with one other farm hand under
take to harvest his entire crops. But he was
determined man, and finally succeeded in
getting his grain cut, without compromising
his conscience by furnishing whiskey in the
harvest field. His experience recalls the then
existing general habit of whisky drinking, as
well as the prejudice against the introduction
OF labor-saving machinery in the harvest
Held. Because he would not furnish whisky
to his farm hands. they struck. and refused
to work, leaving him single hand as stated
Learning that a hay rake to he worked by Il
horse was being manufactured in Pennsyl-
vania he drove there and purchasing the
horse rake brought it home. As soon as his
solitary employe, who, by the way, was II
local preacher, saw it. he threw down his
scythe and Seclared, he would not work for II
man, who would use machinery TO take the
bread out Of laborinS nous mouths Be-
tween the labor striker on the one hand and
the whisky strikers on the other. the sturdy
Cecil farmer was for the moment noDplussed
But he stuck to his principles, and by
extra effort and labor, got his crops gathered
without the use of whisky. and with the use
of the horse rake instead of the old hand
rake.
We cite this one instance to show. how
strong n hold the drink habit bad upon our
agricultural classes.
Bu everybody drank whisky then.
The parson and the deacon Joined each
other in IL social glass.
I he dccanter stood ready at all times on
the sideboari. If Il wedding was celebrated,
the bride and groom had congratulations
paid them reeking with the odor of whisky
and when a funeral took place, the whisky
iutr u,ng ba trnnnrul f. Ia,
afiiction.
But there came Il time when tho eyes OF
intelligent men and women were opened to
the evils entailed upon every class o! our
people. by the indulgence OF this diseased
and all-pcrvading appetite for alcoholic bcv-
reform movement began in New York State,
followed by Temperance Association in
Philadelphia in 1911 headed by the celebrated
DIR. Rush, and by 1882 there were over four
thousand temperance societies in the United
States. Ia 1886 the American Temperance
Union was formed, and it is probably in that
year or the year following, the temperance
movement began to take shape in Cecil
comfy.
Prominent in this movement were the late
Judge James McCauley and Palmer c.
Ricketts,. whose father, Thomas Ricketts,, had
taken Il very decided stand against the pre-
vailing Use of alcoholic drinks.
About that time or it may have been year
or two later, the temperance reform move
ment invaded the Fourth district of this
county, in which was located the notorious
roadside inn of Katy Deisart. in which us the
story ran in those days. this celebrated fem-
nine Boni'ace, dispensed sixteen kinds of
liquors from one and the samo bottle.
But whether katys bottle possessed the
magic power attributed to it or not, certain it
is, that the whisky she dispensed was alone
able to do its work, aud Cowantowl in those
days was tho convivial center of the whisky
drinkers of that section of the county.
Sentiment then ran all one way, and it is
interesting to note, that the temperance sen.i-
ment is stronger today among all classes OF
the people in the Fourth district than in any
other section Of the county.
But ii was not so there in the thirties.'' as
Judge McCauley and Palmer Ricketts, dis
covered, when they issued call for II tenn
perance meeting to be held in the school
house near Cowantown. They were young
pioneers in the cause. full of zeal, and both
Of them We're to make speeches ON the occas-
ion.
When tho eventful night came. the little
school house was packed with men and
women, curiosity having drawn many there to
hear, what these young men would have to
say in favor OF cold water and against tho
popular beverage, corn whisky. While the
large majority of men in their audience were
against them, yet number favored the
movement, and afterwards signed the total
abstinence pledge.
After the meeting was organized, Mr.. Nc
Cauey was introduced as the first speaker
He had only fairly opened his speech when Il
hustle was heard at the door of the school
house, which attracted the attention OF the
audience. The speaker stopped. and the head
of every one was turned to the door. What
at first was a noise Of hustling feet, soon took
the shape Of n well defined tramp tramp,
OF several feet. as II procession OF six young
men wns seen marching up the aisle toward
the speakers desk. At the head of the pro-