The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-09-10
OFFICIAL CORRUPTION.
How the State Tobacco Warehouses
are Conducted.
n USELESS employees AND 20 FICTITI-
GUS NAMES ON THE PAY ROLLS.
Story of Missing Tobacco and How the
Owner was Paid for 1t.
Published by authority of the Maryland
Democratic Editors Association.

warehouses, one OF the peculia insti-
utions OF the State, were conducted in
60 practical and business-lke a manner
that considerable revenue accrued from
the fees every year and was turned over
TO the State Comptroller.
Scrupulous care was observed in the
inspection of tobacco sent up to the
warehouse from tie tobacco growing
counties, and exact justice invariably
characterized the management of the
financial end OF the institution as long
as it remained under control OF the
Democratic party. Never were there
any scandals under the old regime
It's annual contributions to the State
needs were significant testimonials to
the honesty and worth of the Democ-
cratic appointees, and in view of the
present condition and corrupt practices
precipitated by the passing OF the man
agement of affairs into Republican
hands, they appear to be remarkable
tributes of Democratic worth
On the assumption OF control by the
Republicans, Governor Lowndes turned
over the tobacco warehouses; prizes
which Southern .1aryland Republicans
had long been eying greedily, to Con
gresham Sydney E Mudd, then
Speaker of the House of Delegates Mr..
Mudd had been of material assistance
in bringing about the election OF
George L. Wellington as United States
Senator, and, although it was generally
suspected that he had been as material
" rewarded for his Services" as the
most exacting politician could demand.
the Governor felt compelled to- throw
1,.,1
men to the warehou es at Mudd's sug-
gestion, or practically at his dictation.
The Governor had no knowledge what
ever as to the character or fitness of the
appointees Mudd knew them. however
he knew them thoroughly. He was to
be his party's candidate for Congress
from that district, and. although emil
nently better able to enter the fight for
the nomination on retiring from the
Spcakership than when he appeared at
Annapolis. he did not propose to leave
any stone unturned, and the tobacco
warehouses became practically club to
hammer out the advancement OF the
Sydney z. Mudd Congressional boom.
The conspiracy worked like charm.
the hope Of obtaining a place on the
warehouse pay roll was more than sui
hcient to keep the floating Southern
Maryland vote in line, and. on the day
the Fifth District Republican conven-
ton met, the Hon" Mr. Mudd was
nominated, and an additional reason for
the exist nee OF the warehouses was re-
corded.
Alter his nomination, the candidate
felt the need OF money-an emotion pc
culiarly strong in Republican statesmen
from his section of the State, where the
prosperity of the Republican voters
usually increases as elect 4 day APP
proaches and eliminates on that day
Mr.. Mudd has never been noted for
heavy personal contributions to the
campaign funds. He is rarely, however,
unnerved at the use OF money in politics
unless it be his own-and consequent
" the employees of the warehou~5, from
the chiefs down, were invited to con
tribute a portion of their salaries to fur
Their the Mudd campaign for Congress.
These Contribution" it should be
explained. were to be voluntary, and
in view of the complete and perfect un-
Outstanding on this point, it is difficult
to conceive why the impression got
abroad that those who should neglect to
avail themselves of the privilege should
be relieved of their places 1t is salts
faction to state that the old employees.
with remarkable unanimity, responded
TO the invitation at once and put up
their cash.
After the election last year, the re
port got abroad that the affairs were not
qoing on among the followers OF Con
rressman Mudd-or to be more explicit
fbe officials AT the warehouses-as
might be desired.
There was no SURVIVE had been tn
case under Democratic msruie ant
some carping critics we're so unkind as
10 suggest that the high price OF votes
IN the past election might have some
;.,~r 10 do v-;'l' Us absence
The dissatisfaction among those
whose business relations brou them
into contact with Mudd's officials grew,
and so great became the suspicion, the
Governor suddenly removed Inspector
Naylor, OF Charles county, and later on
Inspector DuVal, of Prince Georges,
conspicuous Mudd lieutenants, and de-
termined to have the condition OF al
fairs subjected to a thorough investiga-
ton
Col. John A. Tompkins, the we'll
known expert accountant. spent two
months in going through the books.
The accounts were found to be in a
disgraceful condition" Absolutely no
effort at order or system had been OBJ
served. Col. Tompkins was compelled
to wade through veritable labrynth OF
crooked ink, and the resuitwa sufficient
not only to show the complete unhtness
OF the horde OF Mudd-Lowndes ap-
pointees but to prove that the dishon-
esty and corruption alleged against
them had failed completely to measure
UP to the real situation.
The pay rolls were found to be padd-
ed, not only with names OF those who
ueer performed a stroke OF work at the
warehouses. but even with names OF nc
ttious personages. Some OF those
named in the pay rolls-not the mere
creature OF political fancy, but real
flesh and blood Republicans, capable OF
turning so many votes apiece-had
never seen the warehouses. and did not
even come up for their salaries. In
stead of this they had their checks
mailed to them with agreeable regular
ity-about as fair an illustration OF calm
and sublime impudence as might be cit
ed
As an example of the self-indulgent
mode Of work under the Mudd-Lown-
des machine the experience OF a tobac-
co grower from one of the counties may
be mentioned. This gentleman sent
some tobacco on for inspection. and
after waiting a reasonable time for some
reply or action from the authorities, ne
came on himself to investigate. He
found that the officials knew absolutely
nothing about his tobacco, beyond the
tact Of its reception. It had dlsap-