Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1901-03-22
False Enumerations in st. Mary's
County, Md.
A dispatch from Washington to the B,hi

A dispatch from Washington to the Bait
more Sun, dated March 10Th, says:
Stephen A Abel, a policeman OF the
| Washington force and formerly a census
enumerator in st. Mary's county, Md , was
arrested here this afternoon on charge OF
having enumerated as "alive and active resi-
dents" in the hundred and eleventh emu
merating district seven different persons
"who were dead at the time of the enumera'
ton The warrant was sworn out by Chas.
| +. Sloane, chief clerk of the geographical
division Of the Census Bureau.
Abel admits having entered several dead
persons, claims that he understood the law
to intend such enumeration, and states that
his course in the matter was advised by
Representative Mudd, Enoch b Abel, clerk
of the Circuit Court in that district, and Jos.
II. Ching, Republican attorney practicing
at Leonardtown. Abel was appointed to
the Washington police force September 4
last on the Recommendation of Mr. Mudd.
The charge is set forth in the warrant as
follows: THAT on June 30, 1900, Stephen
A. Abel, a census enumerator in District
Ill of the thirtieth supervisors district in
the State of Maryland, did willluly, know
ingly and unlawfully make certain false
certificate and certain false ret urn to the
Director of the said census by setting out In
said return that seven different persons we're
alive and active residents of said district,
whereas in truth and in fact the said seven
persons were dead at the time OF the max
ing of the said enumeration"
Abel was arrested at No. Police Station
shortly before O'Clock this afternoon He
was taken to police headquarters and held
pending his efforts to obtain release on bail
About o'clock Representative Mudd called
and had conference with the accused.
The prisoner made the following state
ment OF the case to reporter for the Sun;
Last June | was appointed an enumer-
ator in the eastern part OF the Third emu
meTating district on recommendation Of Mr..
| Mudd. When | went to work II was un.
derstood was to set down all men who had
died within year-although was to use
my own discretion and put down the men
who died since the census before If thought
best. Those were my Instructions from MIR.
Mudd, Mr.. Ching and Mr. Abel. They
are all Republicans, and am a Re publican,
and worked with the Republican Gro wd.
swell, | found lot of men who were
doubtful. Alfred Dillow, of Leonardlown,
was one. He died % or 30 days before
took the census, but had to use my own
judgment, and | put him down. Then
French Thompson, OF st. Marys county,
had Just moved to Washington to work In
the Riggs House. and | set him down.
There were lot OF people who were all
mixed up, who had died or moved away or
lived somewhere else and had property in
st Mary's county, and had to use my own
judgment. put them down, because I'M
derstood the law directed me to use my own
judgment.
"My recollection is that the other emu
merators were using their judgment In the
same way They were Ed Teunyson, Chas
Guyther, Dan Bowls, Wilson Graves and X.
johnson Cotton. Mr.. Cotton finished his
work in II days. He knew his district so
we'll that he just sat down and filled out his
blanks. You had to do something like that,
or catch the people a-runnn'. When they
saw you coming they would skip TO the
woods. My people lived pretty nearly all
OF them In Brooks Swamp, and were the
worst kind of ignorant. There were so
mixed about, working first in one place and
then somewhere else, that | couldn't tell
what to do | was at the work about a
month, and turned in about 225 farm sched
ues. My pay was 800 and something over"
Abel is Al years old, ind is a native OF
st. Marys. He is unmarried.
Director OF the Census Merriam was seen
this afternoon by a representative Of the Sun.
He at first declined absolutely to discuss the
matter in any manner whatever until further
progress in made. Laler Director Merriam
said there had evidently been gross irregu-
larities in the enumeration OF residents OF
st. Mary's district. 1t is understood two or
three other arrests will follow.
Bond was placed at $1,000. Mr.. Mudd
stated he would be glad TO communicate
with any of Abell's friends who desired to
obtain bail for him.