Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-06-06
Trial in Full Sway.
Witnesses Detail Alleged Census
Frauds In 81. Mary's.

baltimore SER.
Much Of the time Tuesday. At the
second day Of .he trial of the four
men from Sc. Mary's county who
are charged with making false cen,
sus returns. was occupied in legal
quibbling By the attorneys in the
case, but at the same time much oi
interest developed.
an Interesting feature was the
appearance on the stand OF Mrs.
Elizabeth G. Graves, mother oil
Philip L. Graves, one OF the accus.
ed. She is the postmistress at Lau-
rel Grove and was called by the Gov
ernment to prove that the packa-
ges forwarded to the supervisor
containing the enumeration of the
district we're sent by her son by
registered mail. Her evidence was
given in low tone. and when she
retired took a seat in q chair near
the lawyers, where she was soon
joined by her son.
Kr. Rollinis' Testimony.
Mr.. Rollins answered o number
Of queries by saying that he "had
forgotten" The examination
brought out the fact that Mr.. Rol-
lins kept returns from st. Mary's
enumerators in his desk from July
Is to August Is, when the alleged
padded supplementary returns were
made, although be had been pressed
by Director Merriam to hand in
the returns at the earliest possible
moment, in order to facilitate the
work of determining the population
of the conntry. It was also brought
out that while the defense contends
that the term Of the enunerators
had ceased when they made their
first returns, two of them were paid
for the names submitted in the sup
Elementary list.
Mr.. Rollins said that he appoint
ed enumerators on the recommen-
dation of the Republican State Gen.
trail Committee and that those ap-
pointed in st. Mary's were made
through Mr.. Joseph FL. Ching, one
of the accused.
Coming down to the time Of the
demand for recount, he said that
Mr.. Ching came to him with the
complaint that q number Of peo-
pie were overlooked and that re-
count should be taken. Witness
was undecided about his authority,
so Mr.. Ching went away. but re-
turned with Mr.. Mudd. Mr.. Mudd
accompanied witness to Director
Merriam's Office to see what could
be done. Mr.. Merriam recommen-
ded them to Mr.. VIM. G.. Hunt,
statistician Of the Population Bu-
reau, with the remark that what
Mr.. Hunt said would be all right.
Mr.. Mudd went alone to Mr.. Hunt
and shortly afterward returned to
witness with the information that
it was not only the supervisors
privilege but his duty to order re-
vision when he thought there had
been Q gross mistake.
Thus fortified, witness sent out
the supplementary sheets to all the
st. Mary's enumerators with the
request that they make another
count and put down everybody who
had been overlooked on the first
enumeration. The witness was re-
peatedly asked in various ways by
District Attorney Rose whether or
not he sent out the supplementary
sheets before he received the first
returns, but he could not remem-
Der, though he thought that he had
received some of the first reports
before he took that step. Mr.. Rose
at length into the reason
for the witness holding back the
principal reports for such a long
time after they were demanded by
the director. His explanation of
this seemed to be based on the idea
that he should hold them back un-
til the supplemental sheets were re.
turned, so that the new names might
be added. He also admitted that
he changed the pay vouchers of the
so as to include the
names sent in on the second count.
On ross-examination Mr.. Mar.
bury showed witness two return
sheets purporting to be signed by
Stephen A. Abel, and Mr.. Rollins
said that they did not appear to be
signed BY the came man, whereupon