The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-05-11
From the baltimore News. MAY 6.

From the Baltimore News May g.
The United States Grand Jury today re-
turned into court indictments against Ste
phen A. Abel, enumerator for the eastern
half of the Leonardtown district of St.
Mary's county; against Daniel j. Bowles,
enumerator for the western half of the
same district; against Charles II. Guyther,
enumerator for the Valley Lee and st.
George Island districts of the same coun-
ty; against Philip T. Graves, enumeration
for the Hillville district, and against Joseph
II Ching, lawyer at Leonardtown, a
member of the Republican State Central
Committee
The indictments are probably the most
voluminous ever returned to the United
States Court here. They are printed and
bound in book form, and there are nine OF
them Upon analysis, however, they re-
solve themselves into simple elements.
There are four indicsments-one against
each of the enumerators separately-for
making fictitious returns. The one against
Abel contains 394 counts; against Bowles,
1879; against Guyther, 1913, and against
Graves, SO.
FORM OF COUNTS.
These counts are of themselves divided
into three classes, by one of which the
enumerator is charged with having know
ingly returned the names of particular in
dividuals as having their place of abode IN
his enumeration district on the first day Of
June, 1900, when he knew they had not;
by the second with having returned the
same person twice with an intent to repre-
sent the population of the district to be
larger than it was, and by the third with
having returned persons as dodgers, ser
wants, etc, in families with which they had
no connection.
-Four more Of the indictments are pre-
else duplicates of those above mentioned,
except that in each count of the second
class of indictments Mr.. Joseph H. Ching
is charged with having aided and abetted
the euumerators in making fictitious re-
turn, and with therefore having made him
self general principal in such return.
PRISONERS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY :.
The remaining Indictment is one for
conspiracy, in which all four of the emu
merators and Ching are charged with hav-
ing Jointly conspired, together with other
persons, to the Grand Jury unknown.
This Indictment, while most voluminous of
all, has only FIVE counts. The first charges
the conspiracy to have been one to have
fictitious returns from each of the enumer-
alton districts for which the above named
enumerator was appointed, and then it al
leges 933 overt acts as having been done
by one or more of the consplrators in fur
therance of the object Of the conspiracy.
These overt acts charged are identical with
the acts charged by all the counts of the
other eight indictments.
The second count charges the conspiracy
to have been one to procure fictitious re-
turn from Abel $ district, and there are
ATT overt acts charged under it. these All
being the 1874 charged with the same num-
Der Of counts of the Abel indictments and
SO more relating to some OF the same
names mentioned in the 394, and which,
it is alleged in the Indictment for conspr-
acy, were entered by Ching upon the cen
sus schedules.
The third count charges the conspiracy
to have been one TO procure fictitious re-
turns from Bowles enumeration district.
This count specifies 80 overt acts, these
being the same as those charged in the
like number Of counts in the Indictment
against Bowles- Individually.
The fourth count charges the conspiracy
to have been one to procure fictitious
return 9from Guythers enumeration dis
trict, and under it over 1913 overt acts are
alleged, being the same acts charged IN
the 1913 counts of the Indictment against
Guyther Individually.
The fifth count charges the conspiracy
to have been one to procure fictitious re-
turns from Graves enumeration district.
Under it SO overt acts are alleged, being
the same charged in the SO counts OF the
indictment against Graves individually.
BILLS CONTAIN 500, 900 WORDS.
The nine indictments together weigh
over 48 pounds, the conspiracy indictments
alone weighing IA pounds. tits estimated
that the whole number of words exceeds
l 800, 600
The cases against these five men have
been set for trial on May p.