The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-03-23
CENSUS FRAUD PROVEN.
No Question Now Of Rascality
Practised.
ENUMRRAroRs ARRESTED.
They Worked in St. Mary's County.

WASHINGTON, March 19.-Stephen A.
Abell a policeman of the Washington force
and formerly a census enumerator IN 81.
Mary's county, Maryland, was arrested here
this afternoon on charge of having enumer
ated as ''alve and active residents IN the
one hundred and eleventh enumeratlng dis
trict seven different persons who were dead
at the time Of the enumeration" The war
rant was sworn out by Charles +. 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 Repre-
sentative Mudd Enoch B. Abel, clerk OF the
Circuit Court in that district, and Joseph ii.
Ching, Republican attorney Practicing at
Leonardtown Abel was appointed to the
Washington police force September last on
the recommendation of Mr.. Mudd.
The charge is set forth in the warrant as
follows ssThat on June 20, 1900, Stephen
A. Abel, a census enumeration in District | IL
OF the thirtieih supervisors district IN the
State of Maryland, did willfully, knowingly
and unlawfnlly make certain false certificate
and certain false return to the Director of
the said census by setting out in said return
that seven different persons were alive and
active residents of said district, whereas in
truth and in fact the said seven persons were
dead at the time of the making of the said
enumeration"
THE PRISONERS STATEMENT.
The prisoner made the following statement:
'sLast Juue was appointed an enumeration
ia the eastern part of the Third enumerating
district on recommendation of Mr.. Mudd.
When | went to work it was understood was
10 sci down all men who had died within a
year-although | was 10 use my own discre-
ton aud put down the men who died since the
census before if | thought best. Those were
NY instructions from Mr.. Mudd, Mr.. Ching
aud Mr.. Abel. They are all Republicans,
and am a Republican, and worked with the
Republican crowd.
.sWell, | found lot of men who were
doubtful. Alfred Dillow, of Leonardtown,
was one. He died rs or 80 days before took
the census, but had to use my own judgment.
aud nut him down. Then French Thomp-
son, Of ST. Mary's 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 10
use my own judgment. | put them down, be-
cause understood the law directed me to use
my own Judgment.
OTHERS USED THEIR JUDGMENT.
.'My recollection is that the other enumer-
ators we're using their judgment in the same
way. They were Ed. Tennyson, Charles
Guyiher, Dan Bowls, Wilson Graves and r.
johnson Cotton.
Mudd said he bad no acquaintance with
Abel, although he was appointed enumeration
ON Mudd's recommendation and afterward
was appointed policeman in Washington on
Mnddis recommendation. If this is true
Mudd is very kind to stranger.
over Five Hundred False Names.
The charges in detail against Abel include
the false enumeration of 5l9 names. OF whom
$50 are those of non residents of the enumer-
alton district or died prior to June l, 1900;
AZ are residents of Baltimore, 80 residents of
Washington and the remaining 1877 are not
residents of the enumeration district OF st.
Mary's county or the State of Maryland
The names OF some of the persons referred
to in the warrant, who are alleged to be dead
but who were returned by Abel, according to
the census schedules, as living on June l, 1900,
are as follows:
French Granville, alleged to have been dead
II years.
Hanson Hebb, alleged to have been dead
FIVE years.
Herbert Moore, alleged 10 have died prior to
June l, 1900.
George Creighton, alleged to have died in
Cuba prior to June l, 1900.
Edith Drury, alleged to have been dead II
years.
Emma Jay, alleged to have been dead 10
years.
William FARRELL. alleged to have died prior
to June l, 1900.