Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-04-11

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Because his name has been 80 promi-
nently mentioned in connection with
the imbrogIio growing out Of the order
OF Census Director Merriam for a copy
OF the registration lists Of St. Mary's
county. Mr.. William Meverell Loker, of
Leonardtown, has deemed it proper
that he should make statement Of the
case. Mr.. Loker says:
"On Tuesday, SIR. Charles G.. Leonard.
OF the Census Bureau, came 60 see me
and asked If / was the custodian OF the
Registi alton Books. I said was. He
then asked me IL I would get him copy
OF them and ! answered that would.
l told him that I was not the clerk TO
the Board. but that the clerk, my brother
in-law, was dead. / further said, that
Mr.. Joseph T. Cough, one of the Board
OF Supervisors. had told me to get the
key from the Court House where the
clerk had left Il and TO take charge of It.
On this authority / had gotten the key
and held it. I did not anticipate that l
would have trouble in making the re-
cord because persons Of both political
parties had previously copied them and
I may add, without the presence of any
supervisor. The room In thu Court
House wherein the books are kept Is
cold and damp and ! took two Of the
registries to my home and when went
for the third one objection was raised
by Messrs. E. b. Abeli, Joseph III Ching
and Washington Wilkinson and l re-
turned the books TO the offl-e. did
not take any other Of the registries, no
one else took them for me and all that
had out of the Office were in my posses
sion and under my immediate supervis-
ion and never were placed about at
different houses in the village for the
purpose of having them copied" as stat
ed by Senator Wilkinson in the Sun. of
Saturday, the 9th, instant.
When objection was made TO my Sc
curing the lists I consulted TUESDAY
evening" a lawyer In whom had conf
dence and was informed that in view of
the objections it would be well for me
to secure authority for making the copy
from any two Of the Supervisors and
that in his opinion it was not essential
for the supervisors to hold O meeting to
give me the authority; that common
comfy between governments and Off.
cials should impel prompt compliance
with the request of Director Merriam
and prevent obstacles being thrown in
the way of securing the lists.
ION Wednesday morning, went TO
Mechanicsville TO see Mr.. Leonard and
tell him of the situation. We together
went to see Mr. Bowling, the I epublican
Supervisor, who refused to sign the
paper saying he thought meeting was
necessary. Henry Loker went to DR..
Dents. President OF the Board, and re
cured q written authorization for me To
copy the lists. On my return home, out
of abundant precaution, started to Mr.
Coughs to get his written authority
Notwithstanding the fact that had al
ready his verbal authorization, when. at
the instance of Mr.. Bowling the key OF
the room was Ieplevied and surrender
ed it. Shortly before this occurrence
Mr.. Bowling had asked me for the key
and / had refused to give il to him say
ing would take 1t to Mr. Cough, who
had entrusted it to me. secured Mr.
Coughs written authority to copy the
lists.
ION Thursday. Messrs. Dent and
Bowling went to work to have the lists
prepared for Director Merriam.
Some weeks prior to this episode,
Mr.. Z B. Abel got the key of the room
from me to show the registration books
to some gentlemen who wished to see
them, and on same day returned the
kew to me. This, / submit was in the
nature of an acknowledgement on hi,
part Of my right to hold the key and no
point was ever raised by him or others
until the government applied to me to
make the aforementioned copy"