Evening star., 1901-03-21
Stephen A. Aball, Census Enumera-
tor, Fails to Give Bond.
fHE AMOUNT REDUCED TO 81, 900
Director Merriam Declines to Give
Additional information.
SUPERVISORS STATEMENT

the census on b CnarSe OIL haVlng ina06
false returns while serving as census
enumerator in st. Mary's county, Maryland.
remains IN custody. his effort to secure
bond of $500 for his release. and the ef
fort of his counsel to secure reduction in
the amount of bail to $1,000 having failed.
Mr.. c. Maurice Smith. attorney for
Abel, appeared in the Police Court before
Judge Scott today and asked that the bond
for his client be reduced. Mr.. Alexander
Mullowny assistant United States attor-
ney, called the attention of the court to the
fact that bail was yesterday fixed at So, 500,
after consultation between United States
Attorney Anderson. William R. Merriam,
director of the census. and himself, but he
believed from the best information OBJ
tainable that the government would now be
satisfied with security in the sum of
1900.
Mr.. Smith rejoined that the entire sum
OF money alleged to have been obtained by
Abel. in error, was 21 cents, and he
thought as the alleged offense was at the
most misdemeanor, 1t was unreasonable
to ask for bond in the sum of more than
thousand dollars. He claimed that Direc-
tor Merriam had no right to make any
suggestion as to the subject of bond He
announced that he was prepared to give
$1,000 bond If Abel could be released for
that sum.
was serious one. and he could not con-
sent to Mr.. Smiths proposition
After brief review of the facts as pre-
sented to him Judge Scott decided to fix
the bond at 5000.
No Additional Facts.
The director OF the census said today
that he is in possession Of no new facts
In the AbeA case. which he thinks it would
be proper to make public at this time. The
investigation of the work Of the enumera-
tors who took the census in Charles and
st: Mary's counties is in progress, and this
viii not be complete before next week. Mr..
Merriam says he does not consider it ad-
vfsable to discuss the situation in the
counties named till he has before him all
the facts. He would not indicate whether
or not other arrests are to follow that OF
Abel. Although it Is inferred from the
action of the census officials that other
districts in Charles and st. Mary's counties
show irregularities of the character which
1t Is charged Abel committed, the director
OF the census has not said so. He has
gone no further than to say that because
Of charges and apparent discrepancies he
thought an investigation advisable, with
the result that Aben's arrest was deter
mined on.
Frederick H. Wines assistant director of
the. census, who went to Leonardtown in
charge Of the force of census employees as
signed to the work OF Investigation. re-
turned to Washington late yesterday after
noon and conferred with Director Merriam
today. Neither Of the gentlemen named
cared to discuss the subject Of the confer
ence Mr.. Wines said that information
concerning Irregularities in southern Mary
land should come through the director, and
that officer said he would not discuss the
case till all the facts obtainable should be
in his possession.
Statement Of Supervis0r Rollins.
w. 7. s. Rollins. supervisor of the third
district of Maryland, which district in
cludes the counties Of Anne Arundel, How
ard. Prince Georges. Charles. Carroll, Har-
ford, st. Mary's and Baltimore, called at
the census office yesterday and left there
the oath of Office subscribed to by Abel
when he was appointed an enumerator.
He said he did not know Stephen A. Abel
and had never met him. Abel. he said.
was appointed an enumerator on the rec
ommendation Of the republican committee
OF St. Marys county. of which committee
Enoch Abel a kinsman of the prisoner. Is
chairman. He said that Representative
AbelIs appointment or the appointment Of
any other census enumerator in St. Mary's
county, with the exception Of one man,
whose name Mr.. Rollins did not recall
Mr.. Rollins said 1t was the custom for
the county committees to recommend to
him persons thought to be eligible and de-
siraoie as enumerators, and he made the
appointments on the recommendation Of
Mr.. Rollins denied with emphasis that he
had ever directed or suggested that de-
ceased persons under any circumstances
should be enumerated. He had. he said
never heard Of suggestion Of that char
acter I'LL he had read the interviews with
the prisoner Abel. He had never received
a complaint to indicate that such course
was being pursued by the enumerators. All
complaints received by him were to the ef-
feet that the enumeration was incomplete
In that all residents were not counted.
Persons temporarily residing In the state,
such as, for instance, the berry pickers In
Anne Arundel county, and other ftfnerant
laborers. were not enumerated
Nonresident voters were counted, said
Mr. Rollins. because, as he construed the
law. this was proper. II construed the
law ne said. TO mean that single men
who claimed residence with their parents
and were registered, and who voted in the
home district, but who were temporarily
employed away from home. should be
counted as living in the place where they
claimed legal residence. This interpre-
tation of the law was held by other super
visors."
Director Merriam has said that Super
visor Rollins is blameless.
Did Not Consult Mr.. Mudd.
In statement signed by Abel he denies
absolutely that he ever had any conversa-
tion with Representative Mudd in regard
to the census enumeration in St. Mary's
county.
Abel said:
II did say that had talked with several
republican lawyers In St. Mary's county
concerning the method of taking the CEN
sus, but did not say that had ever had
any conversation with Congressman Mudd
about anything of the kind must have
been misunderstood. l used Mr.. Mudds
name several times. stating that was his
appointee here as census taker, though the
fact Is I never spoke to him about being
appointed census taker, but supposed I
owed my appointment to him. have never
had any conversation with Mr.. Mudd nor
received any advice or suggestions from
him. either directly or indirectly, In refer
ence to the taking of the census at any
time. either before or during the taking Of
1t, or after 1t was taken"
SITE For COAL STATI0N.