The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-10-17
the spARRow's POINT OUTRAGE.
Major Yellott Lays Bare Base Scheme
TO Deprive Men of Their Votes-How
Long Will Honest People Toll
crate Such Rascality?
TowsoN. OCTOBER lsth, 1858.

TowsoN. October 18th, 1903.
ToMe Editor of The NeaOs The evidence taken
in a case heard in our court this morning re-
yealed so much to show the tyranny of the
"bossism" that is now and has been so great
curse to Baltimore county that am constrained
by sense of common justice to break the silence
that had resolved upon in this campaign.
The case was that of John A. Murray, who had
applied by writ of habeas corpus to be released
from Imprisonment on the charge of false swear
ing when applying for registration in the Steel
ton precinct of the 18th district. 1t seems that
nine negroes had been arrested on this charge
on October 9th and committed to the Towson
iail When committed the Sheriff was instruc-
Ted by the States Attorney to allow no one to
see them without orders from him. so that when
the friends and families of the imprisoned call
ed upon the Sheriff to see these poor creatures
the privilege was denied-an almost unheard-of
thing in this enlightened age. Attorneys were
employed, and they were denied an interview
with their clients without a permit from the
States Attorney. The effort was made to find
him, but he had disappeared, and application
was made to the Judge of the Court to secure
meeting between counsel and client. The Judge
very properly told counsel he was without au-
thorty to require the Sheriff to grant the inter-
view and hence the writs of habeas corpus, to
give the imprisoned a privilege, or, rather,
right which would seem to be guaranteed by
the Declaration of Rights of the people. Such
a proceeding as this, however humble and insig-
| niticant the victim of political zeal may be, is
more worthy the Middle Ages than that in which
the Inc rights Of these poor creatures, may right
| thinking people not throw away as worthless
! the platform declaration that 1--WE dsclaim any
| purpose to do any injustice whatever to our
colored population?"
| The evidence in this particular case showed
| that the accused had applied for registration
| and sworn that he resided in the State and pre-
cinct for more than two years and he was there
upon registered as y3ter that on oetober 9th
had an undertone conversation with Register
i sued -tne nd lt9ereupon- the two registers is
/ that those issuing the warrant had no in
| formation of the charge except what Candidate
| Green gave them; Officer German had been Or
dered by the Chief of Police on October 9Th (the
day before the warrants were sworn QUIT to re-
| port at Officer Hutchins' house on the 9th; that
he went with Hutchins to the registering office
/ and there they received the warrants and on
| them arrested the negroes. 1t further appeared
that the warrants, or some of them, were wholly
defective and on the following day October 7th)
Officer Hutchins, on duty and having a regular
beat in the 18th district, left his beat, without
authority or suggestion from anyone, came to
Towson, in the 9th district, and swore out addi-
tional and more formal warrants, and had the
men recommitted on them. This officers evil
| dence showed conclusively that he at least was
taking an active part in the political contest.
and that he violated standing order by leaving
| his beat to come to Towson to swear out proper
warrants for the accused.
The accused was put on the stand in his own
behalf, and showed so intelligently and conclu-
s1vely that ne had RESIDED and worked at Spar
that Mr.. Duncan, representing the State told
the Court before the witness had been fully ex-
amiued that the arrest was mistake, and he
was discharged while on the witness stand.
Here we have perfectly innocent man arrest
ed on charge made by candidate for the Leg
islature, without any apparent effort on his part
to ascertain whether the charge was well found
ed or not, put into practically solitary contine-
ment before trial, denied intercourse with
friends or counsel by those holding high official
position, for the simple purpose of diminishing
the Republican vote. If the weak and defense
less are now subjected to such gross outrage for
political purposes, can those of our citizens who
occupy higher plane in life feel sure of the
| protection of their rights when political ambi-
| ton would seem to require their invasion?
| 1t is reported to me that fully so men entitled
| to registration in the one precinct where this
incident occurred were intimidated by the
threats resulting in the arrests referred to- and
failed to register. Can it be that this style of
honest and self-respecting voters on the day of
election? With what consistency can Demo-
cratic orators promise justice and protection to
the negro in the face of this practical illustra-
ton of the sort of justice and protection they
give in the effort to get into power?
Mr.. Editor, desire it to be known that was
opposed to unrestricted negro suffrage when it
was given,an have been opposed to it ever since,
though believing in qualified suffrage for him,
| as know there are many, very many, negroes
better qualified to vote than the thousands of
white men who have sought to corrupt him as a
voter.
AS some evidence of the degrading influence
of "bossism" in Baltimore county through
which our officials are put in position, 1 give
| in the cases referred to:
Sparrows Point, NJ. D.
To the Sheriff of BALTIC. Cor, M. D.:
You are hereby commanded to Receive the