The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-09-06
JUDGE CR0THERS GAINING VOTES !!
Over False Attack Made by the Baltimore News
Republicans Openly Declare Their Support
For Judqe Cr0fheKs.

the Democratic nominee for Governor, is
best known, the attempt to draw fanci-
full picture of him as u political despera-
do and to besmirch his private as well as
his public record created storm of resent
ment.
In Baltimore, where the element of local
pride was not involved, the general disposi-
ton was to treat the whole affair as a ridi-
culous failure and to laugh at the weak
ness of the effort.
The only serious phase of the charges,
according to the trend of opinion here, is
that they introduce into the campaign a
discreditable feature, which both parties
might well strive to avoid.
BY Republicans as well as Democrats the
hope was expressed that self-interest, if
nothing else, would soon lead the newspaper
which is responsible for the charges to
cease holding under the noses of its readers
the fragments of muck obtained by such
prodigious use of the rake.
More charges were printed recently,
most of them too trihing to warrant con-
sideration of any sort. On their face they
showed that they were but the belated
echoes of bitter political contests of years
ago, when extreme partisans on both sides
naturally talked wildly.
Reinforcing the two negroes who alone
were quoted in direct evidence in the pre-
vious charges, Mr.. Benjamin B. Price, Of
the First district of Cecil county, was cited
as an authority. 1t was declared that he
"openly stated that Crothers had charged
him $500 before his liquor license would
be allowed to be issued. Like charges
were continually in the air. -
While there seems to be no doubt about
the charges being Gin the air in fact,
cup in the air it may be stated that
Mr.. Price, according to all accounts, has
been dead for years and that Judge Croth-
ers says he did not even know him.
''There is absolutely no foundation for
any such statement said the Judge when
his attention was called to it. ITO the
best OF my recollection, never knew such
a man, and neither did ever hear of such
a charge. The whole county is being ran
sacked for such stories, and do not be-
lieve the people will attach any weight to
them
Mr.. II. P. Goldsborough, of the Balti
more firm of Records & Goldsborough, who
has travelled all over Cecil county and is
familiar with the phases of the liquor ques-
ton there, said
81 noticed the published statement in a
Baltimore organ of the Republican party
that Mr.. Benjamin B. Price openly said
Judge Crothers had charged him 5000 be-
fore his license would be allowed to be is
sued. As a matter of fact, 'old man Ben
Price, as we used to call him, has been
dead seven OF eight years. Mr.. Price was
perhaps 76 years old and one of the best
known and liked men in the county. For
that paper to say that he openly charged
Judge Crothers with getting fee from
him is the height of absurdity. 1t is really
laughable. 1 am sure Mr.. Price never
thought of such thing.
"The article goes on to say that the late
joint. Wilson, of the Howard House,
Elkton, refused to pay tribute and had
his license held up in consequence. [ per
sonally never played poker in the Howard
House, but all the people in Elkton know
why Wilson did not get license.
"Then the paper says that a certain
jerry C. Price, of Earleville, Cecil county,
applied for renewal of a license at Fred
ericktown for a place which was being run
by an old woman-an aunt of his-and by
a boy Is years old, it being unlawful for
boy of that age to hand out liquor. Price
was obliged to take out a license, it is al
legged, although he had nothing to do with
the ownership or tenancy, but simply as a
blind. To my personal knowledge, and |
have been at the place many time and
therefore ought to know, the restaurant
was not run by an old woman and boy.
The restaurant, which is a first class eat
ing house, is run by man employed by
the Price family, and the boy Of which the
paper speaks is Is or 19 years old. He
positively does not attend to the business,
except perhaps as a helper in case of a
rush.
ssI remember distinctly. that several
years ago, before Judge Crothers was ap-
pointed Judge, myself offered to the then
Mr. Crothers 5000 as fee to obtain a
license for Ira Wells, at North East. He
absolutely refused ON the ground that the
law requires person to be resident Of
the county certain number of years be-
fore a license can be issued. He as law
yer had perfect right to accept this fee,
but he adhered strictly to the law and
would not deviate an inch.
Beyond these things, there is nothing in
the second installment of charges worthy
even of passing mention.
The Cecil Democrat, the newspaper for
merly owned by the late John S. Writ and
now owned by Mr.. George Ash, in its issue
today will have the following emphatic
comment
ga SAMPLE BRICK.
"The scurrilous attack made by the Bal
timore News upon the political and personal
character vi CuuSc SIoIhoio 10 q uioScfaeC
even to that sheet 1t makes. a lot of in
famous charges which it does not attempt
to substantiate. t.%..;c
s'To one particular item WHICH n concerns .9gpse
this paper we wish to refer. Rastates chat
the late Charles c. Orothers received a
check for 81 900, as a retainer from the
racetrack people, and intimates. that Aus
tin Crothers while States Attorney re-
ceived share of it, and that the late John
s. Writ had photograph of the check
which he was just about to publish in the
Democrat, when this paper was purchased
by the opposition.
''This is simply lie out of the whole
cloth. Mr.. Writ never had any such check
nor any such photograph, nor was it about
to be published in this paper. Neither
did the opposition buy this paper. When
the late Mr.. Writ sold his interest in the
Democrat it was bought by the present