Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-13
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
HYATTSVILLE. Md. May 1a-In yes
| terday's special election to determine
whether or not intoxicating liquors shall
be sold in Prince George county after
September I next the negro vote was prac-
tically unanimous against prohibition,
while a large proportion Of the white
voters failed to come to the polls. This
| briefly tells the story of the defeat of Sen
ator William 3. Clagett's local option bill
and licensed saloons will be permitted in
Prince George county at least until the
legislature of 1910 convenes. A total OF
about $500 votes were cast, and the ma
jority for license was IA. Every district
in the county where the negro vote pre-
dominates went for liquor with the excep-
ton of Oxon Hill, this district giving
dry majority of l. The greatest sur
prise of the day occurred in that district
which adjoins the District Of Columbia
The local option people expected to carry
this district by at least 15 majority, and
Mr. John 7. Fisher. one of the leading
republicans in the county. did what he
could against the saloon. Joseph c. Mat
tingly and other leading democrats were
also in favor of local option. Mr.. Flsher
telephoned early in the day that 1t was
line for local option and that this vote
was being cast almost solidly for liquor.
Early Returns Favor "Drys."
There we're only thirty-four votes cast
in Hyattsville district. the residents of
tho corporation of Hyattsville and those
living within a mile of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad station being excluded from
the privilege of voting Out Of the thirty
f0 n 70
to the saloon
The next heard from was Nottingham.
down on the Patuxent river. which gave
dry majority OF fifty. The local OPP
ton people practically conceded this dis
trict to the saloon people. When Chill
lum district. adjacent to the District of
Columbia line. rolled up a majority Of
SIEVE nty- nine for the dry side 1t began
to look as though there would be
landslide for local option. This opinion
message was received that Oxon Hill had
gone dry by exactly one vote. and when
Mellwoou and Marlboro districts were
heard from having given combined
majority Of 1871 against local option the
anti-saloon people practically gave up the
fight Mellwood district is the home Of
State Senator William B. Clagett. the
father of the local option bill on which
a vigorous campaign. but his chief lieu
tenants. notably Sheriff Frank P. Hurd
of that district. was a pronounced saloon
man. it is stated. his contention being
that the closing of the saloon in the
county would result in the establishment
of speakeasies. In Marlboro district. the
home of Judge George {. Merrick.
pronounced advocate of local option, the
vote was 1888 to 81 for liquor
Judge Merrick declared late last night
| that the colored vote was practically
unanimous against local option. while the
| white men were Indifferent and many did
not come to the polls. The only apparent
exception concerning the negro vote was
| in Bowie district. where the saloon people
expected to get at least 100 majority. In
| this territory the republican leaders who
| were favorable to local option managed
| to hold the cofored vote and 1t split almost
even. The vote was 14S for and l2S
against liquor or a majority of 20 for the"
| vets" Queen Anne. another district
where the colored vote is in the majority,
gave 20 majority against local option. the
| vote being III for and III against local
| option. 1t is the home district of 8. Mar
| vim Peach, one of the members of the leg
| islature who secured the passage of the
| law upon which the vote was taken
The Most Interesting Contest.
The most interesting contest in the
county took place in Bladensburg. Near
ly fifty colored men voted. and the gen.
eral impression prevails that few voted
lot local OptAOH- hO hNC Sa'oci MY PSA"
in the town. aided by several friends from
Washington. were at the polls all day
and worked like trojans for the saloon.
During the morning hours many persons
went in and out Of Dan Bachelder
place, and Deputy Sheriff Thomas II. Gar
rison ordered the proprietor to close his
gates and keep them closed. Garrison
was suspicious that liquor was being SOLD
in violation of law and within fifty feet
of the polling place.
In Kent district several Of the leading
democrats were openly working for the
LIQUOR people. while Francis s. Carmody.
A. w. Mallory and other republicans were
for local option, Under the terms OF an
act passed in 1905 it is unlawful TO sell
liquor within a mile of Chesapeake juno
ton and. therefore, a large number OF
local optionists were deprived of vote
in Kent district. This district gave a
ma jority or the saloon of A.
Brandywne district, the home OF one
of the pronounced leaders OF democracy
in the county. A. T. Robinso on. went for
local option by majority OF Is. ms
ma jority came in the nature or q sur
prise to the local option people. as they
expected to lose this district by small
ma jority. Only a section OF Aquasco dis
trict the most southern territory in the
county participated in the election. the
vote being or local option. 70; against
local option. 40, or a majority for the
vets" of 3.
In Pscataway district some of the
prominent republicans were working for
LIQUOR, and undoubtedly kept the colored
man In line for whisky. yet the district
gave only wet majority. the vote being
30 COR local option and 100 against. In
Surratts district the vote was 81 to 81
in favor of local option. or a majority
of II in favor Of eliminating the saloon
Banner DRY District.
Chillum district was the banner dry"
territory in the county. This is the home
district of Mr.. J. Enos Ray, speaker OF