Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-08-13
A Communication.
Pocomoke City. Nd, Aug. 10. 1911

fOcOiloke Nlt1, Nu.i mug. iVs ASA".
Editors Democratic Messenger:
Some weeks ago an item app
peared in your Berlin letter tending
to reflect upon certain officials Of
this County by alleging an incident
as having happened at Ocean City
on last Fourth of july, showing that
they were derelict in their duties to-
wards suppressing liquor violations. A
denial of any such happening as therein
stated was subsequently published in
your paper, which was supposed to end
the matter However. there appeared
in last weeks issue of the Berlin Ad-
vance at great length. detailed ac-
count of this same alleged happening. so
utterly false and unfair to the States
Attorney of this County and myself as
Sheriff, that ! have felt compelled to
address letter to the publisher of that
paper, setting forth the real facts Of
the case. and which in simple justice |
ask you to be kind enough to publish; as
follows:
Pocomoke City, Aug. 10, 1910.
Mr. j. ". Tucker,
Editor Berlin 1drance.
Your paper of last week contained an
article published as an editorial, which
was such a glazing misstatement Of
fact, that feel compelled TO enter pro-
test, and call upon you to publish a
denial Of the charges contained in
same.
The article in question states that on
July fourth last, while at Ocean City, |
was presented with bottle Of whiskey
by a reputable citizen of Berlin, and
that | informed the States Attorney of
the same.
So far, and only so far, is your state
ment correct The citizen Of Berlin,
who was Mr.. Al. Harrison. did not in
form Mr.. Johnson, the States Attor-
ney, where the liquor was purchased.
On the contrary he stated that he did
not know just where it was bought:
nor did he inform him who it was that
made the purchase for him, seeming to
prefer not to do so. Mr.. johnson, when
told of the matter by Mr.. Harrison and
myself, urged Mr.. Harrison to go at
once after the party whom he had to
make the purchase, carry him before
the Justice of the Peace at Ocean City,
Mr.. Mumford, and that he. Mr.. john
son, would see that the writ was inn
mediately issued and the arrest made.
Mr.. Harrison then left US promising to
do so. if possible, but he did not return,
and have since been informed that he
failed to get up with the party, whoever
he may have been.
Was this " clear evidence" which you
say we had but would not act upon,
and pray how could we arrest the viola
tor if we could not discover who he was?
And upon this you base the further as
sertion that you do not want "ofiicials
SWORN to enforce the law. but refus-
ing TO do so, and thereby becoming
violators of the law themselves by be-
coming party to its violators." That
too, when both the States Attorney
and myself were exerting our best en-
deavors in the effort to bring to justice
these violators to whom you refer.
OF course as public officials" we do
not expect. nor do we ask that you or
rather the party whom we are informed
contributed this editorial (?) recognize
any good in US. but we do demand that
when you receive for publication state
ments of some alleged real occurrence
concerning US, that you take the pains
to ascertain that it has some semblance
of the truth.
Respectfully,
CHARLES G. DALE,
Sheriff of Worcester County.