Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-03-29
TIE LOCAL OPTION Bill.


House of Delegates at $50 O'Clock on
Wednesday afternoon of last week by
charging that John 0Malley had offered
him $500 to vote against the Local OPP
ton bill
With uncertain voice. while the members
and the crowded gallery listened in rigid
silence, he charged that he had been called
out of his seat by George Baldwin, Sen
ate employee, introduced to 0Malley and
had been offered the bribe by him.
He declared that 0Malley had told him
that Delegate d. F. Clendenin. Of Cecil
county. was also going to switch his vote
and that the bill was to be killed on the
second reading.
The Local Option bill had passed to its
second reading by vote Of 81 to AZ few
moments before. Swallwood had voted for
it, just as he did Tuesday night. The only
man who changed his vote was Frazier Of
Wicomico county. who Tuesday night voted
against the bill and Wednesday voted for
it. Smallwood said he told Frazier Of the
uted the changing Of his vote.
In the excitement that followed Delegate
Cook, of Baltimore county. one of the OPP
ponents Of the bill. demanded that an in
vestieation committee be appointed at
once. Floor Leader Marbury seconded it,
In few moments the motion was carried
unanimously. with the members yelling
out their votes of Aye
Speaker Trippe appointed MeSsrs. Cook.
(chairman). Cummings, McQuade Pairo
and Warburton and the House was ad-
journed Immediately to allow them TO 90
into session. Behind the closed doors of
the Speakers room they determined to
start at once and issued an order imme-
diately that Smallwood appear before them
at $50 O'Clock
Mr.. John f. 0'Malley, newly appointed
State Auditor denied most emphatically
that he was the 0'Maley charged with APP
preaching Mr. Smallwood. He was seen
at his desk in the Office of the Land Com
missioner shortly after the charge was
made on the floor of the House.
Il do not know Mr.. Smallwood and would |
not recognize him if met him." said Mr. |
0'Malley.
Il deny most emphatically that ever
approached him or any other member Of
the Legislature regarding the Local Option
bill
OMalley gave out revised denial He
said he did have talk with SmallwoOd,
but it was about a fish bill
Baldwin, before going into the commit
tee room. said that he was going to say
this:
''Smallwood comes from my county and
he had fish bill that he was lot inter
ested in. He had plat made showing its
effect and he went around showing it to
everybody and asking them to help him
out on it. He came to me about it and
told him that | would get some of my
friends to help him.
Il went down to his desk and told him
to come out and see 0Malley and intro
duced him to 0Malley and told 0Malley
that SmallwoOd was a good fellow and
needed some help on a fish bill and asked
him to do anything for him that he could.
stood with them when they were talking
and when they finished SmallwoOd said
that there were lot of big things doing
and said that he had heard that somebody
was offering $4,000 vote for some Of the
members to change their votes II
Il remember OMalley saying. Which
side is offering that and SmallwOod laugh
ing. That's all there is TO it
The findine Of the committee is as fol-
lows:
The testimony IS. in many instances.
conflicting and contradictory. but your CON-
mittee is nevertheless Of the unanimous
opinion that the facts that have been devel-
oped are of such a character. after making
all proper allowances for discrepancies that
are bound to occur whenever the human
mind is called upon to reproduce events
that have transpired, as to compel your
committee, in submitting its report to the
House of Delegates. to state that your
committee has reached the conclusion that
the charge of attempted bribery made
against John F. 0'Malley by Delegate VIM.
r. Smallwood has been substantiated and
conoborated to an extent that the States
Attorney for Anne Arundel county should
be directed by the House Of Delegates to
lay the matter before the grand jury of
Anne Arundel county for action.
Edgar Allan Poe. the Attorney General
Of Maryland, who, at the request Of your
committee, participated in the proceedings
and deliberations of your committee, au-
thorizes your committee to state that he
concurs in this report"
The Local Option bill came up in the
House on Friday night, and shortly before
II O'Clock while the flibustering was in |
progress. Delegate Cummings. on behalf of |
the Montgomery delegation. offered COM |
promise. prepared by Senator Blair Lee, |
which provided that the wet territory in
the State decide whether liquor shall be
sold. all dry territory being excluded, This
would make Baltimore city vote rs a whole,
while the various wet districts in the coun
ties would decide for themselves This was
beaten by 81 to As. whereupon Mr. Cum
mings, who had consistently voted with
the drys. served notice that unless this be
reconsidered and the amendment adopted
he, with his colleagues, would vote TO lay
the bill on the table. A recess was taken.
and the local option leaders retired to
confer.
After a lengthy conference the dry lead
ers consented to accept the Lee amend
ment offered by Mr.. Cummings.
characterization the Cummings amend
ment was adopted by a vote of 81 to 80.
What was regarded as the main object Of
the bill. the extension Of dry" territory in
Nal s.tV /