Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-07-12
GAME WARDEN
COX IN TROUBLE
Charged With AppTOpriatlng State
Money For His Own Use.
Not Much Left

Mr. Henry Z. Bridges. Secretary Of
the Maryland State Game and Fish Pro
tective Association. makes serious
charges of financial irregularity and
neglect Of duty against Game Warden
Franklin f. Cox. who was appointed
from Somerset County By Governor
Goldsborough.
Mr.. Bridges says Mr. Cox has col
lected the money appropriated by the
State for his work. and has failed to
pay the bills made by his department.
II is also claimed that he does not give
proper attention to the duties Of his
Office. leaving others to DO the work
Mr.. Cox is prominent Somerset Re-
publican.
Developments in the charges against
State Game Warden. Franklin f. Cox.
came rapidly yesterday
A statement of his account with the
Comptroller's office showed that Mr.
Cox. in addition to his salary, has drawn
during the Is months Of his incumbency
50, $50 81 for expenses.
This includes nearly 81. 900 Of the
funus turned over by former State
Game Warden Harmonson and the en-
tire appropriation Of s.. 600 for expenses
for the fiscal year ending October /.
Cox is also very heavily involved in
Somerset County banks. having given
these banks seven notes aggregating
81, bearing the Endorsement Of Capt
Robert f. Leach. who is declared to
have said the Endorsement was not his.
Cox's financial troubles. according to
dispatch to The Sun last night have
greatly stirred political circles in SOM
erset County and all sorts Of rumors
have come to light.
Officials of the Maryland State Game
and Fish Protective Association said
last night that they did not believe Cox
had spent more than $500 for the legit-
mate expenses Of the office. They de-
mand from the Governor a public state
ment Of the disbursements
These officials say that the facts show
Mr.. Cox to be inefficient and worse and
that his financial dealings are Of a char
acter calling for his immediate removal
by the Governor.
They assert that they put the facts in
the case before the Governor weeks ago
and would not have made them public
had they been given any real reason to
believe that the Governor intended to
act.
Somerset County Republican circles
are in an uproar over the charges made
against Warden Cox. Two members
of the State Central Committee declared
that the appointment was made as a
personal one by the Governor and that
the Republican organization Of Somer-
set County did not intend to shoulder
the result
II is charged that when Mr. Cox was
appointed Game Warden an agreement
made for him to give part OF his sal
AIRY to a negro politician of Somerset
County named Wilson and that Cox has
not even kept that part of the bargain.
Senator Jackson's connection with the
appointment and its publicity given in
The Sun have been a source OF much |
worry among the Republicans of Somer
set. Jackson is a liberal contributor to
the campaign fund in this county. and I
il is found that the exposure of his con-
nection with the Cox-W Wilson appoint
ment has incurred the anger OF the Sen
ator The feeling seems to exist that
someone" has talked too much and |
every effort is being made to hush up
the affair as far as Governor Goldsbor
ough and Mr.. Jackson are concerned. !
The arrangement of the deal between |
Mr.. Cox and Wilson, since it has been |
given publicity, has become very en-
barrassing to the Governor. and Repub- |
lican leaders are discussing the advis |
ability of a statement from Wilson re- /
pudiating the report /, is understood /
that Wilson. however. is not willing to /
issue such statement until being as
sured of the payment Of his first years (
salary, amounting to $500