The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-06-30
NO TRACE AS YET OF
CLERK OF COURT MEDF0RD
River Dynamted in Hopes of Recovering Body OF
William H. Medford. Supposed to Have Met
Foul Play at the Hands of Mysterious Stranger
Only Clue is Bloodstains Hood of Missing
Mans Machine.

Mr. Hand1ey had of the owner, was
! when he found the name or william IL
Medford on the pocket of the coat
While the men We're looking around
the car hoping to find the driver, the
stranger mysteriously disappeared,and
has not been seen since.
! No information can be gathered as to
where Mr.. Medford met the man, and
no one, who can throw any light
whatever on the mystery, saw more
than one man in the car at any time,
and the man who was noticed in the
car wore khaki suit, while Mr.. Med
ford was dressed in a light striped
shirt. 1t is evident that the crime was
committed before reaching the bridge,
and that the murderer threw the body
overheard. The only clue to the dread
full affair is the spots of blood found
on the radiator of the automobile
and on the throttle. 1t is thou
ght that the man, after complet-
ing his act, cranked the car with
his right hand. and that the blood
stains are the result of his having rest
ed his left hand on the hood.
At present the only possible motive
ford was in the habit of carrying large
sums of money with him to pay off the
employees in the lumber camp, and it
is evident that the person responsible
for the disappearance of one of the
most prominent men in Dorchester
county was acquainted with this fact,
and sought to obtain some of the mo-
ney which he might find in his posses
sion. However, yesterday he was en-
tirely without funds, the trip Mr.. Med
ford made to Golden Hill having no
connection with paying the men in the
employ of the lumber company.
BIackwater bridge is several miles
from a telephone, and for this reason
the news did not reach Cambridge I'M
til after eleven o'clock. Sheriff Brad
shaw and Chief of Police Pritchett, to-
gether with Mr.. Thomas H. Medford,
father of the missing man, left i'm
mediately for the place. After hav-
ing gathered all the information
obtainable at that time, the Sheriff
telephoned Mr.. p. Watson Webb to ar
range for a posse to come to their as
sistance and scour the woods and
marsh land for the guilty one. Mr..
Webb set out at once to get as many
automobiles and men as possible and
with lanterns and other necessary
equipment, they rushed to the place
where the deed had been committed.
About two o'clock the fire bell rang for
members of Rescue Fire Company to
go to the scene of action, and also aid
in the recovery of the body of Mr.. Med
ford, who was one of their members,
o. nd hn1T an = l,n
Mr.. Medford, who was one of the
most prominent men in this county,
was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court
last November, on the Republican tic
ket. Previous to this, he was Postmas-
ter at Cam bridge,and before taking this
position he was Asst. Cashier of the
Dorchester National Bank, which merg-
ed with the Eastern Shore Trust Com
pany, forming the largest banking
house on the Eastern Shore. He was
also President of the United Life In
surance Company, and President of the
Cambridge Building, Loan Associa-
ton, and actively connected with the
Sanitary Laundry Co. He was treasur-
er of the Honga Lumber Co, in which
he was associated with former Cover
nor Goldsborough, DR.. Brice w. Colds
borough, w. Bladen Lowndes and J.
Harry Shearer. He was also treasurer
of the Rescue Fire Company Frater-
nally he was a Mason, an Odd Fellow,
and an Elk
The unfortunate man, who was about
Al years of age, leaves a wife, who, be-
fore her marriage, was Miss Hattie
Lake, daughter OF Town Commissioner
Charles Lake, and one little daughter
Mary. He is also survived by his pa
rents. Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas FL. Med
ford.
All day people have been visiting the
place where the murder is supposed tc
have taken place, and a large posse has
searched the marsh and woodlands, ex-
pecting to find either the suspect OF
the murdered man. Two charges OF
dynamite We're used in the river today
with the hopes of bringing to the sur.
face the body of the dead man.
Mr.. Reginald Lake brought the run
about to town this morning, it beins
practically as good as ever. No track.
have been found in the marshIand, ant
apparently no one has seen the man O
mystery. The crime remains unsoIved
notwithstanding the fact that hundreds
or people have worked all day in thu
hopes of finding the body.