Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-03-29
NOTES FROM NEARBY.


Human life seems to be regarded as
very cheap in Washington county, Md.
Last week Greek driving an automobile
at excessive speed ran over woman
crossing the street and killed her. he
was released from custody without any
punishment whatever. The following
day a taYicab driver by the name OF
Davis, on ioyride TO Clearspring win
couple OF girls, smashed into an ahomo-
bile being carefully driven by sober
Young man, upsetting the car and GRIP
ping for life an estimable young lady
who was with him. A Hagerstown magls-
trate let Davis off with fine OF 500 tor
reckless driving, but ignored charge
that he was intoxicated, though several
witnesses testified that he was drinking
in Clearspring saloons, another that he
was drunk, and that he had hall dozen
bottles of beer in The car with him.
The great orchard scheme OF F. Merten's
Sons, OF Cumberland, has busted, bank
rupt proceedings having been instituted
against The promoters. The three Mer-
tens brothers secured control Of about
30 900 acres of mountain land in Allegany
county, Md, which they divided into
ten-acre tracts, planted five acres in
orchard, and then sold the lots to pur-
chasers throughout the United States at
$1,000 They sold more than $4,000, 600
worth Of these lots to gullible persons,
and now the complaints are rolling In.
Attorney Edgar Allen Poe, counsel Tor
the creditors, says that "it was land
scheme, pure and simple, as outrageous
case as was ever brought to light.
Some of the tracts of land, Mr.. Poe said,
could only be reached by an aeroplaHe,
and some OF the apple trees were so
small that haudkerchiefs had to be tied to
them in order to see them. More than
hall of the land is utterly worthless.
William Douglas Crawford, also known
as Robert Douglas Crawfori, formerly a
high flying resident of MartinSburg, is liza
BILE TO lots OF trouble, owing 10 the TACT
that he married second woman without
having taken the trouble to be separated
from his first wife. He has been indicted
for bigamy by the grand jury OF Mont
gomery county. Md. Crawford i; son
OF the late VIM H. Crawford. who was
Tor number OF years wealthy and PROM
inent resident OF Martinsburg and presi-
dent OF the Crawford Wooden Company,
of that city. The first Mrs. Crawford was
Miss Emily A. Bishop, a charming young
girl who is member of one OF Martins
burg's oldest and most highly regarded
families She ran away with Crawford
and was married TO him at Rockville, Md,
on September IL, 1912. when she was
but l6 years old Two years ago young
Crawford left MartiDsburg and went to
live in Washington, though he roamed
from one place to another. Several
months ago his wife institute a suit for
divorce against him in the circuit court at
Martinsburg. on the ground OF desertion,
and this suit is now pending. Crawford
was married on December 9th last to
Miss Marie T. McElhone, of Washington
City, and ii is she who caused his arrest
on the charge OF bigamy. She was de-
serted by Crawford in Baltimore few
days after her marriage. According TO
her story, after a brief honeymoon in
New York, she and Crawford started back
to Washington. When they reached
Baltimore, Crawford told her he had re-
ceived a telegram calling him north, but
would join her in Washington in few
days. She has not seen him since that
time. 1t was TO civilian Douglas Craw-
ford" that Miss Bishop was married in
1912, and "Robert Douglas Crawford"
whom Miss McElhone took as husband,
according to the court records, but il is
declared that the same man was the bride
groom in both cases. Where Crawford
is at present nobody appears 10 know. A
curious feature of the case is the fact that
both wedding ceremonies were performed
by the same minister-the Rev s. r.
White, Rockvile's marrying parson,"
who has a record of upward of 900 we'd
dings, and, though past "a years OF age,
is increasing it at the rate of about l00.a
year.