Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-07-25
MELVIN DRAFTED
LETTER NAMING
SELF TO A JOB
Mayor Strange SO Testihes AT
Hearing In Annapolis Water
Company Case
CLAIMS CITY'S HEAD
WITHHELD STATEMENT
Green So Construes Testimony
That Appointment Was Made
Long Before Announcement

Two unusual points of keen inter-
est to the people Of Annapolis as
throwing light upon the controversy
over the efforts of Mr. George r. Mel
win, and his political friends TO retain
for Mr. Melvin the position of presi-
dent Of the Annapolis Water Company
were brought out this morning during
the initial argument in the injunction
suit OF Alderman John Levy, to re-
strain the Mayor from appointing
president of the company under the
now famous so-called Duvall Water
| Company Bill.
The first was that Mayor Strange's
letter to Mr.. Melvin rendering the ap-
pointment as president to the latter
was drafted by Mr.. Melvin. The sec
ond was the statement of Mayor
Strange that he had really made the
appointment of Mr. Melvin the day
after Governor Harrington signed the
Water Company bill. which was weeks
| and weeks before the Mayor announc-
ed to the people of the town that the
appointment had been made
When the latter was brought out
during cross examination of Mayor
Strange, by States Attorney Green
representing Mr.. Levy, Mr. Green
said, "Then from the time you made
the verbal appointment of Mr. Melvin,
the day after the bill was signed, i'm
April, until May 9th. you kept it as
secret between Mr. Melvin and your
self?"
The fact that the Mayor did not
write the letter to Mr.. Melvin tender
ing him the appointment, which let
ter was published on May 9th, the date
of its delivery to Mr.. Melvins office.
was also brought out under cross ex-
animation of the Mayor by Mr.. Green.
The Mayor, when pressed by Mr..
Green, as to how, when and where the
letter rendering the presidency of the
company to Mr.. Melvin had been writ
ten admitted that the form of the COM
munication had been suggeted and
drafted by Mr.. Melvin to whom il was
adressed. He qualified this statement
with the declaration that in having
the communication typed he had made
some changes in it. However, under
further sharp questioning by MIR.
Green said he could not at this time
remember just what any of these
changes were. The Mayor stated also
that he had, after the verbal appoint
ment the day after the Water Com
.pany bill was signed, sent the letter
to Mr.. Melvin at the latter's sugges-
tion and statement that it would
look better"
1t was brough out during the testi-
mony of Mayor Strange this morning
that the day letter rendering Mr.. Mel
vim the appointment was delivered,
which was also the day the papers in
the injunction suit to restrain the
Mayor from making this or any other
appointment under the Duvall law,
Mr.. Melvin was out of the city. The
Mayors letter was delivered at Mr..
Melvin's Office but not to Mr.. Melvin
personally. However, that same night.
after the injunction papers had been
served on the Mayor, Mr.. Melyin's ac-
ceptance was delivered TO the Mayor.
During his cross-examination of
Mayor Strange, Mr.. Green brought out
the point that while the Mayors re-
ply to the suit of Mr. Levy stated that
the injunction papers served on the
afternoon of May 9th, reached the
Mayor after O'Clock and the appoint
ment had been made that same day.
but about / O'Clock, the Mayors verbal
testimony was not to the effect that
the appointment was made on May 9th,
but weeks before, and that the letter
of May 9Th was simply a confirmation
OF the former action. However, Mr..
Green brought out that nothing of this
former appointment alleged to have
been made the day after the Governor
signed the Duvall bill had been incor-
porated in the Mayors formal reply in
Court to the Injunction suit papers.
The case was heard before Judge
Robert Moss, who reserved decision.
Besides the Mayor the only witnesses
put upon the stand were DIR. Frank II.
thompson, secretary-treasurer of the
Water Company, who carried the May
or's letter to Mr. Melvin's Office the
day the latter was out of town; and
City Clerk Roy v. Tydings, who saw
the letter before it was sent, and who
testified that he commented upon how
well worded and how nicely it was
written.
The decision of Judge Moss, which
is eagerly awaited by the people of
the town, rests now upon whether or
not the letter which Mr.. Melvin help
ed draft and which rendered him the
appointment and was delivered to his
Office before the Injunction suit papers
were served. constitutes an appoint
ment.