The Washington times., 1923-06-01
PRINCE GEORGES
POLITICS
SEETHE
Candidates for Judgeships
Busy as Opposition to
Richie WithdraWs.

UPPER MARLBORO, June L.
The announcement that Governor
Albert C. Richie will have no OPP
position for denomination has re-
lieved Democratic leaders in Prince
Georges county of considerable
embarrassment, and the prediction
is made that the governor will have
q substantial majority in this coun-
ty in the election next fall. Had
former United States Senator John
Walter Smith made good his threat
to oppose the governor, the situa.
ton, SO far as Prince Georges
county is concerned, would have
been, to say the least, perplexing.
AS matters now stand, it APP
pears that the organization forces
in the county will dictate the
nominees for all the county offices.
Within the next week it is ex-
pected that j. Enos' Ray, OF Prince
Georges, county, chairman of the
State tax commission, and a close
political friend of former United
States Senator John Walter Smith,
will announce his candidacy for
nomination as one of the three
judges of the Seventh judicial cir
cult which includes Charles, Cal
vert, st. MaryS and Prince Georges
counties. Much pressure has been
brought to bear upon Ray to accept
the nomination and his friends are
confident he will yield to these re-
quests. Ray, it is known, does not
take kindly to the idea that the
chief Judge of the circuit should
come from Prince Georges county.
The fact that practically two-thirds
of the business of the Seventh
judicial circuit is transacted in the
circuit court for Prince Georges
county, according to Ray, is the
reason for selecting a chief judge
OF the circuit outside the county.
The chief judge is a member OF
the court of appeals of Maryland,
and in this capacity is required to
be in Annapolis several months
during the year. This would mean
that the great volume of business
handled by attorneys in Prince
Georges county could not be at
tended to unless the orders, etc., be
taken to Charles, st. Marys or
Calvert counties to be signed. |
Prince Georges county, it is pointed
out, cannot reasonably expect both
the chief judge and one of the
associates, and it is believed that,
from vote-getting standpoint, 1t
would be better to let either st.
Marys, Calvert or Charles have
the chief judgeship.
Friends of Ogle Marbury, of
Laurel, Prince Georges county, are
talking Of his nomination for chief
judge. It is known that Marbury
would like to have this nomination.
He was, until Governor Ritchie's
organization scheme went into eff
feet, chairman of the prison board
Of control Of Maryland at a salary
Of $4,000 per annum. The fact
that he was legislated out of office
has, it is believed, not -cemented |
his friendship for the governor. On
the other hand Ray would probably |
have stood with Senator Smith in |
his fight against Richie. Now
that the Senator is favorable to |
the denomination Of the governor,
Rays position appears to be |
strengthened.
There are some in Prince Georges
county who would like to see
Joseph c. Mattingly, of Oxcr Hill |
district, announce his candidacy. |
Former Judge T. Van Clagett has
q host of friends who, it is stated, |
would like to get behind his can
didacy. S. Marvin Peach, of |
Hyattsville, former State attorney,
has many friends in the county
who, it is known, are urging him
to toss his hat in the ring. Peach |
IS as well known as any man in
the county: is known as a conser-
vative. level headed man and would
make things interesting for other
aspirants should he decide to enter