Baltimore Evening Sun (4 March 1913): 6.

The hour of 2.30 having arrived and there being no further business before the house, the clerk will now read a brief history of the suits for the recovery of fees pocketed by the four former Sheriffs of Baltimore, in violation of Article XV, Section 1, of the Constitution of Maryland:

1909.

• January 20—State Auditor George N. Ash reports to Governor Crothers that the Sheriff of Baltimore, in 1907, gobbled fees amounting to $10,275 more than his constitutional allowance of $3,000. [Sensation.]
• January 21—Governor Crothers expresses his horror and announces that he will sue for the money. [Applause.]
• April 15—Mr. Ash reports that the treasury has thus lost $46,755 in five years. [Groans and hisses.]
• April 16—Attorney-General Straus announces that suits will be entered against former Sheriff George W. Warfield for $5,518.79; against former Sheriff William H. Green for $26,170.38, and against former Sheriff George W. Padgett for $18,704.47. [Huzzahs.]
• June 2—Mr. Straus duly files the three suits. [Cheers.]
• June 26—The three defendants file a demand for a bill of particulars—i. e., an itemized account.
• July 14—Mr. Straus files his answer, explaining that he can’t render such an account because the former Sheriffs have the books.
• July 29—The three defendants, by their solicitors, enter exceptions to the answer.
• August 18—Mr. Straus files an additional suit against Sheriff Paving Bob Padgett, a cousin to George W., for $10,206,63.
• August 20—Bob also demands a bill of particulars.
• August 30—Mr. Strauss answers as before.
• September 29—Bob joins Cousin George, Warfield and Green in entering exceptions to the answer.
• September 30—Judge Elliott takes the exceptions under advisement.
• December 31—Judge Elliott still considering them. [Impatient shuffling of feet.]

1910.

• January 1—No decision yet.
• April 16—First anniversary of suits. Interest amounts to $2,250. [Cheers by defendants.]
• July 26—First anniversary of exceptions. Judge still considering them. Interest crawling toward $3,000. [Guffaws by defendants.]
• November 28—Judge Elliott, after 14 months’ consideration, decides that the State need not file bills of particulars. [Cheers.]
• December 6—Court passes order allowing amendment of declaration. Trial postponed. [Painful silence.]
• December 31—Nothing doing.

1911.

• January 1—Nothing doing.
• February 14.—Mr. Straus makes motion for judgments in all four cases, alleging obfuscations and needless delays. [Applause.]
• March 9—Court refuses motion in cases of Warfield, Green and George. Grants it in the case of Bob, save in respect to one count. [Bob grins and keeps the money.]
• March 11—Warfield appeals from the decision sustaining Mr. Straus’ refusal to file a bill of particulars. Case goes to Court of Appeals. [Cheers by lawyers.]
• June 2—Second anniversary of first three suits. Interest passes $4,000 mark
• August 18—Second anniversary of suit against Bob.
• September 1—Court of Appeals considering Warfield’s test appeal.
• October 1—No decision yet. Interest crosses $5,000 mark. [Huzzahs by defendants.]
• November 1—No decision yet.
• December 1—No decision yet. [Crowd begins to go home.]
• December 13—Court of Appeals decides against Warfield. Way now open for actual trial of the cases. [Ironic laughter.]
• December 19—Mr. Straus retires from office. New Attorney-General, Edgar Allan Poe, announces that he will press the suits. [Crowd comes back and cheers.]
• December 20—Mr. Poe takes office. Interest touches $6,000. [Defendants sing “Maryland, My Maryland.”]
• December 30—George Padgett and Green file general denials and ask for jury trials. [Sensation.]
• December 31—Nothing doing.

1912.

• January 1—Discovery that another former sheriff, Jack Hanson, has retained $8,090.16 of excess fees. [Cheers for Jack.]
• January 2—Talk of suing Jack for the money. [Merriment.]
• January 3—New sheriff, Weis by name, announces that he will obey the Constitution and turn over all fees above $3,000 a year. [Sensation.]
• February 1—Nothing doing.
• March 1—Nothing doing.
• April 1—Nothing doing.
• May 1—Nothing doing.
• May 15—Judge Elliott, in his charge to the new grand jury, refers to the delays in the case, and urges that there be greater vigilance hereafter.
• May 25—Hearing on a motion by Bob Padgett to strike out the judgment by default on six counts entered against him on March 11, 1911, and on demurrer to seventh count. Warfield also demurs to seventh count.
• May 31—Warfield’s demurrer overruled.
• June 1—George Padgett and Green swear that they can’t get a fair and impartial trial in the Court of Common Pleas. Cases removed to Baltimore City Court.
• June 2—Third anniversary of the first three suits. Interest approaches $7,000. [Cheers.]
• June 5—Warfield files general denial and asks for jury trial.
• June 17—Bob Padgett’s motion and demurrer of May 25 overruled. Padgett files general denial but doesn’t ask for jury trial.
• July 11—Nothing doing. Courts adjourned for summer.
• September 17—Attorney-General Poe announces that trial of case against Green will be begun September 23. [Flutter.]
• September 23—Nothing doing; false alarm.
• October 3—Case against Green called in City Court before Judge Dawkins. [Sensation.]
• October 4—Lawyers begin jousting. State demands $26,170.38 with interest.
• October 11—Jury awards State a verdict for $15,177.20. Both sides announce appeals. [Cheers by lawyers.]
• October 14—Green appeals for new trial.
• December 11—Motion for new trial argued before Judge Dawkins.
• December 13—Motion denied.
• December 28—City appeals. [Bugle calls.]
• December 30—Green appeals. [Fanfare.]

1913.

• January 1—Cases against Warfield and the two Padgetts postponed until appeal of Green is decided by Court of Appeals. [Military music.]
• January 19—Bab Padgett, accompanied by Sonny Mahon, starts on a long Western trip. [Cheers.]
• January 20—Fourth anniversary of Auditor Ash’s discovery that Bob owes $26,170.38. Bob spending the money.
• February 1—Nothing doing; all action held up pending decision of Court of Appeals to Green case.
• February 27—Green case argued before Court of Appeals.
• February 28—Bob returns from the Wast, much benefited by his trip. [Huzzahs by taxpayers.]
• March 1—Nothing doing.

Such is the history to date of the great case against the four ex-sheriffs, the chief and incomparable glory of our bench and bar. Let it not be forgotten that the decision of the Court of Appeals, even if it goes against Paving Bob, will by no means end the litigation and recover the taxpayers’ money. Not at all. A hundred unused writs and appeals remain. Each of the other ex-sheriffs must have his day in court, and not only his day, but also his week, month, year, lustre and æon. There is no reason whatever, under the laws of Maryland, why the simplest of the cases should not be dragged out to 1920. There is no reason why the longest of them should not be still entertaining the vulgar in 1975.