The official record of the Elkton PD, the police blotter, provides around-the-clock entries as life unfolded and the community interacted with its lawmen. Most of these fleeting encounters would have been quickly lost in time were it not for the brief items penned into the ledgers. This long-run of volumes provides day-by-day insight into the Elkton of an earlier era, capturing permanently in the short entries life as it unfolded. Here, from the police blotter, are a few moments that would have been quickly lost to the shadows of time.
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In the dead of night, Officer Ernie Beck and Baron look for trouble while patrolling Main Street. From award-winning Cecil Whig photo series by Richard Frear.
THE BLOTTER
April 17, 1959 – 11:30 a.m. – Air raid alert
Aug. 25, 1960 – 10:00 a.m. – With Mayor & Commissioners on North St – Radar demonstration
Oct. 21, 1963 – 5:00 p.m. 25 cows loose in Elkton heights Hi Ho Silver
Dec. 4, 1963 – 2:30 p.m. Complaint of beatniks acting up on Main St. Ran same out of town.
Sept. 7, 1968 – 01:13 a.m. – Cross Burning in front of courthouse
1/21/1970 – CALL – UFO
Oct. 24, 1973, 8:08 p.m. – CALL: UFO over 279 and North Street.
Officer Beck keeps a careful eye on the night in Elkton in 1968. This is from a Cecil Whig photo spread about the night watch in Elkton. The full-page piece by Richard Frear won photo-journalism awards.
Chief McIntire checks speeders in 1966 with the town’s new radar system.
The Elkton Police Department carefully and meticulously chronicled day-to-day happenings for the rural Maryland law enforcement agency in five-pound ledger books from 1955 to 1993. As patrolman went on and off duty, requests for police aid came in, suspects were arrested, weather conditions changed, or accidents happened, officers filled the pages of these heavy blotters with the details, completing a volume for each passing year.
These valuable records, a significant source of information about social conditions and changing times, municipal government, weather, crime patterns, and individual information, were added to the archives at the Historical Society of Cecil County by the Town of Elkton a few years ago. Spanning five decades, historians, social scientists, and family researchers have a long run of complete data, which can be used to understand the past.
Providing a cops-eye view, the handwritten logs began on August 6, 1955. On that Saturday Officer Harry Minker penned the initial entry in the otherwise blank book noting that it was clear and hot at 8:00 a.m. He scrawled nine additional notations during his watch, but only five involved police calls. A few days later, he penned one saying “call to get mayor coffee.”
The Mayor and Commissioners put a push on to increase the efficiency of its force about this time, and these records are evidence of the focus on better police practices. The “thin blue line,” four full-time and 2 part-time men, crisscrossed the town in a new Ford patrol car, responding to calls from the water plant operator who signaled them on the town’s two-year-old radio system. In a few months, the officers would have their own dedicated police station, replacing the desk and shared telephone they used in the town hall.
At first Elkton police work was by and large routine. Traffic problems, simple assaults, drunkenness, loitering, minor thefts, and a little disorderly conduct made up the bulk of the work, but serious crimes and alarming incidents sometimes jolted the routine. Take November 22, 1963. As a thick Chesapeake Bay fog blanketed the town, the day-man, Officer Jerry Secor, signed on watch at 8:00 a.m. On this Friday, as police work goes, things were quiet as he handled two unremarkable calls. Then, abruptly at 1:30 p.m., everything in this Eastern Shore town and the nation changed for someone, in a careful hand, wrote in the register: “President Kennedy shot and killed in Dallas Texas.” For the remainder of that heartbreaking day, there is something about the unsettling quiet reflected in the activity report as a deep dark, sadness penetrates the town and few calls come in for the remainder of the evening and night.
May 1965 train wreck in west Elkton.
There were others. On December 8, 1963, a commercial airliner crashed just outside town killing 81-people, the blotter notes. On a quiet Sunday in May 1965, as two cruisers prowled the sleeping town, a fire-ball suddenly loomed high up into the sky at the edge of Hollingsworth Manor. A chemical train jumped the tracks and exploded.
When storms threatened the county seat, the force was busy. As Patrolman Alton Crawford took to the streets on December 11, 1960, an early snowstorm was sweeping toward Cecil County. For the next two days, the men in blue noted that heavy snow was falling as they rescued stranded motorists, transported doctors and nurses to the hospital, and eventually began reporting that traffic was tied up and all activity had stopped. At the height of the powerful blast, the night watch noted that the power was off all over town.
In August 1955, hurricanes Connie and Diane charged through the mid-Atlantic unleashing devastating floods. Throughout those wind-swept days the men noted the water was rising, trees were blown down, and significant flooding was occurring. When Officer Edgar Startt signed off as midnight neared on August 12, 1955, he put pen to paper and simply scribbled, “bad night, off duty.”
On the evening of December 1, 1974, burglar alarms across town rang out as a severe thunderstorm blew through, taking out power lines and disrupting electrical service. Then at 11:35 p.m. as Officer Terry Lewis cruised East Main a large tree blew over on the patrol car, trapping the officer and his partner. The fire department extricated the men with the Jaws of Life rescue tools.
Just as the nation struggled to clean up air pollution, the night watch, officers, Hawley and Sharpless, reported that a thick smog from a chemical plant drifted over the town during the predawn hours of December 23, 1965. The visibility plummeted to zero as the two officers prowled the darkness looking for trouble.
November 17, 1993, marked the last time someone wrote a note in the old police logs. The department converted to a computerized system and the journals were discontinued as the agency entered the digital recordkeeping age. The last entry occurred at 11:32 a.m. when officers responded to a domestic disturbance. It was the 8,577 call of the year. That year, the Maryland Uniform Crime Report reported the force of 23 officers investigated 555 serious crimes and made 799 arrests. In 1973, there were 461 serious crimes, 278 arrests, and 12-officers.
As one reads the blotters, books now preserved for researchers, you get a detailed cops-eye-view of what life was like on a particular day in Elkton as you fall swiftly back in time with each receding year. The growth and development of the Elkton Police and the community and changes in the nature of crime and social conditions, all unfold in these pages. Minor disturbances, drunkenness, petty larceny, and domestic trouble made up the bulk of the complaints in the early years, reflecting the nature of crime in a rural community in the 1950s. As that quiet decade gave way to the troubling ‘60s and ‘70s, the volumes start reflecting changes in society, the drug culture, social unrest, and the rapid increase in crime. While most of the time the men recorded routine complaints, there were a few spectacular crimes. During the 1990s, the notations sometimes overflowed the pages because of the number of calls.
Perry Point, Dec., 14, 2012 — The old 18th century mansion-house at Perry Point was aglow with holiday spirit Friday evening. Located on the attractive, waterfront Veterans Administration campus. the hospital was hosting a holiday open house.
Drawing visitors in from the December darkness, flickering light from the luminaries showed the pathway to the grand front entrance. As guests approached the entranceway, they were greeted by a period attired guide, and once inside people learned about the unique story of Perry Point and the centuries old property. Live Christmas music filled the chambers, while over in one room, Dan Coates, the President of the Archaeological Society of the Chesapeake talked about the Civil War era on the little Peninsula. During that conflict, the Federal Government used the spacious grounds as a camp and soldiers occupied the house. While touring the finely decorated home light refreshments were served.
It was built about 1750, according to the Veterans Administration. “During the Civil War, the United States Government took over Perry Point for the first time, using it as a training station for cavalry mules. The officers in charge of the project used the Mansion House for their headquarters, sharing it for a time with the Stump family. When the situation became too strained for comfort, John Stump II moved his family to Harford County to live with his sister. Upon their return, they found the Mansion House badly abused and the farm sadly neglected.”
If you missed the event Friday evening, it’s open again tonight (Dec. 15th, 2012), as the holiday opening continues from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Elisabeth Wright, a researcher at the Society, searches through back copies of the Cecil Whig on one of the Society’s aging microfilm readers.
By Bruce Leith
The Historical Society of Cecil County is kicking off a new fundraiser which will help make the past more accessible. The Society has accumulated a vast microfilm collection containing most of the newspapers that have been printed in Cecil County since the 19th Century. Besides complete holdings of the Cecil Whig, this resource includes weeklies from such bygone titles as the Cecil Democrat, the Cecil Star, the Midland Journal, the Appeal, Cecil County News, the Perryville Record, the Rising Sun Journal, and the Elkton Press just to name a few.
But technology has improved as film and readers, research tools from an earlier era, are slowly being phased out. The technology now exists to digitize all of the serials so they can be read on a computer. To do this, the Society has received a quote of about $80 a roll to convert the film to a digital format.
To successfully create the e-products, the keepers of Cecil’s heritage have kicked off a new campaign called “Save our Newspapers – Save our History.” Individuals and businesses can donate funds for a single roll (which encompass issues for one or two years) or they can contribute a set amount to cover the entire run of the paper. The cost runs from $80 to do the Elkton Courier to $12,700 to donate to the entire series of the Cecil Democrat. For each digitized roll, the sponsor will be recognized as the underwriter preserving the valuable editions.
“This is a great way for businesses in the community to show support and also to receive credit every time the paper is accessed. It is also a great way to memorialize a loved one who may have passed away as well as a great gift for someone special,” said Bruce Leith who is coordinating the program. All donations are fully tax deductible as the Society is a registered 501c3. To get more information about the program, to make a pledge, or to see what newspapers are available contact the Historical Society either by email at newspaper@cecilhistory.org or stop in at 135 E. Main Street in Elkton.
Singerly Fire Company crews work on recovery the next morning. Rooke firefighter Henry Schaffer is on the right and Chief Spec Slaughter is on the left.
Many in Cecil sighed with relief as 1963, an eventful year full of ups and downs, came to an end. As people reflected on those events of nearly fifty years ago, they recalled the opening of the modern expressway, President John F. Kennedy’s visit, and the unbelievable news a few days later. An assassin’s bullet had struck the youthful president down in Dallas. So as the county grieved and the calendar turned on that unforgettable November they surely thought it couldn’t get any worse.
They were wrong for on a terrible December night Pan-American World Airways Flight 214 exploded, plunging into a field at the edge of Elkton. On that cold, rainy Sunday, as lightning periodically illuminated the cornfield eighty-one people perished when the big plane broke apart in flight and debris rained down on mostly open land. Hours later, as rescuers started the grim task of combing the wreckage zone, a county firefighter suddenly collapsed and died.
This horrifying disaster, the worst in Cecil County history, is something that is seared into the collective memory of the community and friends and relatives of victims. People involved in this tragedy will never forget the unusual December thunderstorm and how the fiery blast in the stormy sky suddenly illuminated the town, momentarily turning December darkness into daylight. Fear, anxiety, and concern swept across the unnerved community as sirens filled the night air with emergency units rushing toward Delancy Road to provide aid to the injured. It was soon obvious to first responders that the accident wasn’t survivable.
Next year on Sunday, Dec 8th, 2013, the Historical Society of Cecil County will hold a remembrance program, as it will be fifty years since that tragedy changed so many lives. To help with the program our volunteers have been busy creating a remembrance archive to add to our holdings. A major part of this involves interviewing people, and we recently taped Chief Thomas N. McIntire, Jr (retired). The Elkton police chief and assistant fire chief vividly recalled answering the alarm, as he drove the first fire engine out toward the state line. Riding in the command seat Chief Spec Slaughter had his hands full direting the mobilization of the massive, county-wide emergency response that included units from Delaware. We have also interviewed Lt. Don Hash (MSP retired), the first police officer to arrive on the scene and will continue with recordings throughout 2013.
The remembrance program will take place at the Historical Society on Sunday, Afternoon, Dec. 8th, 2013. The Rev. Hubert Jicha and retired school superintendent Henry Schaffer will facilitate the program. Henry, a 16-year-old at the time of the crash, was one of the first responders. The afternoon will include the sharing of memories, outtakes from the oral history collection and displays of material from our Cecil County history and genealogy library. We have newspapers, the emergency radio communication tape created as Rosemary Culley dispatched the emergency, many photographs, and television news broadcasts.
Chief McIntire twice met with the pilot’s son, Chris Knuth. His father George F. Knuth piloted the airliner circling in a holding pattern. waiting for clearance to land in Philadelphia, while a storm front passed over the Delaware Valley. Chris first called the Society back in 1996, saying he wanted to visit the area so we were pleased to help him while he was here. At the time, the Society arranged for Chris to meet with the chief and Rosemary Culley, the dispatcher. He met with this duo once again in 2006 as we helped a British video firm produce a documentary about the subject.
We are still working on plans but watch our newsletter, The Inkwell, and our blog for details as we put together this remembrance. We will keep readers informed as details develop.
Chief McIntire (retired), center and Chris Knuth, right, son of the Pan American pilot look over the scene of the crash on Delancy Road while documentarians record the scene.
A 1920 Pennsylvania State Highway marker for the Mason-Dixon Line.
Many people around Cecil County have heard about the Mason-Dixon Line, but few know much about its history. So as 2013 marks the 250th anniversary of the start of one of America’s most famous boundaries, the Historical Society will present a slide-illustrated Mason-Dixon Line talk.
To settle royal land grants for the proprietors of Maryland and Pennsylvania, two skilled English surveyors started measuring out the boundaries that had involved bitter quarreling and bloodshed. Four years later, the survey was done, but the line’s story was far from over as popular culture had it take on far different symbolism in the 19th century.
This program explores the story of the line, which runs through our land and our history, along with the perceptions that have developed around the boundary. Presented by historian Mike Dixon, this lively talk focuses on the line’s history throughout the centuries. It includes many dramatic, largely untold stories about these times.
This program is part of the Society’s winter speakers series. Each winter the Society bring fresh, new programs and applied, how-to lectures to Cecil County.
TIME: January 5, 2013, at 2:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Historical Society of Cecil County, 135 E. Main Street., Elkton, MD
COST: Free
The Old Post Road (Baltimore Pike) at the Mason Dixon LIne between Elkton and Iron Hill Delaware
Singerly Volunteer Fire Company, of Elkton MD, will present their twenty-sixth annual “Paper Americana Show” on Saturday January 26, 2013, from 10 AM to 4 PM.
The show will feature over thirty dealers from several states who are offering for sale, antique books, postcards, newspapers, art prints, advertising & regional collectibles, photographs, and general ephemera.
The Singerly Fire Hall is located at 300 Newark Avenue Elkton, MD, near the intersection of Routes 213 and 279. From I-95 take Exit# 109 (Rt. 279 Newark, DE/ Elkton, MD) interchange toward Elkton approx. 3 miles on right.
Admission is $3.00 per person ($2.00 with this ad) – children under 12 admitted free of charge. Refreshments will be available by the Singerly Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary. For additional information contact ayersj@zoominternet.net or call 410-398-7735 or 410-398-7300 during show hours.
Elkton, Saturday. Nov. 24, 2012 — Low, gray clouds filled the sky over Elkton’s Main Street on this late November day. This nippy scene, on an old pike that has seen the passage of centuries of frosty seasons, served as a reminder that “winter’s coming on” and we should anticipate a cyclical spell of freezing temperatures, cold rain, falling snow and howling winds in Cecil County during the winter of 2013.
Elkton, Dec. 1, 2012 — On this busy Saturday in December, one crammed with plenty of special holiday events, things were hopping at the Historical Society of Cecil County as a number of activities were underway. Our research volunteers, Darlene McCall and Beth Boulden-Moore, aided about a half-dozen patrons looking for information on auto dealerships, land records, and genealogy.
When it appeared that things were winding down for our history detectives in the library, a Civil War Soldier showed up to talk to another crowd assembled in the gallery. It was Private James Elbert of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), and he talked about the burdens for African-American soldiers during the Civil War. The 24-year old Polktown farmer enlisted with C Company of the 8th United States Colored Troops in September 1863. After leaving his home just outside Delaware City, he trained at Camp William Penn and fought in many battles during the conflict.
The attentive audience listening to this hour-long program felt as if they’d been transported back through time as the old soldier followed orders from his sergeant-major to carry out a mission. His narrative included comments about the fears, the courage, and the extraordinary achievement of the soldiers.
After the performance, a group gathered around Private Elbert peppering the military man with lots of questions about his amazing tales. This outstanding dramatic portrayal was presented by Willis Phelps, Jr. It’s an excellent program and we thank Mr. Phelps for sharing a powerful performance about the USCT with the crowd. Mr. Phelps works as a historical interpreter at Fort Delaware and presents his programs in many venues including colleges and universities. Presented for the first time in Cecil County, this program is part of the Society’s annual speaker’s series.
As the nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, Cecil Community College is offering a continuing education course that examines the conflict from a Cecil County perspective. Taught by Eric Mease, a scholar who focuses on studying the contributions of local African-Americans during those troubled years, the course is available this spring. It starts on April 3, 2013.
Here is the course description: “Cecil County holds a unique geographical and political position as the only Maryland County that has the Mason Dixon line as both its northern and eastern border which left the county politically divided. Learn what the newspapers were saying, what soldiers were writing about it, and the African American contribution to the Union war effort.” Click here for additional information.
Perry Point, Dec., 14, 2012 — The old 
