25 Years Ago Editorial- - The President Lays It "On The Line"— On Monday evening President Nixon appeared on national television in a remarkably conciliatory gesture designed to satisfy his critics who continue to insist that he is a party to the deep conspiracy of "Watergate." The immediate concern just now seems to be the struggle over the White House tapes — tapes of private and confidential conversations which the President has had with members of his staff and other visitors engaged in a variety of discussions and negotiations. The House investigating committee, which has been trying to uncover anything pertinent to an impeachment investigation, has insisted that they be given access to these tapes —presumable in the hope that they will thus be able to find something in these conversations which will incriminate the President. It would seem that if the committee is seriously interested in receiving evidence, rather than being engaged in a "witch hunt," that the President's offer is eminently fair and reasonable. Turning over these tapes, which contain in many instances other bits of confidential conversation highly damaging to our negotiations with foreign countries as well as embarrassing to diplomats and others who have had their conversations with the President recorded unknowingly, would be not only a dangerous precedent nationally but also a serious breach of confidence which would ruin permanently the hope of other such private conversations with the head of State. Such conversations must be granted the most careful confidentiality. The Community Reporter, May 3, 1974.

50 Years Ago Plane Wreck Kills Two - Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Boswell, Washington, Killed Near Manchester When Plane Falls In Field—Mr. and Mrs. William S. Boswell, Washington psychic mediums with two studios were found dead in the wreckage of their light plane Sunday on the farm of Warren Strevig, along Lineboro road. The twisted wreckage and the bodies were discovered early Monday afternoon by a man walking through the woods on the farm two miles north of Manchester. National Airport officials said the Boswells took off for Washington from Norfolk Municipal Airport about 11:40 p.m., Washington time Sunday and had not been heard from since. Raymond MacDonald, a business associate of the Boswells, said the couple were visiting relatives in Norfolk Sunday. How the plane happened to get so far north of Washington could not be explained by CAA and Airport officials. Maryland State police reasoned that the pilot, perhaps lost, had run out of gas and was trying to make an emergency landing in a clearing. The tops of trees were sheared off for about 20 yards. Democratic Advocate, May 6, 1949.

75 Years Ago The Late Chief Judge Wm. H. Thomas—Hon. William H. Thomas, lately Chief Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit composed of Carroll, Anne Arundel and Howard counties, and one of the members of the Court of Appeals of Maryland, acting as its Chief Judge at the time of his death by reason of the indisposition of Chief Judge Boyd, died at his office in the Court House, Westminster, on Saturday afternoon, April 26th, of angina pectoris. The attack was wholly unexpected. A few minutes before it came Judge Thomas was engaged in conservation with a group of County officials, and had left them to draw some additional jurors. He complained of indigestion, and sent for some medicine, but before it came, the attack became so acute that physicians were hastily summoned, and he died within twenty minutes of the first symptoms, but not before his wife arrived. The County was shocked by the news of his death which spread rapidly, and deep regret was expressed on every side, as Judge Thomas was greatly respected and enjoyed the esteem and confidence of every one; and the great loss to the Bench by his death was appreciated fully. Democratic Advocate, May 2, 1924.