Austin Lane Crothers

Austin Lane Crothers (May 17, 1860 – May 25, 1912) was an American politician and a member of the United States Democratic Party. He was the 46th governor of Maryland in the United States from 1908 to 1912.

Early life and career Crothers was born on May 17, 1860, near Conowingo in Cecil County, Maryland, the eighth son of Margaret Aurelia (née Porter) and Alpheus Crothers. He was raised on his father's farm, spending much of his life there. Educated at West Nottingham Academy, he spent several years in the work force, first as a store clerk, then as a public school teacher. He was inspired to become a lawyer, and graduated from the University of Maryland Law School in 1890. He practiced law in Elkton until becoming the State's Attorney for Cecil County, a post he held from 1891 to 1895.

In 1897, Austin Crothers was elected to the Maryland State Senate as a Democrat, replacing his brother Charles C. Crothers. During the session of 1900, he became his party's leader in the Senate after becoming chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He was re-nominated for the 1901 election, but was defeated by the Republican Henry M. McCullough. Crothers continued to act as party leader in Cecil County, but still failed another re-election attempt in 1905.

He tried to reform the Baltimore Board of Police Commissioners, initiating an extensive investigation that led to charges against them. Crothers removed the three supposedly corrupt members and tried to fill their posts with chosen replacements while the originals awaited trial. However, the Maryland Court of Appeals determined that the governor did not have such power, neither to remove them or replace them before their time in court. Crothers still tried to bring the charges against them, but nothing came of it.