Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-09
WHAT MR.. WILSON SAYS.
He Replies to the Statements Made Con.
corning Him to the President.

corning Him to the President.
As stated in The STAR yesterday, q commit
tee, composed of DR.. Robt. Reyburn. NJ. l.
Weller, DR.. Chas. Allen. A. J. Curtis. and S. A.
Coombs, representing the Citizens Committee
of One Hundred, yesterday visited the Presi-
dent and made statements unfavorable to Mr..
Jesse B. Wilson, who within the last few DAYS
has been prominently mentioned as a candi-
date for the Office of District Commissioner.
Mr.. Wilson, when seen by STAR reporter this
morning. hkened the charges to cobwebs
which could be readily brushed away.
TWO MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
''The committee appointed to go to the Pres
ident, I understand" he said. twas never
called together. Mr.. Thomas W. Smith. who
was named as a member of the committee. was
not notified at all about the visit to the White
House. Then Mr.. Tulloch was named on the
committee, as it appears, without any authority
from him whatever. Mr.. Tulloch wrote me a
note after reading his name in The SrAR last
evening to that effect.
THE ACCOUNT WITH THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
II suppose" said Mr.. Wilson. you have read
Mr.. Smiths card, published this morning. in
which he comes out in manly way and shows
that the only charge made against me in the
meeting of the Committee of One Hundred
was groundless That was a charge that had
without authority had report printed and
then declined to pay for it. leaving it to the
Committee of One Hundred to pay. The fact
was that was directed by the committee to
prepare report and have it printed for the
committee as other reports were printed a fact
to which Mr.. Reginald Fendall, then president
of the committee, testifies. This is q small
matter, but the truth should be known.
Mr.. WILSON'S TAXES.
SFTha ofher an IA, ~, N IL -
said Mr.. Wilson, 'are equally as absurd and
bare of truth. As am informed it was repre-
sented that while paid personal tax on but
800, I had $4,000 loaned out on mortgages.
II had any such sum as that the records at
the courthouse ought to show it. Go up there
and see II you can find one deed OF trust that
hold. There is not one. I held one
q few years ago after I sold some
property on F street, but that has
been paid off and have not one now After
the personal tax law was passed an assessor
came TO my house. l was at home and gave
him all the information he asked. He looked
through the house and made his own appraise-
ment; then told him what stocks and bonds
owned and my Indebtedness, and swore to the
statement. From that the assessment was made
up. Never since then has an assessor been near
me to make another personal tax assessment
and have paid each year the tax required
Sometimes have had more personal property on
ing as such amounts will. Ii the assessor
office had not been satisfied with the assess
ment 1t could have increased it. and in case of
my declining to make return could have made
Its own estimate OF my personal property and
added 10 per cent. l am not the assessor. The
truth is that the personal tax law has not been
regarded with favor by those in power and
they have not taken rigorous measures to
enforce it. But when asked to do SO
made my return, and the charge brought
Of in g, E.. \
Then another statement made concerning
me, am told, is that property l own worth S25
foot pay taxes on at an assessment of So a
foot. Now If that estimate put ON the value Of
the property Is a fair one, am not responsible
for the assessment. / am not the assessor
The property was viewed and appraised by an
officer sworn to make q correct return. am
not responsible for it if it is low assessment
THE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY.
"There is one other charge made, as 1 am in
formed" said Mr.. Wilson, land that is that am
president of the wealthiest fire insurance COM
pany in the District. and that this company has
paid no tax and have been in constant CORE
spondence with the District Commissioners
about it. The appearance is given that l had
evaded or resisted the payment of the tax. Mr.
Ros A. Fish, formerly the assessor, was in my
Office this morning and he stated that it was
untrue that had been in correspondence with
the Commissioners. The fact is simply this:
The Commissioners proposed to tax the
company on its capital. But our
company has no capital 1t is mu-
tual company. The policy-holders insure
each other, and when a man surrenders his
policy, he draws out of the company any ac-
cumulations credited to his policy. The atten-
ton OF the Commissioners was called to the
character Of the company. A conference was
held at which Mr.. Davidge, representing the
company, and Mr.. Riddle, representing the
Commissioners, were present As a result it
was decided that the company was not taxable.
'These charges, as 1 said," Mr.. Wilson con-
tinued, "can be brushed away like cobwebs. I
was surprised when was told that my name
had even been mentioned to the President as a
candidate for the Office of Commissioner
had made no application, no petition had been
circulated in my behalf, and no steps taken by
me to put myself forward as a candidate I
was informed, however, that my name had been
mentioned to the President, not by one only,
but by several persons. Upon that these few
persons, whom / have in some way failed to
please, make these unfair and absurd state
ments."