Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-24
B ABB COCK To SUE
Alleged LibeIous Article Pub
Iished by Golfers Weekly.
STORY OF LOCAL RAILROAD
As Told by Mr.. O. T. Crosby of This
City.
THE REPRESENTATIVES DENIAL
Gives Purported History of the Leg
isletion Referred To-What
Mr.. Crosby Says.
STORY OF LOCAL RAILROAD
HE REPRESENTATIVES, DENIAL

Representative Babcock of Wisconsin,
chairman OF the House committee the
District of Columbia. has instructed his at
torney to bring suit against Golfers
Weekly. which recently published an ar
ticle rejecting upon Mr.. Babcock's prob
ity. The article in question, published I'M
der the name of Henry Beach Needham,
charged that Mr.. Babcock had held up
local corporation for 5000 contribution
to the republican national committee. and
intimated that certain Legislation in
fiuenced by this payment.
Mr. Needham's Story.
In his article Mr.. Needham states that
the alleged information he publishes was
obtained from Oscar Terry Crosby, and
then proceeds:
"Mr. Crosby was associated with some
Baltimoreans who had secured from the
Widener- Elkins- Dolan syndicate, for APP
proximately 500, GOO an option on the Eek
tngton and Soldiers Home railroads.
horse-car line operated from the business
center of Washington to suburban point
In the District of Columbia. Congress had
ordered that. before a certain time, the
road must be equipped with mechanical
traction. but through some oversight the
resolution did not grant the corporation
authority to increase its Indebtedness or its
stock issue.
About 100000 was required to cleo
trify the road. A bill giving the needed ari-
thority was promptly reported to the Sen
ate by the committee on the District of
Columbia. Despite that unanimous report
the bill was held up for many weeks in the
Senate. Every time it came up Pett!grew
of South Dakota rose and objected. Finally
he reached the conclusion that absolutely
nothing was to be gained by further OBJ
struction. and he allowed the bill to pass
which it did without a negative vote That
ended the matter in the Senate. The bill
n n,,i,, l..
the committee on the District of Columbia
or the House. but, strange to say, it was
not reported by the chairman, Mr.. Bah
COCK or wisconsin. 1t was about five days
before the adjournment of Congress-. and
the bill was still In the chairmans pocket
Mr. Crosby and his associates were des-
perate. They could not eectrify the road
without an issue of bonds or stock: this re-
quired authority from Congress. On the
other hand, If they failed to obey the man
GATE of Congress as to change of motive
power, their franchise would be forfeited.
and their a1f-a-million-dollar propertv So,
riousiy jeopardized.
MI. Crosby's Statements.
You have followed the insurance inves-
tigation?' Mr. Crosby asked. You have
noted the admission Of the Mutual Life that
1t contributed "a large sum to the republic
| can congressional campaign fund? You
have read Congressman Babcock's declara-
u
that 1t ought to have been more? Well
that bold declaration leads me to tell of
my experience with the gentleman from
Wisconsin. While waiting anxiously for
MIN TO report the bill in question he sent
for me one day and said:
" Mr.. Crosby, don't You think your com
pany ought to contribute to the fund of the
republican national congressional commit
tee?"
Personally, had not thought of such a
thlng, replied 1 am democrat-or, at
least a Northumberland l would not think
or contributing. AS for our company we
are rfsking much in broken down prom
erty. We hope to make money but we are
not sure of 1t. And we are only asking Con-
gress TO correct It's own error. We have
been much injured by delay in the Senate
L said more along the same line We
argued, and he made suggestions Finally
Babcock looked me straight in the eye and
peated:
:" OF course, this has nothing to do with
your bill. but | strongly advise your com
pany to contribute just what l have told
you-$5, eco
My protest was in vain Five tboi,sand
dollars was named as a contribution A
nan interest IN our company had been re-
Gently acquired by John E. Searles of the
sugar trust. | told this fact to Babcock
explaining that Searles was i'll. and asked
Babcock TO look to him for half of the con-
tribution- He agreed. Then my associates
and supplied $500, the check going to
- '.4S iSpuDliCdh HdIlOndl
congressional committee"
MI. crosby paused. Apparently he did
not bemoan the loss of the money SO much
as he dislked the transaction. II don't
pretend to know what became of that
money | do know that the bill was passed
with lightning rapidity. There was no
shadow Of opposition to it,
Mr.. Babcock's Denial.
Mr.. Babcock denies the charge In the fol-
lowing statement:
II have never received one penny from
either Mr.. Crosby or his syndicate. either
for myself or for the republican congress
sional committee. The published state
ment, to any one at all familiar with legIs-
lation, shows on its face its faIsity
Il have not had the time-as this mat
ter was called to my attention only this
efternoon-to look into this matter as care
fully as shall but have. had the legisa-
tive history of that bill looked into and
that history shows that the delay in the
passage of the bill complained of was not
| in the House at all.
THE whole statement is so monstrous
that II there is any law under which the
responsible parties can be prosecuted I
shall have them prosecuted TO the fullest
extent.
The bin, H. r. GAS (5oth Cong, I'd ses-
sfon), to amend the charter of the Ecking-
ton and Soldiers Home Railway Com
pany of the District of Columbia, Mary
land and Washington Railway Company
and the Belt Railway Company, and for
other purposes was introduced in the
House by Representative Curtis of Iowa.
January s, 1885, and referred by the
Speaker to the committee on the District
of Columbia, of which am the chairman
II reported the bill to the House Febru-
airy IA, 1898, and on the same day it was
debated, amended and recommitted to the
committee on the District of Columbia with
instructions.
81 again reported the bill to the House
on March H. and March IA, two days
later, 1t was debated, amended and passed.
On March Is 1t was referred TO the Senate
committee on the District of Columbia 1t
vas reported to the Senate with amend
ments on April l, and 1t was debated and
amended in the Senate April D. May II,
IL and 16. and on June passed the SEN
ate. On that day the Senate insisted upon
its amendments TO the bill and requested
q conference with the House. The Senate
conferees we're appointed June s, and were
Senators McMfllin, Faulkner and German
On June 10 the House voted the noncon-
eur In the Senate amendments and agreed
to the conference asked for by the Senate
The Speaker appointed as conferees on June
10 Messrs. Babcock. Curtis and Richard
SON.
'on June IS a conference report was sub
matted to the House. debated and with
.Sy-axx md an INN he 1orf Ia