The Washington herald., 1908-03-13

In these words Senator Carter, or Mon
tana, yesterday commented on the state
ment which Sidney Bieber made on We'd
nesday In reply to the Senator's char
Of the methods through
which Mr.. Bieber has become possessed
OF five blocks Of government land along
the Anacostia River.
Senator Carter added that he probably
Will speak On the Bieber case In the SEN
ate to-day. and intimated that he win
review this somewhat singular case in
detail.
Gallinger Recalls Bill.
AS a result OF the Bieber incident.
Senator Gallinger yesterday entered a
motion. which was agreed 20 by the
Senate, asking the House TO return to the
Senate a bill which passed the Upper
House on January Is last, proposing 10
amend an act approved March 3. 1899,
passed by the Fifty-Rfth Congress in its
third session. The original act confirmed
the title OF one Thomas Yates 20 two
lots in the District which had been the
property Of the government. and the
effect OF the proposed amendment would
be, apparently. 10 empower the Secretary
of War AT any time 20 confirm the
titles Of persons claiming public prop
erty in the District whenever they could
show that they had maintained possession
OF the land for period OF fifteen years.
and had been assessed for taxes thereon.
The bill, when returned by the House,
will be recommended by the Senate and
recOmmitted to the District Committee.
Since the allegations in the BIeber case
came 10 light. closer scrutiny has been
given the bin IN question. and IL Is the
desire OF Senator Gallinger and members
OF the committee 10 investigate the pur-
pose and effect OF the measure in detail
The bill was approved by the committee.
on the strength OF a report thereon by
the War Department. recommending its
passage. Some members of the committee
believe that the measure. If it should be-
come a law. would simply give blanket
authority 20 the Secretary OF War 20
convey public lands 70 private persons
under circumstances bearing a close re-
semblance TO those which prevailed in
the case Of the land decided to Mr.
Bieber.
What BiH Proposes.
The bin proposes 10 amend section 2 OF
chapter 4. Thirtieth statutes at large.
by making II read as follows. a new
section, numbered three, also being
added:
Section That the SecretaG5 o. War be. and he
IL hereby. authorized and directed 70 correct TIE
records Of the War Department in respect of ans
q the lots mentioned tn Senate document numbered
q. klfty-nfth Congress. second session being a
letter trom The Secretary of Var transmitting. IN
compliance with the resolution ef the Senate q;
nees togrther with the hist of lots IN the City q
Washington District of Columbia the title 10 which
the recprds q bis Ofice show 20 be In the United
States and kst of lots in the City of Washington.
District 81 Columbia. which arc shown by the rec
ords Of his Office 70 have been donated hy the
United Ststesl. and IN respect of any other lots II
which the United States may appear TO have ans
interest, upon the fling b. actual occupant O,
any of the lots mentioned in this section a
amended sufficient uroof that the said oczluart ~
the party under whom he claims has been in actual
possession Of the said lot lots fer an uninterrupted
perlod of fifteen years, II said lot OF lots are
vacant that such ot lots have been assessed for
isEs;:1- % tbs claimant or those under whom hr
claims ana that he or they have regularly paid ne
taxes On the same ard have been the only persons
who have exercised control over the same fo- Z
period Of fifteen years before the fling Of the Sp-
phation for such correction Of the reCord 50 that
said record snail show the title 70 said lots 10 bC
IA the said occupant claimant
NOhAO 1ANc blankeN ROVER.
Section 8. That whenever It shah APPEAR thai
the United States has any interest in any lot in the
city OF Washington. District q Columbia, no;
actually occupied by any claimant and IN respect oi
which there has not been such payment OF tares A,
is By the preceding section made the equivalent O.
possession. the jurisdiction IS hereby conferred upon
the Secretary Of War 20 receive ard act upon sp-
plications 10 purchase such lots. and upon such
terms the said Secetary a War for the time BE-
ment shall Be for the interest Of the United States
whether By requiring payment for al unpaid taxes
or an additional sum. 10 make sale Of Ire interest
Of the United States in any such lot - lots as are
referred 70 IN this section. and upon the compliance
with the terms imposed 20 make coaYeysnce IN
Zee simple on behalf Of the United States 70 ths
purchaser
BarthOIdt Makes Statement,
The Bieber case was yesterday men
toned IN the House IN statement
made on the floor OF that body BY
Representative Bartholdt. OF Missouri.
who, in defending the grant CT this gov
ernment property 10 Mr. Bieber, threw
considerable light upon the initial pro-
ceedlngs in this singular case, so far
as Congress part therein is concerned.
Referring to the account OF Senator
Carter's statement. made on the floor OF
the Senate on Tuesday, as published in
The Washington Herald on the following
day, Mr.. Bartholdt, with the intention OF
placing the Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds. OF with he is chair.
man, in a more comfortable position. de-
clared. in effect, that the statements OF
the Senator that irreguIarity and fraud
had characterized the successive Con.
gressional enactments by means Of which
Mr.. Bieber secured title 10 his one-tims
government property were not correct.
COrrects Current Impression.
He said that the inference might be de-
rived from the press reports that his com.
mittee had acted hastily or without due
consideration in reporting favorably the
legislation giving Mr. Bieber this prop
erty. He would. therefore. detail to the
House the steps through which that leg
islation passed. leaving 10 the House the
right to draw its own deductions
Mr.. Allen, OF Maine. In the spring OF
1906, he said, had introduced a bill which
was referred from the District Committe,
to his committee. The bill was consid-
cred during consideration OF the public
buildings bill of that year Mr.. Bar.
tholdt then threw some additional light
on Mr.. Bieber's course in the following
statement:
Bieber Said He Was "Heir."
Mr.. Bieber appeared before the full
committee and stated that he had Taller
heir to piece Of property in the location
above stated. 1Sls'ch. however. was worth
less unless Re was put IN a position L
Always the Same
Tharp's