The Washington herald., 1908-03-14
BIEBBR IS SCORED
AGAIN In SENATE
Continued from Page One.

around the Anacostia River. which. ac-
cording to government project is 10 be
improved by the expenditure OF some
thing like $3,00000O OF money taken from
the people of the United States in tex
alton.
IF he does not cut of the navy yard
with this bid. 1t Is so much the better
for the government and does no credit TO
him. because he got all he could.
Finally, Mr. President / think this
ought 20 lead 70 a clear understanding
here that gang of tax-title sharks, said
to have been operating in this District
for long time, should be In some man
ner. by the District authorities. disposed
Of-Tendered inOcuous, at least This
great government OF ours is an impas-
sive though mighty force. II public Of
ficers do not protect IT, IL win be plum
dered. The most extreme vigilance is evil
IDENTIFY necessary in and about this Dis
trict, which has no legislature Of its own,
In order 10 protect private right and pub
lie property as we'll"
In answering a question by Mr.. Bacon.
as TO whether the War Department has
investigated the value Of the land decided
10 Mr.. Bieber Mr.. Carter said he did not
know, Dut he added;
1T appears TO be the record. as pre-
sented by Mr. MacVeagh, that Mr.
Bieber offered to sell his tax-title claim
to block ll3l, in 1885, for 5000. Later on
he acquired fun title 20 the property from
the United States. together with the
other blocks named, and this line OF pro-
ceeding was finally brought 10 light by
his refusal 70 sell a small stretch or cor
ner OF two blocks. probably a third OF
one block and a sixth OF another, on
which the tracks of the railroad COM
pany rested. for the sum OF Sl5.O00. The
statement is made that when they, offered
him S50o0 for a quitclaim on the land
he had thus acquired. on which their
tracks rested. and had rested for a gen
GRAFTON, be simply laughed. and said he
would bring them 20 good round figures
on words 20 that effect"
Senators Give Attention.
Mr. Carter's speech occupied about an
hour OF the Senate's time. and il secured
the undivided attention Of Senators.
When Mr.. Carter took the floor Mr..
Bacon. OF Georgia. arose in his place on
the Democratic side, and remarking that
he deemed the subject an important one,
suggested the absence OF a quorum.
There were only about n dozen Senators
present at the time. but they hurried in
when summoned, and remained through
out Mr.. Carter's talk.
Mr. Carter declared that such a blunder
as had been unearthed in the Bieber case
could not occur IN ary State Of which he
knew. being prevented by constitutional
provision The United states was not 50
protected, he said, and must rely upon its
legislators for safety from such dangers.
The Senator admitted without reserve
that as attorney FOR the Pennsylvania
Railroad. Wayne MacVeagh, a former At
torney General Of the United States, had
provided the District Committee % the
senate with the ;irst Information regard
ing Mr.. Bieber's possession OF valuable
government lands
While he did not refer directly TO the
unbridled statements which Mr.. Bieber
made concerning himself, Mr.. Carter ex-
planned how he had become the spokes-
man for the committee in the Bieber case.
Navy Yard Bill Beginning.
He referred 10 the navy yard track bill,
which was passed by the Senate a few
weeks ago. as the beginning OF the mat
ter. A bin TO provide for the retention
OF the track for two years. he said. had
been referred 10 a subcommittee OF the
District Committee OF which he was
chairman. and a substitute bill had been
reported 20 the Senate as a result OF
the subcommittee belief that IL was not
desirable 10 have the present tracks re-
main down for such long period
To that bill the railroad had objected
as requiring excessive expenditure on its
part Thereupon the bill had been
amended, the government granting a
right Of way across its property along
the Anaeostia RiYer. or what was be-
lieved 10 be its property. and also allow
ing a sum for the purchase OF a private
right Of way over which the company
was required TO lay tracks
The railroad attorneys, in addition,
asked that their right OF way over the
Anacostia fats. which the road had oc-
cupied for years. be confirmed by an
amendment. and while the committee de-
clined 70 entertain this proposition, II de-
cided to investigate the reason for Il. The
result was the discovery Of the fac;
that Mr. Bieber had acquired the land in
question, and was about TO acquire more
Mr.. MacVeagh's brief was the basis OF
this discovery.
War Departments Queer Report.
A bill had passed Congress granting
further concessions to Mr.. Bieber. anC
had been referred to the War Depart
ment before passage. The department
had reported that while it did not know
OF the existence Of such a block, il could
see no reason why the concession should
not be granted
Mr.. Tillman here caused a laugh by
drawing from the Senator the admission
that the War Department had. in effect
said that it saw no objection TO deedins
a piece of property which did not exist
Mr.. Gallinger added that subsequently
however, the department conveyed the
piece Of land, and accepted $1,000 in pay
ment for it.
The Senator from Montana then detailed
the subsequent steps by which Mr.. Biebel
became the owner of five blocks OF gov.
ernment land, one upon "a mere shadow
Of a tax title" and the rest without "any
shadow OF a title at ALL" practically as
he outlined them in his statement in the
Senate on Tuesday last. He added tha
the land was 1.600 feet one way and 2S
the other way. Mr.. Bieber has stateC
that he paid approximately 5000 for ii
Mr.. Carter stated that Mr.. Bieber had, 81
the railroad people said, refused to accept
SIS, 900 for a small portion Of IT,
Scott Clears His Committee.
At Mr. Carter's suggestion. Senator
Scott, chairman of the Public Buildings
and Grounds Committee, made il eleal
that the items in the omnibus Legislation
-,