Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-04
UNDER INVESTIGATION
Charges Against Building In
spector SnoWden Ashford.
WERE FILED BY E. F. GIBBS
Opening Statement Made by Com
missioner Macfarland.
SUMMARY OF THE ACCUSATIONS
Inspectors Interest in Patent Fire
Escape and His Certain Acts
Subject of Contention.
OF THE ACCUSATIONS

SlOnerS tn1S morning. he Charges Hduo
by Gibbs are sworn to and include six
specifications
His first specification is to the effect
that Ashford obtained patent on fire
escape. the ownership of which was in
consistent with his duties as inspector of
buildings: second, that while holding Of
fee Ashford wrote to Rittenhouse Broth
ers of Baltimore. manufacturers of fire
escapes. naming a price for. the use of
his invention, under his patents. of $40
for each set of drawings and $40 for
each balcony when the escape is erected,
all of which is inconsistent with his duties
as inspector of buildings
Other Specifications.
The other specifications follow:
In endeavoring to exploit his said pat
ents, to receive compensation for con-
struction of fire escapes Hereunder, and
in discouraging the construction of other
kinds of fire escapes, particularly chain
escapes, by the use of his position and
office of inspector Of buildings. in recon-
mending the disapproval of proposed reg
ulations permitting the erection of chain
escapes.
while holding said office and while the
owner of one of said patents. and while
his applications for two others were pend
ing. he endeavored to encourage the use
of his fire escape. and to discourage the
use of others. particularly in his said let
ter to Rittenhouse Brothers, as follows:
Fire escapes have been put up here re-
Gently and I find that those who wish to
prevent defacing their buildings will pay
twice as much as for an ordinary escape
and as the escape has no competition
there is good profit. There is sharp
competition here in the ordinary type OF
escape, but very little in mine.
Reference to Former Employee.
while holding said office and while the
owner of one of said patents and while
his application for two others were pend
ing, he offered to be the means by which
former employee of his Office and a
builder of fire escapes might engage in the
construction in the District OF Columbia
If fire escapes under the patents of the
inspector of buildings, under which ar
rangefnept he was to receive. $40 for each
balcony. as shown in said letter to Rit-
tenhOuSe Brothers, as follows:
You pay me at the rate of so for
each balcony when the escape is erected.
$50 l expect there will be a. great many
put up here when the new law is applied
to apartment houses. If you will let me
know, after receiving the drawings, what
you can build them for and fair average
time to construct them. I will put you in
communication with a former employee
OF tQlS once VINO can manage the local
business or supply Information.
Mr.. Ashford took up the specific atoms
as read and entered positive denial as to
each.
Commissioners Statement. =
Commissioner mcfarland. who presided
at the investigation. made. the following
announcement outlining the. reason for
the inquiry and explaining the methods
of procedure:
when this matter was first brought to
the attention of the Commissioners BY Mr..
Gibbs the Commissioners made an inform
al investigation and as result of 1t re-
auested the inspector of buildings to- dis
pose of his fire escape patent rights,
which he did. Now that Mr.. Gibbs has
asked for formal investigation and has
made affidavit to his charges. the Com
missioners. according to their custom of
making a public Investigation when
charges are thus made, have ordered the
inquiry which we are now about to COM
mence. The Commissioners desire is to
give everybody concerned full opportunity
to be heard, in order that Justice may be
done when the facts are fully presented"
Mr.. Ashford was represented by Henry
-. Davis as attorney and Mr.. Gibbs by
William Henry White as attorney.
Letter Identified. =.
After brief preliminary statement. At
letter written by him (Ashford) to Ritten-
house Bros. in Baltimore, in which he
offered the use of his patent and offered
the sale of drawings and in which he
mentioned being able to furnish "a for
mer employe of the building department
who could furnish information also in
which he referred to local business"
Upon cross examination Mr.. Ashford
said that by the words local business
he meant Baltimore and not Washington,
and that in the furnishing of former
employee of the building department to
furnish information he had in mind his
brother-in-law. Malcolm Creighton, who
had been engaged in connection with the
enforcement of the new fire escape law.
He explained that Creighton was only
a temporary employe. and at that time
he had been notified that the appropria-
pire and he would have to be dropped.
Ashford said in view of this he was at
tempting to secure him permanent
position.
missioner West. Ashford declared that
he was given a verbal permission by
former Engineer Commissioner Biddle to
patent his invention, but that he had no
written proof of the permission. and that
during his connection with the business
he never made "a cent on It," and that
he now has absolutely no interest in 1t.
Testimony Of A. N. Lawson.
What was looked upon as the most i'm
portant testimony offered was that of
A. M Lawson. who was until two months
ago an assistant inspector of buildings.
Mr. Lawson. under oath, stated that dur
ing q conversation in the District at
torney's Office lin February in connection
with the attempt made to have Mr.. Gibbs
tried for attempted bribery Assistant
District Attorney Adkins asked Ashford
If the words local business used by
Ashford i'm his letter to RittenhOuse
Brothers. meant Baltimore. and that Ash
ford said: "Oh, no, 1t means here In
Washington.
Lawson further testified: while walk
ing from the District attorneys office to
the District building, Mr.. Ashford said
to me he was going to put Gibbs in the
penitentiary, and that he would have him
keeping company with Mr. Raymond, who
Is serving five years for libeling Ash
ford"
Oscar Luckett K. o. Heaton and James
T. Hill testified to having had dealings
with Mr. Ashford in connection with fire
escapes for buildings represented by
Them and that he in no way advanced
the interest of his own escape or spoke
against the escape of Mr.. Gibbs
After the reading of number of let
tiers dealing with the case and the read
ing Of the records of the case, the inves-
tigation was adjourned until tomorrow
afternoon.
Kentucky Turfman Dead.
LEXINGTON. KY. May "A private