Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
ANSWERS BRIBERY CHARGE
E. F. GIBBS DISCUSSES ACCUSE
TON OF A. M. LAWSON.
Says Z Check, Given as Legitimate
Fee, Was Filed Away for
Rainy Day.

| Following closely in the wake of the
| controversy between f. F. Gibbs, repre-
senting fire escape company. and Snow
den Ashford, building inspector of the
| District of Columbia. and the charges ane
| counter charges which have figured II
the case. Mr.. Gibbs yesterday entered
into a discussion in detail of the allie
CATION of bribery made against him b,
a. NJ Lawson, one of the assistants in the
| building department
II see by the papers of the Sd instan
that the affidavit of A. NJ. Lawson, re
| lating to a check sent him by me abou
year ago, has been turned over to thu
| United States district attorney for in
vestigation by the grand jury Mr.. Gibo:
said II have but little disposition tt
| reply to this form of persecution, bu
| as 1t is d matter of public concern a
| this time, / will do So
During the latter part of 1906 we want
| ed to interest Mr.. j. G. Slater the late
president of the Lewis Chain Escape. il
our company. and after many fruitless
| efforts we gave up completely. After g
short time l saw Mr.. Lawson. mutua
| friend. for whom Mr.. Slater had the high
| est regard. l asked him to intercede II
our behalf. and if trade resulted
offered him twenty-five dollar fee, 81
1
later on. This was perhaps Novem
Der or December, 1906 Lawson die
SO. and Slater and E. r. Post ant
l entered into contract dated Janu
airy Is, 1905, but which was not actually
| signed until the 18th. I came to my honle
| late, drew and inclosed the check to Mr.
| Lawson in a great hurry, went In ar
| actual run to the mail box. thence t.
| dinner and then to my regular work
from p. m. to Il O'Clock.
As to Improper Motive.
1T did not occur to me that Mr.. Law
son would not recall what the CHECK
was for and might attribute it to an i'm
proper motive. l received the letter from
Mr. Lawson. stating that he did not know
what the check was for. Several days
| later / saw Lawson in company, and, moi
wanting to divuge my business to his
| company, 1 mentioned services in a vague
| manner, thinking of course, he under
stood Mr.. Lawson Immediately reported
| the receipt of the check to his superior
Mr. Ashford. Eleven months elapsed be-
fore 1 heard of it again, and then under
the following circumstances:
When I recently employed Mr.. VIII
liam Henry White as my attorney he
spoke in the highest terms of Commits
sioners mcfarland and West, and ex-
pressed confidence that they would give
| an impartial hearing to the claims of my
| invention for recognition in the District
and that Notwithstanding my rather
heated controversy with Capt Morrow
and Mr.. Ashford, he could get just as fair
a hearing before them, and consented to
take up the matter only on condition that
I would discontinue my newspaper at
tacks. After an interview he reported
| that Commissioners Mcfarland and West
were willing to consider any proposed
changes in the regulations he would sub
init, but Mr. West mentioned my check
| to Mr.. Lawson. 80
Referred to United States Attorney.
"Mr. White asked permission to ask
Mr.. Lawson few questions. He was
sent for, but was out. The next day
he was again out when Mr.. White called
and Mr. West agreed to fix a time, which
he did, and Mr.. White. Mr.. Lawson and
myself were present before him when he
said the. matter should be heard before
| the whole board, due notice of which
| hearing would be given Mr.. White. Nc
such notice was given, but the check was
referred to the United States attorney m
stead, Mr.. Lawson having in the mean
| time been called upon for an affidavit.
| This check went into the District build
| ing nearly year ago, ana It's MISSION
was then mystery, and some one Is re-
sponsible for its not going to the district
| attorney at that time, but it was appar-
| emily filed away for rainy day, which
| finally came with all its torrents. The
| Commissioners had all of the data for
over two months before the press was
appealed to.
but when that day came the mystery
| had been explained, and the affidavit is
| the exclamation. Did one of those Com
missioners or the building inspector really
believes that tried to bride any one? But
so great was the necessity for a counter
charge of some kind that they sent the
old think in any way for what 1t was
WORTH