The Washington herald., 1908-09-06

Altar an Investigation Of several weeks, ,
Commissioners West and Macfarland yes /
terday announced that Snowden Ashford,
building inspector OF the District. is not
guIlty Of the charges made under oath
by E. G. Gibbs on May Z last
Engineer Commissioner Morrow de
cIined 10 take part in the decision of the
case. on the ground that the charges were
so frivolous that any formal investigation
was unnecessary
Commissioners West and Nacfarlaud
were DELAYED in probing the matter by
the examination OF the building .nspec-
tors office, relative T. the Pickford apart
ment house disaster
The charges preferred against Ashford
by 1Ir Gibbs are: That he was the
patentee Of a fire escape while in Office
that he discouraged the use of other FIRE
escapes that he entered into correspond
ence with a Baltimore firm in an attempt
% extend the sale Of his particular in
ventiCn-
In their decision the Commissioners
state
Made No Profit Ont of II.
The testimony in the case showed that Mr. Ash
ford VAS the Tateuree q crtan charactcr q fire
escape- The evidence also showed that when tins
fact vas made the subject e c7ullinr. Mr. Ashford
vas drsczed hy the C1amissi1us-s 20 rvlinluizl al
Interest IN his invention and that De cmplisd with
I ne o7la- q the C1mmissi0usrs az considerable
perso-aI sacrifice and the further statement vas
made uudar oath that be Is not directly OF ludi-
-5cty interested az the present time in the develop
mel- 0f the invention The es11enc- also showed
thar he did not a. any TINE u-1t 70 the extent q
single dollar out of his invention and that Hhl-
ever ir was used I'D this District il was furnished
free ef cost On p5rs1ns desiring 20 take adTan-asa
T q u and that the SO fa-vurced to hrn b. the
RaIrur-e .rn va- Immediately r1-uTzie1- VIII ne
3 Statement t1a- he would uot sell 11y exclusive
rlehts and adding that --an local fms Who are
/. rs---iu- I'D my escapes f. The city are doing 20
without paying ne any royalty OF oornpensation q
=17 kind"
TIE evidence further shows that Mr.. Ashford did
not exclude other makes e r-e eszIes ron con
siIarzt5r1 and that when be recommended the 1c0D
-iCl u rls ladder and platform style q escape as
a standard form. the Commissioners approved The
sane and -Le latter have nd- any time manifested
Az desire o. clal-e modify -Le action taken by
them zf-er ,iga delihrrlti1u-
I Tie Commissioners hold that having directed Mr.
ford 10 dis1ss0Ci1re himself from clue--l0l ul-l
The darelo-uleur 4 the invention. uhicl direction
ras been c-mrild with and the evidence disclosing
nothing U iurlIuate 1Ir. Ashford In any dishonest
or ggestiouabs dealing. 10 further acton is ners-
HENRY p. F. MCFARLAND.
HENRY l. WEST.
C-u-Issicners Of the Dis--ic- n C1Iunbi--
r1iss1uer sch action being taken not in any sense
cf disa-ErCTaI but solely flr the rsasun that
cesiro 20 refrain from acting IN this case IN ans
u-aruzr JAY J. MORROW.
Nlio-. Gers Cf Elgi1eers-
Gibbs Request Denied.
In regard 10 the application OF Ir
j Gibbs for a formal sx0nerati0n by the
Board Of Commissioners Of attempted
bribery" before acting upon the charges
! BY Gibbs against Ashford, the Commis-
Il siouers take the ground that they have
| done fun justice TO Mr. Gibbs in the mat
/ ter By sending him q copy Of the letter
| OF the United States district attorney
| stating that the facts did not IN his 5udg
meaI warrant action by the grand jury
and by making public the action Of th'
| United States district attorney al th'
| time that L was communicated 10 th'
! Commissioners.