Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-25
REFLECTS ON JURYS AWARD
TEACHER COMPLAINT TRANS
MITTED BY PRESIDENT.
Writer Intimates That District Of
f1cials Were Favored in Street.
Opening Verdict.

President Roosevelt has forwarded to
the Commissioners letter written to him
by w c. Thacher who has an office in
the Colorado building. in which Mr..
Thacher complains of the jury's verdict
In connection with the opening of Geneseo
place northwest. and hints at graft in
the District government saying there is
a peculiar state of affairs shown in the
application Of the law, so far as the open
Ing of streets is concerned
In the letter to President Roosevelt Mr..
Thatcher further stated:
Without making the assertion that such
is the fact. it would certainly appear as
II the district attorneys Office was used
to further the ends of an individual
rather than in the interests of the peo-
Pile
He further intimated that one of the
assistant corporation counsel, who owns
piece of property on the line of the
street opening mentioned, was favored in
the award of damages and benefits and
that the party benefited most is in the
district attorneys office, and had one of
the District attorneys appear for him at
the hearing before the jury in the case"
The persons most benefited by the
opening of Geneseo place are assessed
very lightly" says Mr.. Thatcher. while
one party. who is positively damaged
and is located some distance from the
proposed street. will have according to
the grade scale established by the engi-
neer department. fill of twenty-four
feet in front of his apartment house
am assessed $50 for my small piece of
property. although the improvement pro-
posed is absolutely of no benefit to me
whatever"
. After the jury in this case rendered its
verdict the writer of this letter and sew
eral others interested raised an objection
and asked for reconsideration. The
jury said their objection was not lust or
proper and refused
Following the refusal of the jury Mr.
Thatcher took his complaint to the Presi-
dent. This he did said he because of the
peculiar state of affairs in the legal de-
partment. and that his case in line
with the investigation of the building de-
parment and of alleged graft In the engi-
neer department.
This cOmmunica ton was forwarded to
the Commissioners from the White House
by Secretary Loeb with no comment fur
Their than to call attention to it, The
Commissioners are preparing answer.
Which Will be sent to the President and
to Mr.. Thatcher.
Commissioners to Be Caustic.
The Commissioners answer to Mr..
Thatcher will be of caustic nature, it is
intimated. One of the Commissioners
said today that the insinuations of Mr..
Thatcher are an unwarranted attack upon
officials of the corporation counsels Of
flee and the District attorneys Office. and
that his complaint Is wholly without
foundation.
E. H. Thomas. corporation counsel.
who was questioned by the Commission
ers about the history of the case referred
to in Mr.. Tha cheers letter said that the
latter has absolutely no cause for COM
plant, and his attack on the member Of
the corporation counsers office and the
member of the District attorneys office is
unjust and uncalled for
Both are lawyers of the strictest In
tegrity," he said.