Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-03
GIBBS FILES APPEAL
Submits Request in the Fire
Escape Matter.
OBJECTS TO MAJ. MORROW
Says Engineer Commissioner Is An
tagonistic.
OUGHT NOT DECIDE THE CASE
Official in Question Explains He Has
Had No Intention Of Helping
Reach Conclusion.
OBJECTS TO MAJ. MORROW
NOT DECIDE THE CASE

In formal appeal to the Commission
ers today f. F. Gibbs, fire-escape manu-
facturer. whose charges against Snowden
Ashford. building inspector. were the sun
ject of an investigation by the Commits
sioners recently. requests that Nal Jay
j. Morrow. Engineer Commissioner. take
no part in the decision tn be rendered in
the matter Or that the President of the
United States tie requested To appoint
commission TO investigate the charges
The request that Maj Morrow take no
part in deciding the Ashford ease is sim
liar to that by attorneys for the brennan
company during the Commissioners ia
vorittsm investigation. Mr.. Gibbs gives
as his reason for the request the belief
is that Mai Morrow is biased against
and antag0nistic toward him.
No Intention of Participating.
Maj Morrow says he had no int -ntion
of participating in the decision.
II decided on this course. Mai. Morrow
explains. long before Gibbs made the re-
quest. l will leave it entirely with Com
missionefs mcfarland and West. l was
opposed to having the informal investiga-
ton in the first place. believing IT TO be
unwarranted. and inasmuch as il was
held against my judgment and advice I
will take no part in arriving at a conclu-
sion.'
The other Commissioners have Mr..
Gibbs appeal under consideration and
will determine what they propose TO do
about 1t in a few days.
The charges by Mr. Gibbs against
Building Inspector Ashford were to the
of hat no lotf ho
and promoter of two patent fire escapes
and that he was using his official position
to advance his patents. to the detriment
of other fire escape manufacturers. Dur
ing the investigation it was testified to
that Ashford wrote to Rittenhouse Broth
ers. manufacturers of Baltimore Offer
ing them the right to use his escape and
spoke about the local trade" offering
to supply "a former employe of the build
ing department to furnish information
and otherwise assist in the business" At
by local business" he did not mean
Washington. 1t was also testified to that
the former employee was Ashfords
brother-in-law. Malcolm Creighton.
Quotes the Commissioners.
In his appeal to the Commissioners.
making known his objection to Commits
sioner Morrow's attitude Mr. Gibbs
quoted the public statement made by Maj.
Morrow that tine only injustice that has
been done Mr. Gibbs lies in the fact that
| allowed him TO get out of my office
without personal chastisement" He
also quoted an Interview with Maj. Nor
row, published in The Star last Novem-
Der. characterizing Gibbs statements as
very largely falsehoods
Gibbs also requested that the Commits
sioners publicly exonerated him OF thhe
charge OF attempted bribery against him
several months ago because OF $40
check he is alleged to have given an en-
pioye OF the building Office. which was
never cashed. The Commissioners re-
ferred the matter to the United States
attorney. The latter sent a reply on the
strength of which Gibbs desires a public
exoneration, as follows:
Statement by Mr.. Baker.
after thorough consideration of the
statements of the witnesses. and of the
affidavit of Mr.. Lawson. 1 am of the
opinion, assuming that Mr.. Lawson at
the time the check was mailed to him
By Gibbs was an executive or other Of
ficer.' that the evidence does not show
that the check was sent to Mr.. Lawson
by Gibbs with intent on the part of Gibbs
to influence the action of Lawson on any
Official question. or with intent to in
f1uence him to commit or allow the COM
mission of any fraud.
II have concluded. therefore. that the
case Ia not one which should be pre-
scented to the grand jury. and l herewith
return the various papers sent TO me-