Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-03
|RENEWS HIS ATTACK
Representative! Bennett Criti-
cises District Officials.
NUMBER OF CHARGES MADE
Advances Reasons Why Inspector Of
Saloons Lost His Job.
EXCISE BOARD ARRAIGNED
Speaker Also Alleges Instances
Where Assessments Were Below
Stated Property Values.
EXCISE BOARD ARRAIGNED


Kalbfus. assistant assessor and member
Of the District of Columbia excise board,
Representative Bennett of New York in
timated that former Inspector of Saloons
F. Ogden Horstmann had lost his job be-
cause he investigated too closely an APP
plication for liquor license made by
George T. Harper.
Some time SINCE said Mr. Bennett,
1.-THE Evening Star of this city printed
series of articles, for which 1 assume no
responsibility. of course. portraying con-
ditions in certain licensed liquor places TN
this city which were deploraole. Some
time after that. in the summer Of 1910.
the Commissioners of the District very
properly recommended to the assessors
the appointment Of a young gentleman,
the grandson of the late William D. KEEL
ley. for thirty years member OF Con-
gress from the state of Pennsylvania,
whose memory we respect, suggesting his
appointment as an inspector of saloons,
which appointment was made by the as
SCISSORS, acting as a board of excise.
The young gentleman's name was +.
Odin Horstmann, well and favorably
known in the city of Washington. young
man of means. who took his appointment
seriously, and commenced to investigate
and inspect the SdlOOUS. <AupIS OlLCiS,
he was directed by the assessor to report
on the application of one George I. Har-
per for license in the Georgetown sec
ton Of the city.
Horstmann Makes Report.
"AIr Horstmann," said Mr. Bennett, re
ported facts to the excise commissioners.
giving reasons why the license should be
refused. There were never any charges
made against Mr.. Hortsmann," said Mr..
Bennett: but. without charges and with
out reason. except the unofIfcially as
signed reason that he had talked over
some of his cases with the Commission
ers Of the District, Mr. Horstmann was
sunmarily dismissed, and the position Is
now filled by some other person with
whose name 1 am not familiar
What became of his recom1nenda-
tionso" inquired Representative Madden
of Illinois.
mo attention was paid to them, and
the excise board proceeded TO grant
license to George T. Harper.
Mr.. Bennett then gave list of local
saloonkeepers, who, he declared, had not
been able 10 obtain liquor licenses until
they had retained Mr.. j. Keane attorney
for the Abner-Drury Brewing Company,
who, Mr.. Bennett had previously told the
House. was mixed up in real estate trans
actions with Mr.. Kalbfus.
Gives List of Saloonkeepers.
The list of saloons follows:
AT 5th and X streets. M. T. keane-I
am told related to NJ. J. Keane.'
u O'Connor, 115 ~ street northwest.
Robert Hogan, South Capitol and X
streets
wv. J. Mccarthy, 49, 14th street south
west.
Jordan & Tregar, 472 Pennsylvania
avenue northwest.
u. Brenner, 1925 NJ street northwest.
M. Kann, AZ and G streets southwest.
M. Ellis. 7O1 / street southeast.
After the granting of this latter appli-
cation for license Mr.. Keane figured in
a deed of trust issued by MIR. Ellis to him
for $3.50.
and the facts in relation to this are some
what peculiar There is a well known
and proficient law firm In this city, Ham
ilton, Colbert & Yerkes, well equipped
gentlemen and a well equipped nrnl.
ply for this license for Mr.. Quinn, when
it had been once before postponed for
some reason, found II advisable to retain
as counsel NJ. j. keane.
j. B. Reuth, eth street above NJ street
samuel Sternberger, 9Th and II streets
north west.
"He was refused, and a man named Ro-
mayne got the license through MI.
keane for the same place. This partic-
ular instance, / presume. might be sub-
ject to the defense that there was diff
ference in the personality of the two
men.
AT nth .treet southeast all applications
for license Tor a saloon were rejected
because OF it's close proximity to play
ground, but a gentleman named Grogan
was subsequently, able through Mr.. keane
to get a license, and issued thereafter a
deed of trust to the brewing company.
Mr.. Chairman. if these things should
happen in the city Of New York. which
have the honor in part to represent the
excise commissioner who did them would
not stay in Office twenty-four hours, and
the excise commissioner who does them
here should not stay in office any longer
Discusses Tax Assessments.
In connection with alleged Irregular
ties in tax assessments in the District
of Columbia concerning which Mr.. Ben
net made charges in the House a few
I 4 ,,y,,fc -fn he