Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-04
Representative Cary Charges
Him With Irregularities.
ASK TAFT TO ORDER PROBE
Members of Improvement Organize
tions Visit White House.
BENNET IS FULL OF FIGHT
United States Attorney Wilson Max
ing Investigation of Horstmann
Charges Against Kalbfus.

charging Commissioner John \. John
ron With irregularities in office and ac-
using him of injustice in removing J.
VI Wood. superintendent of street clean
ing Representative cay of Wisconsin
and several citizens today filed a petition
with President Taft urging him TO order
an investigation.
Mr.. Cary was accompanied TO the White
House by Charles {. Lancaster. president
IF the Citizens Northwest Suburban As
sociation: DR.. f. -. Thompson, president
of the lexington Citizens Association,
and Herman T. Blau of the same organ
ization.
The petition contains "A number of allo-
cations against Gen. Johnston, and as
serts that if the charges are shown 10
be true the President has no alternative
than To dismiss him.
Commissioner Johnston has deceived
the President, said Representative
Cary he was leaving the executive
offices Mr. Wood has been made the
scapegoat As said on the floor of the
House several days ago. the whole board
of Commissioners in the District should
be investigated for more reasons than
one.
Charges Against Gen. Johnston.
chasing sixteen street sweeping machines
without authority. He charged ten of
the machines against the snow and ice
fund, at $210 apiece, in order to square
himself with the President Six others
were charged against the street clean
ing fund, at s20S.50 apiece. Why TINS
difference in price when these machines
were bought at the same time ana
what right had he to charge them
against any fund without authority,
thereby assuming that he is greater
than the President and Congress? The
sooner an investigation into Distrlct al
fairs is ordered the better.
Mr.. Lancaster said the majority OF cltl-
zens' associations in the District would
unite to support President Taft In an IN
vestigation should one be ordered; MI.
Taft told the delegation he would con-
slider the petition and make a decision
later.
Representative Bennett, whose charges
against the Commissioners relative TO al
legged discriminatory taxation IN the DIS
trict caused stir in Congress last week,
was a caller at the White House today
also. He announced that he would nave
something further to say on the subject
in the House next week.
II am full Of fight still and expect to
press the charges to the end" said the
representative as he was leaving the eX-
scutive Offices.
Investigating Horstmann Charges.
United States Attorney Wilson is investi-
eating the charges made by F. Oden Horst
mann against Samuel T. Kaibfus of the
board of assistant assessors. Mr.. Wilson
was unable today to say how long the
inquiry would last. Should his investiga-
tion disclose q lack of foundation for the
charges Mr. Wilson said. he would re-
port that finding TO the board of Commits
sioners, which had forwarded the matter
to him.
If the investigation which he will make
into the records of the excise board and
the alleged doubtful real estate transac-
tions should leave any doubt in his mind,
Mr.. Wilson stated. the matter would then
b. submitted to the grand jury
Not Taken Seriously
Officials and clerks at the District build
ing were inclined TO take the matter of
the charges against Commissioner John
son as q joke. for the reason that the
sixteen machines mentioned in the
charges were ordered over the signature
o. James NJ. Wood. as superintendent of
street cleaning. have not been delivered,
and have not been paid for. The records
"f the orders are in the office Of Auditor
Tweedale
The machines We're ordered on two sep
crate sheets, specifying that '.Hvass street
cleaning machines are TO be sent. The ten
machines which are charged to the ap-
preparation for cleaning off snow and ice
arc ordered at "A total sum of $3.50, or
$1stI apiece. and the six identical kind of
machines ordered to be charged TO the
apI'rc rriat'"u for cl"aui'S tho streets to-
taI NJ tu Size. or sos apiece. exactly
the same as the others
The opinion of the officials at the Dis
trlCt tLidinc. when informed of the
charges, was that the machines could be
paid { out Of either appropriation and
be pei city legitimate.
When asked about the charges this aft
eInoon. while nc was appearing before
the Senate subcommittee on District ap
pfopriations. Commissioner Johnston said
that they we're news to him and that he
had statement to make. He intimated
that he desired time to examine them.