Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-17
KALbFUS ON STAND
Continued From First Page.)

| there. Mr. White then asked why Mr.
kalbfus had conveyed the property to
Allan Walker. Mr.. Kalbfus thought for
several minutes before answering:
Because Walker is an active real
| estate agent, and 1 didn't want to be
bothered with handling the property.
He charged me a stout commission.
Maj. Judson about that time and 1
| imagined from what he said he didn't
believe it looked well for me to be
| specializing in real estate
AS this particular feature is one of
| the vital points in the investigation,
| the spectators leaned forward eagerly
as Mr.. Kalbfus said this. Commission
| er Judson. who had been leaning back
in his chair, came forward over the
table quickly:
Didn't Look Very Well.
Let me ask you something" he said
| did you believe my objection was to
having you speculate or to have the
| records appear that you have specu-
| lated in real estate?"
Well" responded Mr.. Kalbfus, I think
l took 1t to mean that as business man
you didn't believe it looked very well.
THAT seems that suggested to you to
| Commissioner, by concealing some
| thing
Il have nothing to conceal" said Mr..
| Kalbfus.
| to conceal" said Commissioner Judson
Mr.. White says you have transferred
real estate to other parties so that your
own name will not appear in the trans
actions. It would seem that / initiated
| this idea with you
MOT at ALL said Mr. Kalbfus.
| Mr.. White asked a question:
| Did you understand the major to OBJ
1ect to your specializing in real estate
| as member of the board of assis. ant
assessors, or that he objected to having
| the records show speculation"
| Maj. Judson found fault with me for
dealing in real estate" said Mr. Kalb-
fus. II had voluntarily gone to him and
explained when he questioned me about
| it."
| This, 1T was shown. was about three
years ago, before any thought of the
Horstmann incident.
| Mr. White continued
Then did you think that the transfer
| ring or property to some one else and
| still retaining an interest in it complied
with the majors SUGGESTION"
"Oh, no. 1 merely turned over property
to friend to save myself the trouble of
| handling it,
| Many questions about small details of
real estate transfers were asked at this
| point, and especially about the transfer
| Of the Black tract to Walker, and finally
Mr.. White asked:
Didn't Think It Serious.
do you understand. then, that your
; transfer of your record interest to Walker
yet retaining an active interest yourself,
meets Maj. Judson's criticism About your
| real estate affairs
Il went away from Maj Judson," ex-
planned Mr.. Kalbfus, feeling 1 had ex-
| planned the matter to him and that there
VIZ n orin Moi,
But you transferred the Black tract to
! Allan Walker and retained an active in
| terest?"
Yes"
a section known as Poor Toms Last
| Shift" transferred to Mr.. Kalbfus by
| Mary E. Buckley and Edward F. Buck
| ley, her husband. and being a part of the
| official report preceding the investigation.
| was taken up. Mr.. Kalbfus said he
thought the land is now worth about
! $4,000. There was also testimony about
| loan of $23. 900 that appears in the
| transactions. Mr.. Kalbfus could not re-
member much about the notes, but event.
| uauy said he and Walker probably signed
| the notes. He added. however, that all
| the details were in the hands of Mr..
| Walker, and that he, Kalbfus, knew little
| about them.
! about. the eleven and half acres trans
ferred by Mrs. Buckley and her husband
Explains Buckley Deal.
MARY Buckley" he said, lis Mrs.
Keane's aunt. This land was their last
property. and the family was reduced in
circumstances. Mary Buckley offered the
| land all over town and could not sell.
Michael Keane came to me and said, Pm
anxious to save the woman from some
| of these real estate fellows around town
and I would like to buy that property.
| But if that property ever became valuable
they'd swear 1 had robbed the old lady
He asked me to buy it for him. In
| fact, he said he had told Mary Buckley
| that l was going to buy it. So l did. l
! executed some notes, collected some rent,
paid a tax and told people l owned the
| land"
How much was the note?'
| Il don't know. l never paid any at
tention to it
''Who advanced the money!?
Couldn't say.
"Who owns il now?"
81 do, suppose, by the record.
i Keane has a deed for 1T in his pocket,
| though. l don't know about any other
details. l didn't pay Mrs. Buckley the
money, and didn't pay much attention
| to it,"
Sold Land to Drury.
The examination then took up the
! details of a real estate transaction in
| which appeared Mr. Kalbfus. NJ. j. Col
| bert and NJ. J. Keane and several lots
| on Belmont road, near Connecticut
avenue bridge. A note for $4,000 with
l6 per cent interest, for money adj
yanced by Peter J. Drury, the brewer,
appeared in this transaction. Mr.. kalb-
| fus said Mr.. Drury afterward acquired
one of the lots. Adjoining those lots
| is another one, transferred by Mr..
Kalbfus to Mr.. Drury.
Mr.. Kalbfus said he tried to get a
dollar and half foot for it, but
finally Mr. Drury paid him SLAB. There
| followed many questions and answers
about cleaning up this deal. and it
vas said that j. c. Ramage now owns
most of the land in question.