The Washington times., 1911-02-03
KALBFUS CHARGES
WILL Be PROBED
Commissioners Say Indict-
ment Would Result in
+ His Suspension.
NO TRUE BILL WILL
BE A VINDICATION
Law Provides That Any Assessor
Convicted Is Removed
Automatically.

The continuance in Office Of Samuel
T. Kalbfus, member of the Board OF
Assistant Assessors, will depend entirely
upon the result of the investigation of
the District Attorney into the charges
preferred by Representative Bennett of
New York upon information supplied by
+. Oden Horstmann, is the attitude of
the District Commissioners, according
10 a statement issued today.
If an indictment is brought against
Mr.. Kalbfus on the charge of malfeas-
ance in Office, he will be suspended,
the Commissioners say, pending the de-
termination of the case.
Provisions of Law.
Under the law providing for a per-
manent Board of Assistant Assessors 1t
is provided that ANY person who shall
knowingly neglect to perform any duty
enjoined on him by law, or who shall
comnive at any provisions of this act,
shall, on conviction thereof, be liable
TO removal from office, and to a fine
OF not exceeding $500 or Imprisonment
not exceeding one year or both, in the
discretion of the court for each offcnse.
II members of the Board of Assistant
Assessors is convicted under this law,
his removal, therefore, becomes auto
matte and Is not neceSsitated by action
of the Commissioners.
II, on the other hand, the grand jury
finds there is not sufficient evidence
to return an Indictment it will, it is
understand, end the investigation as far
as the Commissioners are concerned,
and will be accepted as a Vindication
of Mr.. Kalbfus.
Liquor License Question.
Concerning the allegations that liquor
licenses have been obtained through the
influence of NJ. ]. Keane, whose name
is mentioned with that of Kalbfus in
connection with certain real estate
transactions, w. p. Richards said today
that the cases cited by Representative
Bennett were the ones in which Mr.
keane had been successful; dating back
number of years; while no mention
is made of numerous instances in which
he was unsuccessful.
The statement made by Mr.. Bennett
was that men had applied for liquor
licenses and had been refused, and had
then retained Mr.. Keane, the represent
ative of the Abner-Drury Brewing Com
pany, and had scured the licenses. IF
these things should happen in New
York" said Mr.. Bennet, the excise
commissioner who did them would not
last in office twenty-four hours; and the
excise commissioner who does them
here should not stay in office any
longer"
Kalbfus Offers Explanation.
Mr.. Kalbfus in a letter to the Com
missioners offers to submit a full ex-
PLANTATION of the transact ctions which
have been called in to question:
Il regret" says Mr.. Kalbfus, ito
expose my private affairs at the in
stigation of Mr.. Horstmann, who seeks
by inference to reflect upon my char
acter, nevertheless, am in duty bound
and will with plasure explain to the
Commissioners any point involved in
this or any other transaction, either
of my personal or private life.
while 1 have always felt that Mr.
Horstmann was thoroughly irrespon-
Sible, he has with considerable cunning
accomplished his object of impunging
my character, without saying one thing
that would give me a chance to protect
myself in a court of law.