Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-31
DECLARES STATEMENTS
UNQUALIFIEDLY FALSE
Financier Witness Before Subcom-
mittee Investigating Insurance.
HIS VOLUNTARY EXPLANATION
Gives Details of Various Projects Of
Public improvements in Which
He Was Interested With
out Personal Profit.

Before the insurance investigating SUBJ
committee or the House District commit
tee yesterday Charles c. Glover. in a
most unusual dissertation for a commit
tees consideration. denounced as unquali-
fedly false the intimations that have
crept into Congressional Records from
time TO time to the effect that he had
benefited pecuniarily from the Develop
ment of Rock Creek Park and the rccla-
nation of the lowlands on which were
built Potomac Park. Mr.. Glover read
passages from the Record in which Rep
resentative Andrus OF New York and Rep.
resentative Sims of Tennessee had
warned the House that some one
making profit i'm the development OF
certain land in connection with Rock
Creek Park. and, laying down the clip
ping from the Record. with a dramatic
gesture, he declared that any such inti-
nation is unqualifiedly false.
Odd as II seemed to those VINO heard
him, Mr.. Glover said this attack upon
him in the House in March. 1909. had
been mentioned to him but a few days
ago. yet his denial lost none OF its fervor
because of the age of the clipping from
his version of the history OF the parks.
from the year 1850 down through the
days of the benefits commission. Mr..
Glover claimed almost the entire credit
for the establishment of Potomac Park
and Rock Creek Park, and stated three
times i'm the course of his talk that any
intimation that he had any motives other
than these connected with the beautifica-
ton of Washington is fatty untrue
Some of Mr.. Glovers statement has
been heard before i'm various forms. but
his mention of land along 18th street
northwest brought from Representative
johnson. chairman of the subcommittee.
a suggestion which may cost considerable
money to Mr.. Glover and other land
owners. Mr.. Johnson said that inasmuch
as the benefits commission created al
the time the PARK land was obtained had
adjourned without finding any benefits.
the commission could meet again and
make assessments for benefits which hav.
accrued after twenty years of the parks
existence.
Accepts Opportunity to Reply.
Mr.. Glover explained that the insurance
hearing. at which he was a witness yes
terday. gave him the only opportunity he
could have to make reply to the charges
made against him in Congress and In
committees of Congress
He said:
I'm 1906. desiring to bring the Potomac
Park and the Rock Creek Park together
that is, assuming that the Geological Park
is part of Rock Greek Park-I got an
option on 100 acres of this property to-
Jthe sum of S429.OOo In 1907 ! caused to
be introduced into the Senate and House
a bill looking to the purchase of this
property Ia the option named. bat Wit
5000 added by the Commissioners Of the
District of Columbia for expenses that
might be incurred in acquiring it.
"My option was for two years, and Tor
two sessions of Congress this property
was offered at the price named Sia2ooo
Location of the Property.
1T was the property lying between Con-
nectfcut Avenue and Massachusetts Ave
nue. bridges. and ran out to the Protes
tant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation
There we're also three and one-haif acres
Ibuth OF the Massachusetts Avenue
bridge. IT was my intention to continue
down Rock creek untll these parks We're
finally joined.
LAS the panic of 1897 had created a
very extremely critical and serious condi-
ton i'm the money market | endeavoied
to have this option renewed FOR another
wear. having failed within the two years
to cause the passage of this bill. After
much difficulty / succeeded in having Ii
continued for another year, in writing.
"A short Tune ago SOHeDouS toiu iit
that / had better get the Congressional
Record of 1909. of March 3: that | would
nroba biy find therein the cause of what
/ have been told has frequently occurred
"a defense of my character by my friends
before members of the House committees.
Mr. Judson has told me that frequently
he has had to defend me.
Quotes From the Record.
Mr. Glover then read from the Con-
gressional Record of March - 1879.
wherein Mr.. Andrus of New York said
that the land for an addition to Rock
Greek Park was being foisted on the gov
eminent for $G00.6W. where i'm reality it
was worth only Sia0.oU0. Mr. Sims sup
ported Mr. Andrus in his statements. Mr..
Andrus said that "a conscience was
pricked." and that the price was being
lowered.
Mr. Glover continued:
Mr.. Chairman, the statement that Of
fered thai property to the Congress OF
tho United States at SG00.uGD; that I was
pricked by conscience and reduced the
sum TO S:550,O00; that il was embodied in
any bill by my authority at $4,000. or.
as Mr.. Sims SAYS IL is now before this
House at Si35Oo0. is an absolute and un-
qua lifted falsehood ] never offered the
property save at the one single price Of ;
100000. plus the $1,000 added by the
Commissioners OF the District or Column
bia.
.As that charge stands I can well un-
derstand why Maj. Judson has had to de-
fend my character before some members
of the House. 1t leaves me. instead or
being a public-spirited citizen, a man
with an option on a piece of property at
$40 600 endeavoring to palm 1t off on the
government of the United States at
SGO0.000.
II do not believe, Mr. Chairman. that
these gentlemen intended to make an un-
true statement but the bill was before
them Here is the identical bill and the
last clause of that bill says that the
price of that land was s423.nn
Says Property Is Valuable.
1T was one of the most valuable pieces
of property that could. under any con-
ceivable circumstances. have been bought
ty the government of the United States