The Washington times., 1913-08-21
JOHNSON AFRAID
OF DARK" SHADOW
Kentuckian Tells Of Man Who
Has Followed Him Since
District Appointment.
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Continued From Firstt PageD
these things and declined police pro-
lection when Major Sylvester offered II
to me-"
Threats Made To Him.
Johnson exclaimed that he did not
know why Cornwall had threatened him
in the conversation with Roberts, nor
did he know why he received threat
eniRC letters, or why his Office had been
broken into several times during the
past few years The anonymous let
Iers he said. we're all the same in tenor
and made only the general threat that
harm would come to me Il persisted
in my course.
II was while Mr.. johnson was re-
lsting ali these things and the public
agitation over the loan shark bill, the
true consideration bill and the excise
bill, that he denounced The Washing :
ton Times. First he caused to be read
an interview from the Washington
Herald, quoting B. H. Warner. on the
true consideration bill. Mr.. johnson
suddenly said:
Articles Criticized.
The Washington Times IS a paper
that has maligned me without occasion
for it. Whoever this man Cornwall
may be and whatever his motive may
be, and with the infiammatory articles
Of The Times, II is surprising to me that
some crank out of the $4,000 people
here should not have done me bodily
harm. and, il such were to occur. l
would hold The Times responsible for it
because of its malicious and malignant
articles.
81 may say in this connection, and do
not hesitate to say, that between the
editor of The Times-the author of these
articles-and the miserable scoundrel
who sought to take my life by slipping
up behind me. ! would have more re-
sDct for that miserable creature than
l nave for lne man VINO wrote those
articles
Chairman Garrett asked if it were
not true that the Times had let up"
for the past two or three months.
Yes, that is true, and why it is. I
do not .ow," said Johnson. Il have
not changed my policy"
Dilates On Annoyance.
That portion of Mr.. Johnson's testi-
mony relating to the alleged pawn
brokers lobby was brief as compared
TO his statements on District matters
in general and of the annoyances he
had suffered since becoming the chair
man of the House District Committee.
He said the pawnbrokers had not
been given i hearing before the Dis
tTict Committee, as they had not ap-
T.lied until the bill was reported with
an amendment including the pawn
brokers along with the so-called loan
sharks" Mr.. johnson said he gave
little satisfaction to representatives
of the pawnErokers, and that he be-
lieved in still lower rate of interest
than the one carried in the bill
More than year ago the facts were
published regarding the alleged threat
against Mr.. Johnson's life and an af-
didaYit made as to the threats by Spen-
Ger Roberts, whose row with the Police
Department Is well remembered Rob-
erts was dismissed from the force and
was reinstated by act of Congress to his
former rank.
johnson Tells Story.
Congressman johnson first outlined
the history of a loan shark bill in
the SiXty-first Congress, which was not
passed. Mr.. johnson detailed at length
the story Of the Introduction of the
Dyer bill and his incidental acquaintance
with W. A. Foster, who wanted to be
clerk Of the District Committee. He said
this might have had significance later.
Foster, he said, brought a letter of in
PRODUCTION from Col. c. c. Calhoun. of
Kentucky, who had, meanwhile. ex-
planned to johnson that he barely knew
Foster.
Foster. he said, wanted to be clerk of
the committee so much that he offered
10 get a better job for Rogers Gore,
whom Johnson had selected as clerk.
Il told Foster l wanted Gore and no
one else, and Fosters offer prejudiced
me against him for a time. However,
as he said nothing about legislation at
subsequent interviews my prejudice was
Quieted'
Tells Of Mourning.
Mr.. johnson then related Mr.. Cores
enforced absence for a time because of
the illness and final death Of Cores
wife.
When joel Pyle came Up from Ken
tuck TO relieve Nj. Gore temporarily,
Foster told Pyle he would get him
5000 job II Pyle could get Foster the
District Of Columbia Committee clerk
ship
Chairman johnson then switched TO
the story Of a call from a man named
Joseph P Cullen and a man named
Leonard, who asked him TO go to lunch
10 talk over the loan shark" bill! This
was early in the Sixty-second Congress
johnson said he declined to go to
lunch. and told his callers he was un-
aterably opposed to all usurious rates
OF interest. Johnson said Cullen was
money lender. and protested against
TIE proposed per cent rate.
Mr.. Johnson next related the Tong
fight in conference following the pass
age Of the Dyer bill.
Johnson Hits Curtis.
Chairman johnson said Senator Curtis
Rad been obdurate in conference
against Including the Pawnbrokers
Senator Curtis he said took serious ex-
Ception to some Of my plain remarks
IN conference about Curtis having to
stand responsible for eXtortlon.'
AS TO the activities OF HOrning and
others said Mr.. Johnson, he spoke only
from memory.
No one came TO see me about the
bill except Mr.. Cullen, until the bill
came from the committee. Then there
was rush.
"HorninR and one other came up and
said they couldn't 1--we al J and per
cent. ! told them l didn't care whether
they succeeded or not: that ] was more
concerned in the people borrowing
money.
''HQrning told me OF his liberality and
that one-third of them were overdue. !
told him that the fact that one-third
had TO let their property go was an ad-
ditiOnal argument why they should be
put out Of business
Tried To Get Hearing.
"They asked for hearings and told
them the bill was out Of committee and
there was no place for hearings They
tried to get hearings for a long time.
Il read their brief and remained of
the same opinion regarding the hill.
s'F1ually FOrUiDuy came with Foster