Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-21
ALLEGES
THREAT Of DEATH
House Committee Chairman
Says He Was Several Times
in Danger.
FEATURE OF Statement
At THE LOBBY INQUIRY
Declares He Carried Revolver and
Would Have Used It Had He
Been Attacked.

ASSSAA A1VteSNnOVs
Representative Ben johnson of Ken.
tucky, chairman of the House District
committee. declared today that a man
| several occasions with the evident in
tention of taking his life. Mr.. Johnson's
statement was part Of his testimony
before the House committee which is in
vestigating the Mulhall charges and was
q feature of Mr.. Johnsons detailed state
ment as to influences which had been
| brought to bear upon him and the Dis
trict committee in relation to '1oan
shark legislation, excise legislation and
real consideration" legislation.
Mr.. Johnson's testimony was listened to
| with intense interest by the hundred peo-
| pie who were assembled in the big COM
| mittee room on the third floor of the
House Office building. He said he had
received about a hundred anonymous let
ters offering yelled threats of violence if
| he did not desist from his course Of action
regarding District legislation.
He told Of numerous attempts to break
into his office in the House office building,
| and said that letters on his desk had been
handled in his absence several times. pre-
there. He offered an affidavit from
Spencer Roberts, made up in the office
of Speaker Clark, in which Roberts had
sworn that the man named Cornwall had
Ben Johnson and that he intended to
get him."
Resolved to Kill, if Necessary.
Mr.. johnson was very clear in his rec
objection as to the time when a man
followed him home from the Capitol, and
said:
Il had .46-caliber revolver under my
coat. and If the man had stepped from
the curb I had made up my mind to
kill him.
He said that George D. Horning had
been extremely active In regard to the
loan shark bill; that he believed p. J.
Ryan had misrepresented the cause Of
labor in regard to the same bill, and
was very definite in his statements that
d local newspaper had probably infiamed
the mind Of some crank to do him,
Johnson, bodily harm. In articles con-
eern!ng MI JchAson. which he described
Chairman Johnson's Statement.
Representative Johnson first out
lined his connection with the loan
shark legislation in this city. HeI
said the first bill he could remem-
!ber was introduced in the Sixty first
Congress-. probably by Representative
Samuel Smith, providing for 2 per cent
month and excluding the pawnbrok-
ers. The Sixty-second Congress, he
believed. reduced the rate Of interest
In the bill to 1 per cent month, not
including pawnbrokers.
Concerning the Sixty second Congress
he said Representative Dyer introduced
a loan shark bill and that other bills
were introduced, but that the Dyer bill
was given the preference by the Dis
trict Of Columbia committee.
shortly after / became chairman Of
the committee Capt c. c. Calhoun. for
merly Of Kentucky, came to me and
asked me If man named Foster had
Foster wanted to be clerk Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia committee.
1.-The letter was given by Calhoun, but
was pertunctory and nothing came OF It.
He came later himself. told him
Rogers Gore had been appointed. lie
then said If he would be made clerk he
would guarantee Gore a job worth $5OUO.
II told him wanted Mr.. Gore and no
one else. l am frank to say that preJu-
diced me against Foster, but as he never
mentioned legislation that prejudice was
soon dissipated."
Foster, Capt. Oyster and Senator Over
man and Representative johnson went
to the aviation field once, he said. and
the prejudice against him had been for
gotten.
Says Foster Made overtures.
Gore went to kentucky because of his
wifes illness, and j. +. Pyle took his
place temporarily. Foster made over
lures to Pyle. Representative johnson
said, to give Pyle three-thousand-dol-
lar job In exchange TOR the District Of
Columbia committee job
"A card came to me on the floor OF the
House once from Joseph Cullen. l had
never seen him. He introduced me to a
man whose name was Leonard, think.
He wanted to taik ABOUT the rae OF in
terest in the Dyer bill. which was per
cent They said it was too low
Il told them l was against ali usurious
rates OF interest. He wanted me to go
to lunch, out l declined. | told them
trict Of. Columbia. l chai.enged them
then to name a condition wnere 1t was
necessary = get money at usurious IN
tereSt"
Mr.. Johnson said ley had put up all
sorts of arguments as to the necessity
for pawning watches, jewelry, ETC., but
he said he would not Yield.
Cullen asked me later If 1 was ir-
reVOcaDly opposed TO uSurlOuS interest.
/ and / told HIM l was. He said that n
J fight had always been made against II
/ but that he saw the Handwriting on
| the wal, and would give up irving to
beat the bill. He PLAINLY acuulescee IN
| what we both saw was inevita bie
Representative johnson thereunon nra.
pared the amendment. including loans
by pawnbrokers and other features Ho
| wanted to charge only per cent q vaar
The pawnbrokers were included h,,f r.:
committee reported in favor Of per
cent q month. Johnson said he vas
sure the House would reduce fha ;n'
| terest rate. Johnson wrote the rennr.
he said, which Dyer signed. and ~.
House reduced the rate to i per cent
| Il month.
Mr. Dyer contended on the ao.,
/ 9 per cent, and made q motion 70 III
clude pawnbrokers. The motion wa sA s
feated, and the bill was passed hv th
House February IL, 1912, nract}io.1unae 1ne
as reported by the committee
Plans for Conference.
Representative johnson said thu,
It became evident there would be ~
ference on the bill between the H..
and Senate he began 10 plan caro,,.,,
for a House committee for this Cow. .s
e,rce. He said that he chose Repre.aa.
tive Adair and himself in additto.
Representative Dyer. Mr.. Adair. he s.,s 20