Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-03
REPLY TO KALBFUS
|NMANDAMUS SUIT
Continued from First PageD
is purely collateral and IN "nich ne Can
not be heard"
Extracts From Kalbfus' Testimony.

Extensive excerpts from the testimony
given by Mr. kalbfus before a House
committee concerning his dealings in real
estate are transmitted to the court in
the answer of the Commissioners. From
the reading of the reports of this hear
ing and from consideration of the evil
dence taken before prior board OF COM
missioners, the respondents state that,
acting as a board. they found and deter
mined that the said Samuel l. haipIus
was inefficient, neglectful OF duty ana
guilty of malfeaSance in office from the
evidence therein adduced. and independ-
emily thereof also, by reason or the Sdid
testimony Of the said kalbfus before the
committee of the House of Representa-
lives on the District of Columbia re-
spondents acting a board, found and
determined that said Samuel 1. kalbfus
was inefficient, neSlectful OF duty ana
guilty of malfeasance in ONCE. and on
the 18th day of August, 1913. so having
found and determined that the said kalb-
fus was guilty Of inefticiency, neglect OF
duty and malfeasance IN Office, ana LOT
said causes should be removed from the
office of assistant assessor and member
of the permanent board of assistant as
SCISSORS of the District Of Columbia. the
said Commissioners did remove him from
said office for said causes ana al the
same time appointed Edward W. Oyster
assistant assessor in the place vacated
bv said Samuel r. Kalbfus who there
upon immediately took the oath OF ONCE
and entered upon the duties OF SAID once
and has continuously since performed and
discharged the duties of said office. Re
spondents further say that before re-
moving said Kalbfus from said office
they on August is, 1913. afforded an OPP
portunity to him to resign tnerefrom Ell
fective thirty days from said date, where
upon on said day said Kalbfus notified
said Commissioners that he would not
resign from said office.
Alleged Profits in Deals.
The court is told that the investigation
conducted in November, 1911. showed that
Mr. Kalbfus in real estate speculations
made nrofits aggregating s2l,95O in land
and s4,73O in mining stocks. This total
of so7 .9G0 profit it is declared. was made
an an investment by Kalbfus. in cash, of
81 .:3,2s::oo3
Taking up the matter of Mr. kal5fus'
participation in the assessment OF his own
property. the respondents state that
..acting as a board they found and de-
termined that as such assessor the said
kalbfus should not have ENGAGED in said
speculations while holding office and that
in addition to engaging therein he the
said Kalbfus, had. fas assessor. taken
rart in the assessment of his own proper
ty which property was held BY him for
purposes of speculation. and further that
he had assisted in and acquIescfG IN the
reduction of the assessment on real
estate owned by him. or in which he was
Interested below the assessments %
property in the same neiahborhoo1 own
ed by private persons. and had usel the
privileges of his high office rs ass slant
assessor of the District of Columbia to
discriminate in favor of property owned
by him by making such assessments
thereon as would lower the amount of
taxes to be paid by him thereon, and
placed such an assessment on his said
property as would best subserve and adj
vantageously carry OUT his purpose in
acquiring and holding said land, to wit
the purpose of speculation therein. and by
virtue of such discrimination in favor of
his properly perpetrated a fraud on the
other property owners of the District of
Columbia and deprived the District of
Columbia of revenue to which it was fair
". eauitably and justly entitled by way
of taxes upon property owned by him.
District Interests Involved.
The interests of the District were in
iuriously affected by the actions of Mr..
Kalbfus, it is asserted, in continuing to
engage in speculation in real estate after
an order to refrain had been issued by
the Commissioners. BY virtus of his real
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