Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-21
Crossing Policemen lnterro-
gated Regarding Contract
With Attorney Shields.
PAYMENT FOR SERVICES
TO INCREASE THEIR PAY
District Committee Chairman Alleged
Lobby-Echoes of Fistic Encounter
of Yesterday Afternoon.

With the hat Of John r Shields hang
ing just where he eft 1t yesterday after
noon IN the District committee room after
the battle between him and Chairman
Ben Johnson of the House District COM
mittee. the Crosser subcommittee today
continued probe of the charge made
yesterday by Mr.. johnson that the Wash
ington attorney had collected large lob
byist fees from crossing policemen for
services rendered in connection with their
raise in pay through congressional enact
ment
Many crossing policemen had been
subpoenaed, to follow testimony given
afternoon. but Mr.. Shields. who is dis
posed to drop the matter, did not appear.
The contract which the attorney had
with the crossing policemen was produced
for the committee today, and by that
contract the lawyer was to receive $40
seventeen policemen
Inspector Gessford of the Metropolitan
police department said complaint had
been made to Maj. Sylvester by Mr..
kept up their payments. Inspector Cess
ford said he understood that Mr.. Shields
had submitted the contract to Corpora
ton Counsel Thomas, who thought -
was legitimate and should be paid.
Department Memorandum
memorandum sent from the police
department to the corporation counsel
was In these words, it was testified:
He will appreciate anything the de-
partment may do to iquidate the in
debtedness.''
Whose memorandum was that?" asked
sN5r
II suppose it was the superintendent"
said Inspector Gessford. There is de-
partment rule that policemen must pay
their honest debts, and when complaint
was made the major and superintendent
naturally referred the bills to me to In
vestigate"
The committee asked crossing police
men today to show receipts on the con-
tract payments. as was asked Of several
who appeared yesterday. Receipts were
produced by Policemen Hollis. Hughes,
Rosenberg. Pearson. Palmer. Hawkins.
Hinkle. Elliott. Cronie and Dunawin.
Inspector Gessford said that one po-
nceman had said Mr.. Shields could not
Letter From Maj. Sylvester Read.
A letter from Mai. Sylvester was pro-
duced for the record. showing he had
told Mr.. Shields that If he got Judgment
be disposed Of by the department In the
regular way.
Policeman Patched, who visited the
members Of the House District committee
last year in favor Of the crossing po-
iicemen's bill. said he did not know what
work Mr.. Shields did w. l. Davis, a
policeman, testified that Mr.. Shields said
fore committees. etc.
Were you having any difficulty with
members Of the District committee about
the billf' asked Chairman Crosser.
mo. Chairman johnson and the MEM
bers were for It
what, then. did Shields have to dor
IT don't know exactly: I think he ap-
peAred here. We met him one day as
we were coming into the committee
room"
Provisions Of the Contract.
The contract made BY Mr. Shields with
the twenty-four crossing policemen has
the following principal provisions:
THE parties Of the first part agree to
pay to the said party Of the second part
the sum Of $40 for his professional serv-
ices in respect to the interests of the
said parties Of the first part In certain
measure to increase tho pay. ETC., Of
crossing policemen. now before Congress.
TN consideration whereof the said
party OF the SECOND aST0c0 10 duVlSc
said parties Of the first part, to draw all
necessary papers. to appear for them as
their counsel before the committees OF
Congress and the District Commissioners
when in his Judgment he may deem 1t
necessary and proper to protect the in
terests Of the parties Of the first part
said fee to be paid In equal monthly
installments of so each, the first payment
to become due Immediately upon the pas
sage Of the above mentioned act and the
balance to be paid in equal monthly in
stallments-"
Calls for Special Committee.
Following the fsticuffs of yesterday
Representative Kahn. an eye witness of
the event. introduced resolution stating
that inasmuch as 1t had been publicly
charged that a lobby had been in exist
ence and that large sums had been paid
In this crossing policemen matter, 1t was
tho duty of the House to Investigate
the charge The District committee Is
investigating the charge Itself, but the
Kahn resolution calls for the appoint
Inent of a committee by the Speaker.
Would Welcome Investigation.
Mr.. Shields said today that he welcomed
such an investigation as provided for In
the Kahn resolution.
"All I want is to get a fair statement
Of my side OF the case before Congress
and before the people," said Mr.. Shields
When l said yesterday that Mr.. John
son had made incorrect statement I did
not mean that had not received money
for my work for the policemen, but did
mean THAT 1t was untrue that any wrong
methods had been used or that the police
men had not received full value for the
money.
'sOf course I received money for my
work All attorneys do. There is moth
ing wrong in that My methods were
perfectly proper. I got paid for appear
ing before q committee and for Other
legal work"
johnson Says Row Is Over.
Two hours after the atmosphere in the
District committee room had cleared yes
terday afternoon Representative johnson
whose ruffled temper had at that time