Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-09
Declares in House Local Real
Estate Man Offered Him a
"ThinIy Disguised Bribe."
DECLARES "AVENUES OF
GRAFT" WERE SHOWN HIM
Target of Charges Denies Ever Dis
cussing Any Deals With District
Committee Head.

Ben Johnson. chairman OF the House
District committee. made a serious charge
today on the floor of the House to the
effect that Brainard H. Warner of this
city had offered him "a thinly disguised
bribe.' Chairman johnson took the op-
portunity' to make this charge just as
the House had assembled in full num-
bers. following a call for a quorum in
connection with an article from the
Washington Herald of March ]. which
stated that Mr.. Warner had called a
meeting Of committee of 100 citizens
for the purpose of having Mr.. Johnson
removed from the head of the District
committee.
Mr.. johnson claims that B. H. Warner
had come to the District committee
room in the House office building with
an eX-member of the District commit
tee and asked Mr.. Johnson not to push
certain legislation which interfered
with some of Mr.. Warmers real estate
schemes. Mr.. Johnson, who refused to
disclose the name of the eX-member.
said that Mr.. Warner had showed how
the eX-member of the committee had
made a great deal of money by tying
UP to Mr.. Warner. This, NJ. johnson
told the House, was a '.thinly disguised
bribe"
Directs Attention to Article.
MIR. Johnson directed attention to the
article in the Washington Herald stating
that B. H. Warner was to call a meeting
of a committee of 100 "to remove Mr..
Johnson as chairman Of the District COM
mittee.'
This has been widely quoted. he said,
and further stated that the inference is
that he had been dishonorable.
Il purpose showing you that this man
offered me thinly disguised bribe.
He came to my Office, and in the
presence Of an eN-member of the Dis
trict committee, who came with him. and
my secretary. j. Rogers Gore, he said
was in the way Of some of his real
estate projects. and went on 10 say that
an eX-nember OF the committee had CO
operated with him, and that the eX-
member. because Of the co-opera ton.
had made large sums of money
Showed Him Avenues of Graft"
HE showed me the great avenues of
graft around this city: he told me how
this ex-member had obtained money for
this real estate scheme, and how the
ex-member without putting up any
money. had divided a big profit
Representative johnson said the conver-
sation had ended right there. He said
he. Senator James and Speaker Clark
had talked the matter over. and had de-
cided not to bring the matter to the at
tention OF the House because it might
blacken the character Of an innocent man.
He said the Willard meeting had been
called by self admitted corruptionist."
Chairman johnson then took UP the
Prouty amendment 20 the George bin.
saying that no one but an admitted single
taxer could possibly oppose it,
I'm view of the fact that there is sys-
tematized Misrepresentation going on
here on the part Of the press. I would be
glad to show you what the amendment
will do
He explained his well known views in
regard to the George bill.
Criticises Personnel Of Committee.
Ben Johnson said that the committee
of 100. which met Thursday in the red
men whose stocks and bonds would be
taxed by the Prouty amendment. TIe
also made a point of 50 wing that an
effort is being made to show that the
committee represents 5000 owners of
humble homes. In sarcastic vein ne
painted tine members of the committee
as being very rich. meeting ut O'Clock
in the afternoon. when no humble home
owner could possibly be present. and .
make them appear as rich possible.
he declared that some of them had
lunched at the Willard. and then. with
a Willard menu in his hand. sAetched
out a lunch, from consomme 70 alligator
pears and ice cream. which would have
cost 81: apiece. The lunch sounded SO
good tnat Representative Hughes of
West Virginia jumped up and took the
menu card to read. amid laughter. just
as Ben Johnson laid It down.
Mr.. Johnson took exception 10 a car
toon from the Times portraying ten mem
bers of the District committee. who voted
for the Prouty amendment as block
heads.
These represent the men, he said,
who stood up and voted for the prop
ostion to place the taxes in the District
where they belong.
representative Hampton Moore of Penn
sylvania interrupted Mr.. johnson.
Did the gentleman give the complete
list of speakers at that committee meet
ing?" he asked
Il understand that former Senator
Blackburn made an address, replied
Mr.. Johnson.
Mr.. Moore also called attention to the
fact that the hotel is full of democrats
all the time, and. with suppressed humor.
that the great leader of the
House democrats. Oscar Underwood, also
had luncheon there whenever he felt
like it.
Opposed to Real Consideration Bill.
Mr.. johnson went on to say that Mr..
Warner was the first man to oppose the
oilI requiring a true statement of real
estate consideration. Mr. Johnson took
~ the decision of the court in the case
If Patton against Warner. involving a
-eal estate transaction, which covers the
principles of real estate consideration.
Mr.. Johnson commented upon the action
II the committee Of one hundred in de-
.idine that members of Congress should
10 seen by individuals of the committee
IN The bill to increase taxes on homes
lie declared that he felt complimented to
now that the committee had decided it
would be useless to see him or Judge |
Mt Johnson read the names of some |
,eonle who he said. are not taxed on |
:tocks ard bonds owned by them He !
.harued that this non-taXation raised |
he burden placed upon the smaller
ZONES.
1T shall not return to my people and
ii thayn that because I have baen