Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-19
Only Course Open to Justice
Department Despite Hard
ship to Land Owners.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TO
STUDY CASE FOR ACTION
Destitution to Small Property Hold
ers Predicted, Although Some
Take Optimistic View.

Regardless of the hardship that may
be imposed on land owners as a result
of the decision yesterday of the President
in turning down the awards. it was de-
clared today at the Department of Jus
tice that there seems nothing that the
department can do at this time but to 90
into court and ask that the case be dis
missed.
Attorney General McReynolds this
afternoon declared he had not yet gone
into the case to determine Just what
is the status of the legislation proVld-
ing for the condemna ton of the land
as a result of the decision of the Pres1-
dent yesterday. The Attorney General
absolutely denied there had been any
difference of opinion over the AWARDS
between Morgan H. Beach, the DEPART
ment of Justice attorney who first IN
Vestigated the claims. and {. 5. Law
renee. another attorney in the depart-
ment. who made an investigation of the
claims after Mr. Beach broke his leg.
They have been in entire accord all
along, said the Attorney General. and re-
ports that Mr.. Lawrence had, in way,
been stirring up mud in the water are en-
tirely erroneous
While it is possible that the Department
Of Justice will, within short time, ask
the dismissal of the case in the courts.
it is also probable that a study Will he
made to determine just what course Will
have to be pursued in order to institute
further condemnation proceedings This
will all take time. while the smaller prop
erty owners are suffering from failure of
the government to pay for the lands.
Some Take Optimistic View.
There are some. however who take an
optimistic view of the situation. One
prominent banker and real estate owner,
who did not care to be quoted at this
time declared that while the decision
of the President would impose the great
est kind of hardship on the small land
owners in particular, he expressed the
belief that some way would be found out
of the situation without much further
delay
He declared that he did not believe that
Chairman johnson of the House District
committee had any desire to Cypress any
of the property owners
Destitution would be wrought in many
cases as a result of the Presidents ac-
ton, it was declared. Stanton c. Peelle
an attorney representing some of the
property owners, who was one of a COM
mittee of three which last September
called on the President and pointed out
the hardship resulting at that time as a
result of the delay, declared that many of
the smaller property owners would lose
all they had as a result of the action. He
declared many of them had been losing
money ever since the property had been
condemned last year, and these in partic-
ular were the ones who could i'll afford to
lose any amount. Even during the past
year, he says, he knew of cases of desti-
tuition.
Means Financial Ruin for One.
The Presidents decision means ruin
for at least one man. from a financial
point of view, it is explained. and fear
full embarrassment and tremendous
hardship in number of cases.
Samuel c. Mcdowell. one of those
thus affected. was awarded the sum
of s15S.000. He said:
II was thrown out of business and all
had in the world was taken from me
by this proceeding. If I had been paid
promptly when the award was made
would have lost about $4,000, but now
my holdings have been swept away in
heavy interest and taxes which / must
carry.
1T was a high-handed proceeding. I
am now heavily in debt. and am pay
ing $500 month to carry a big loan
/ was forced to make because of the
park idea"
The views of some of the smaller home
owners were expressed by William H.
Harnsberger. He said:
Comfortable homes have been taken
away from ildily Oh US ana not one cent
have We gotten in return. 1t is a poor
condition of affairs when government
so called. will actually be a party to a
proceeding under which many of us are
actually thrown into bankruptcy
Values Fair, Says Hamilton.
George E. Hamilton. division counsel of
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, said
today, in commenting on the President s
action
"The values fixed by the commission in
the plaza condemnation proceedings were
reached after full hearing and the in
PRODUCTION of witnesses by the govern
ment and the property owners. with OPP
portunity for cross-examnation to each
side.
These values fixed by the commission
were approved by the then Attorney Cen
eral, and on his motion, through an as
sistant, in open court, We're again APP
proved by a final judgment entered
"Thereupon the Congress twice accept
ed these awards as fair and just by twice
voting an appropriation to pay the sum
necessary to meet the various awards
made
IAN examination of the testimony will
show that the Commissioners in a num-
Der of instances, and where large areas
were in question. fixed a value at even
less, SO far as the railroad property is
concerned, than was testified to by the
witnesses for the government. and In no
case will the record show any advantage