The Washington herald., 1914-03-10
JOHNSON BRINGS
BRIBERY CHARGE
Attack on Committee Of
100" Causes Colleagues in
House to Smile.
B. H. WARNER Is NAMED
Kentuckian Declares Real Estate Man
Offered Him Bnbe-Matter
Ignored by Congress.
B. H. WARNER Is NAMED

In an attack upon the citizens COM
mittee Of 100 which was organized at a
mass meeting at the New willard last
Thursday, Representative Ben johnson
yesterday charged that Brainard II.
Warner, who called the mass meeting,
had offered him thinly veiled bribe to
stop his attacks upon the real estate
ring" of the Capital
Mr.. johnson sketched a conversation
which he said had occurred between him
self and Mr.. Warner, with several wit
nesses present, and in which an ex-mem-
ber Of the House District Committee was
named as a former beneficiary of graft
system which. johnson claimed, Warner
tried to lead him into.
According to johnson, he consulted
with Speaker Clark and Senator Ollie
James. of Kentucky, on the advisability
of calling Mr.. Warner before the bar OF
the House. II was decided that nothing
should be done about IL, according to
johnson, for fear the ex-member named
by Warner, and who, they were all con-
WINGED was innocent. might suffer.
"It Is to Laugh"
When johnson reached this remarka-
Bile denouement a smile OF keen amuse-
ment fitted across the face of many in
the House. and a fellow-Kentuckian
drawled:
ITS shame the way some one is
always trying to bribe Ben Johnson"
Mr.. Warner. in a brief statement, de-
nounced the charge as a pure fabrica-
ton. denying that he had ever discussed
real estate matters with johnson except
when he appeared at a public hearing
to protest against the real considera-
ton bill.
The story told by johnson is similar
to others he has related privately of at
tempts to bribe him. 1t was received
with the same degree OF seriousness.
The charge against Warner and the
attack against the citizens committee
find its real motive In a desire to create
sentiment in the House in favor of the
Prouty amendment to the George tax
bill. increasing the taxes Of the District
so that Federal participation in expenses
of the District will be unnecessary.
johnson ignored the real effect of the
amendment. and sought to create the i'm
preston that the opposition was aimed
against the feature of the amendment
which calls for the taxation of intangible
personal property stocks, bonds. annui-
ties and other evidences Of Indebtedness.
To this end he worked around to the
discussion of food prices at leading
hotel here where. he said. the owners OF
these vast riches he wanted to tax were
in the habit of dining.
johnson Makes "Break."
Reading from the menu of this hotes.
he outlined a probable dinner and its
cost The prices he named were for
full portions of orders in cases where
prices for half and full portions were
given. This was not set down to design
on the part of johnson but to lack OF
knowledge and experience in first-class
hotels.
The day was to be given over, under
the rules of the House, to the consid-
Grafton of District business. Johnson's
speech was the only District business
transacted. as a defect was found in the
Buchanan bill, '-nposing a standard for
plastering in the District. and 1t was
sent back TO the committee to be rem
edied.