Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-02
Mr.. Baker Denies.

Mr., Baker Denies.
Mr. Bakers reply was as follows:
IT have never been at the Laurel race
track In my life. according to the testi-
mony of Andrew Wilson; and ] have
| never been at any other race track in
my life.
II have never received any money from
| collections said to have been made for
my benefit by my son or by Mr.. Column
| bus I have never authorized my son
or Mr. Columbus or anybody else to
make any collections of money or any
other thing of value for me. These
statements In the testimony of Andrew
Wilson are wholly without foundation.
Upon one occasion, in the hearing
of the so-called Ebbitte House case and
after the testimony was concluded and
in private conference with the other
members of the excise board and in the
Gen. Smith stated that in his opinion
the evidence given by the witness
Wood was not convincing and that he
would not pay much attention TO II, or
words to that effect. l then stated
Amen! Amen!'
'-These are the only specific state
ments given in the testimony Of yester-
day that relate to me, but 1 desire TO
state generally that L deny every
statement or insinuation of improper
given in evidence by any witness"
Mr.. Brides Statement.
Mr.. Brides statement to the special
investigating committee follows:
"As stated by your chairman (page
376 of the hearings) that Mr.. Baker
and Mr. Bride would put in writing any
further testimony which they desired to
give, the undersigned, one of the mem
bers of the excise board. desires to sub
NIT the following statement under oath:
| About the time that Andrew Wilson
| moved his offices to the Woodward
building from the Evans building, the
exact date of which / do not now re-
call, my son, w. w. Bride, who had an
office in the Woodward building also.
called me on the telephone and asked
me If I would not come to see Mr..
! Wilson at his office, which l did. The
first thing he asked me was as to the
J. Mcdonald on Pennsylvania avenue
| southeast
"Mr. Wilson asked me wha, the
| building in which Mr.. McDonalds sa-
4 loon was located was worth and 1 told
him about $500. 1 further stated that
| the bar fixtures and other fixtures in
| the place were worth about $500 ad-
! ditienal. and that the license for the
| unexpired portion OF the year had some
| additional value.
In Office but Once.
| Mr. Wilson then asked me if l did
not think that s19,5O0 was a pretty
| large price to pay for that establish
| ment 1 told him that he must take
| into account the business that was be-
l ing conducted there and the good will
| of the place, which were perhaps the
| largest items of value. This was the
| first time 1 had ever been in MIR. Will
| sons Office in the Woodward building,
| and 1 have never been there since.
| He further stated that he had seen
| Senator Jones, who had instructed him
/ to get all the data possible on these ex-
| else matters and to bring the informa-
| ton to him (Senator Jones) when the
| Senate convened, and If the informa-
| ton were sufficient he (Senator Jones)
| would have tn, excise. board investi-
| gated. Mr.. Wilson then asked me If
i | would take him to see the Secretary
| of State but l declined to do SO. That
| was the end of the conversation be-
| tween Mr.. Wilson and myself and was
| substantially all that took place. l do
| not remember whether Albert F.. Shoe
| maker was present on that occasion or
! not.
Asked for Further Testimony.
THE next time 1 saw MIR. Wilson was
in connection with the Hall case, and
while the hearing was yet In progress.
and while we we're holding night sessions
One night as we were leaving the build
ing at nearly midnight l asked Mr.. Will
son If he could not bring before the board
further testimony the following evening"
He said that he could not do SO, because
he had an engagement with his wife.
| .sJ told him he should have some body
Ito assist Mr.. Shoemaker, but he said
that he could not do it. The next time
III saw Mr.. Wilson was about two
months ago. and long after all the Ii
ceuses had been issued. / met him in
front Of the municipal building, and
asked him if he did not think that in
Idisposing of the licenses the board had
dome well. He made no comment ex-
cent to say that we might have done
better. On this occasion 1 talked with
| him for not more than a minute or two.
I have never had any other talk with
Mr.. Wilson.
Had No Thought Of Inquiry.
IT never told Mr.. Wilson to confer
with Senator Jones. l did not know
| Senator Jonees. Mr.. Wilson himself
suggested that he would see Senator
/ ZONES. 1 never told him 1 wanted the
activities of Gen. Smith or Mr.. Baker
loo1sed into I had no thought that
there was any necessity for such an
inquiry, as l had every confidence in
i both those gentlemen.
i IT never Gold Mr.. Wilson that Mr..
y 7coatinued on Fifth Rase'l -