Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-14

|
otherwise initiating the value of prop
erty sought by the Government for
parks through condemnation pro
| ceedings, summarized as indications
of a reprehensible practice" marked
last nights hearing of the Gibson
subcommittee of the House District
| committee on local affairs.
| Representative Gibson of Vermont,
| chairman of the committee, at the
conclusion of the hearing stated that
| the methods described in the testi-
| mony indicated the existence of a
| practice most reprehensible," which
should not be tolerated by honest resi-
dents of the city.
What we are interested in is to
find out what combination makes this
practice possible" Mr.. Gibson said.
IA system evidently exists whose ram
| ifications extend not alone into con-
domination matters. but throughout
the entire District government"
Mr.. Gibson made it plain later that
he was not making charges of graft"
In the local government, but referred
entirely to the evidences of a condi-
ton whereby certain interests appear
to have a decidedly favorable posi-
ton.
Bell Gives Testimony.
poration counsel in charge of con-
demnation work, said that he had
| heard of fictitious sales to straw
| men, although he was without per-
sonal knowledge of them. Next, Mr..
Bell stated that the assessment APP.
praisals of real estate in Washington,
in his opinion, We're too low. Then
Mr.. Gibson stated that he had evil
dence that for some time in every
condemnation case from one to four
of the jurors were real estate men,
asking if this was not a strange
coincidence"
Later Assessor w. F. Richards
traced the Sherman Circle lots, about
which the hearing centered, from a
selling price of about rs cents per
square foot in 1922 through successive
hands to the jury award of $1.36 per
square foot for them recently. The
last assessment on them was ap-
proximately so cents. he said.
One of these lots faces on Decatur
street, north Of Sherman Circle, and
the other on Buchanan street, south
of Sherman Circle. When the con-
demnation jury awarded an average
Of $1.36 per square foot for these lots
recently for park purposes the Com
mtssioners refused the award and
have announced intention of seeking
further proceedings.
Realtors Names Mentioned.
The names of Morris Cafritz and
Shapiro crept into the hearing in
connection with these lots, they hav-
ing appeared as witnesses for the
owners during the condemnation
proceedings. Shapiro was not identi-
fed by use Of first name, but later.
privately Mr.. Bell said it was Jacob
z. Shapiro to whom reference was
made.
Mr.. Richards recited that the lot
on the south side of the circle was
held by Fred Schneider and that
Cafritz's name also showed in the
chain of title. The lot on the north
side was shown to be in the names of
Richard f. Irwin and Alfred b. Baker,
who obtained it in February, 1925,
from Charlotte NJ, Richardson, who
had obtained it in 1924 from Fred
Schneider, Who had obtained 1t in
1922 from. NJ. M. Parker as a trustee
settling an estate The price of %
cents q square foot was paid for the
lot last mentioned to the trustee and
subsequent deeds, according to Mr..
Richards. showed only nominal con-
sideration.
The committee was told that Rich
ardson was in the past connected with
the Cafritz organization, although now
that connection was understood to
have ceased Mrs. Harriet Stonier,
resident of house facing on Sherman
Circle, stated that Richardson and
Fred Schneider" had been connected
with the Cafritz company, and that
she heard another person reputed to
have an interest in the lots explain
at a citizens association meeting that
"Cafritz owns that" referring to one
OF the lots, then in the name Of an
other person.
Another highlight OF the meeting
was the statement by Mr.. Richards
that he had heard of as much as 80
per cent interest being paid for money
for use in building operations, which
cost eventually was passed on to the
purchaser Of real estate, and which he
took into consideration in fixing as
sessments.
Coincidence Held Strange.
Mr.. Bell, the first witness, ex-
planned in detail the procedure in
condemnation work in the District.
He stated that it was not desirable
to have witnesses from the neighbor-
hood testify in such cases because of
their interest in keeping up property
values in the vicinity of their prop
erty. He said that Clarence +. Dono-
hoe and Thomas p. Brown and w.
l.. T. Abrams, the three members Of
the jury acting on the Sherman Circle
lots, were real estate men.
rs it not a strange coincidence how
real estate men get their names into
the box from which the Jury is
drawn" Mr.. Gibson asked.
MIR. Bell said that that was q mat
ter in the hands of the Jury Commits
sion.
He said the jurors were drawn out
OF the presence OF the court and HIM
self. ..
What's the use of having a jury
box them" Representative Hammer Of
North Carolina inquired.
Mr. Bell pointed out that this was
out Of his jurisdiction. He was asked
if e. J, Eynon, secretary Of the Wash
| ington base ball club, and Harmon
Burns were not chairman and clerk,
| respectively, OF the Jury Commission.
He replied he was not sure.
There is only one big business in
Washington, D. c., interjected Mr..
Hammer, land that's real estate.
Merchandising is secondary. And the
real estate business is a close corpora
| ton"
| J. G. Yaden. 4129 Illinois avenue.
president of the Federation of Citi-
| Zens' Associations. took the stand.
lie recalled the alarm evidenced by
persons purchasing homes on Sher-
man Circle when they learned that the
| lots concerned might not be used as
parks, as represented to them when
| they purchased their homes, and
might be used for building purposes,
cutting off the view.
Says Citizens Refused.
He said u committee from the Pet.
/ worth Citizens Association attemu ed