The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-28
CONCLUSION OF THE INQUIRY
SUBCOMMITTEE To PREPARE A RE-
PORT FOR THE HOUSE.
Nothing New Developed to support
the Statement that an Attempt Was
Made to Bribe MIR. LessIer.

tee on the proposition to purchase sub
marine torpedo boats. An executive ses-
sion was held by the committee at the con-
clusion of the afternoon session and con-
sideration was given to the findings the
committee would report to the House. After
several resolutions had been proposed and
discussion had been had as to the wording
OF a report, a subcommittee consisting or
Representatives Foss of Illinois, Dayton of
West Virginia, Tayler Of Ohio, Meyer or
Louisiana and Kitchen of North Carolina
was appointed to draw up set of findings
to be submitted to the full committee for
its final action.
When Mr.. LESSER took the stand to-day
he said:
81 desire to deny absolutely and I'M
eoAivocally as false a statement made by
the witness Doblin here yesterday as to
any codusive scheme or any of the sub
stantiaI details sworn to by him here. and
desire TO reiterate that the facts as orig
inaIly told by me are true. desire to call
attentio. to the following facts:
LAS to the telegram. Take midnight
train. Come to me. Want to see you.
Keep this CONFIDENTIAL the members Of
the subcommittee will remember that the
afternoon; that at that time everything
before us was in camera, and said 1 will
produce the witness Doblin in the morning,
but did not desire his name to appear in
any way. The result was that the tele-
gram was sent by me from this committee
room.
Mr.. Dobln came into my room at the
hotel few minutes after o'clock. 1 had
left the door unlocked and he knocked at
the door, waking me up. 1 asked, Who Is
there? He said Phil or 'Doblin, L have
forgotten which. L said, Come in. He came
In with mis- overcoat on and said, Phil.
j have got you into trouble. He said, How
Is that? i said, Il have told in committee
the whole story OF the submarine PROPOSE
ton He said, oh, that is terrible L
said, Keep up your nerve. All you have
10 do is to tell the truth here. Nothing
but the truth"
READ THE NEWSPAPER STORY.
Then telling Of taking his bath and dress
ing he continued: HE was walking up and
down. I said to him. I said to the COM
mittee yesterday that when you came over
TO say nothing to you as to the testimony
or the story 1 did not want it discussed
between Us. was then fully dressed. We
walked out to the elevator and went down
TO breakfast. did as do every morning,
look up the paper-the Washington Post.
I got my mail at the Office and then we
went In together. When we sat down I
read the story and desire to have in full
as evidence the article in the Post OF Jan.
p. We went upstairs and the talk that
went on contained absolutely nothing as TO
his testimony here.
THE whole talk was as to his position
in New York and as to what might occur
to him-how he was politically ruined in
New York. / was very much impressed
by the fact that he was in serious situa-
and a fan II hot Thn
proposition was undergoing examination
here and asked IL Ii were possible to stop a
public investigation. OF course no man
liked the notoriety OF II. He said: 1t Is to
Continuing, Mr.. Lessler said: II came up
and saw the gentlemen of the committee,
and during that talk II was understood that
Doblin's name should not be mentioned
I'm the public prints. / then phoned my
secretary TO bring Mr.. Doblin here to the
know what happened from personal knowl-
edge. of course. before the committee. Mr..
Doblin left the committee room and never
Washington in answer to the other tele-
gram after the committee had decided to
ask the House for a resolution of investiga-
ton. Then my testimony was heard on the
23d.
THE TELEGRAMS.
After the testimony was in the ques-
ton was asked as to Dobln's appearance,
and 1 said to the committee that he would
come without subpoena. / then tele-
graphed him to come and he came. 1 die
tattd some OF those kilograms to my sec
rotary to send to Doblin's wife, as he told
me she was very much upset about 1t. His
testimony was heard here. He went with
me TO the train. A few minutes before
train time he had arranged to stay here.
Tie last minute he said he would be better
OF IL he went to New York said very
well, telephoned some members of the COM
mittee and asked IL there were any OBJ
jec..ons to going home. We went home on
the train. There was very little said on the
train. He recalls the circumstances regard
ing my saying L would examine the law as
to his immunity from punishment. The
way that arose was that he asked me the
substance of what Mr.. Tayler said. 1 said
would look 1t VI He left, promising to
Join me to come b sck, as / had promised
The committee he would come back on Sun
day night; and l never saw him from that
room. and had no idea as to what he was
doing.
the witness. Mr.. McCullagh. said as TO my
saying there was but one member of the
committee who was absolutely honest.
want 10 point out the fact that while ties.
tifying the question was asked me IL any
one was present In my office at the time
McCullash called and l answered. Yes
my secretary. The first intimation the
young man had that he was to testify here
was while sitting in this very chair. The
door was open and he was sitting in the
window, and i beckoned him TO come in
and he sat down I'm the chair here without
any previous word TO his coming as
witness before this committee.
II should like very much 10 deny the
statement of the witness Quigg that saic
the members OF the committee who yoteC
for the Holland torpedo boats were knaves
and that the others who did not were hon
est men did not think of anything else
Mr.. Rixey-Had you any intimation al
the character OF the man as shown by hi:
testimony.
Absolutely none
las far you know up to the beginnins
OF this investigation Doblin was a mar
who had enjoyed a good reputation in tn,
city OF New York;"
CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT.
IT never knew OF wrongdoing by Doblir
I'm any shape, manner or form before.
never knew OF his word being doubted a
all. as / know that he has been i'm politica
relations with various presidents OF tn,
county committee and employed by them a
q place where a great many things conf
Dental and otherwise are given TO mem
bers. and never knew OF his being doubt
ed I'm the slightest. and I totally at .
loss to understand the proposition as /
now appears"
You Know OF no reason from your knowl
adge Of all the circumstances Of this In