The Indianapolis journal., 1903-01-25
MIR. QUIGG's TESTIMONY.


MIR. QUIGG'S TESTIMONY.
His Relations with Mr.. Lessler and
Ward Worker DOblin.
After recess Mr.. Quigg was sworn. He
said he had known Mr.. Lessler for eight
years, but his acquaintance, while cordial,
had not been intimate. He had known
Doblin for about the same length of time
He described Dobln as "a district worker"
He then told his story as follows:
On Dec. 9, 1902, he testified, he called at
the Waldorf and sent his card to Senator
Hanna to invite him to a public dinner.
While he was waiting he encountered DR..
Kerr, of Chicago, whom he had known as
a partner OF Mr.. Milholland in the pneu-
matte tube business. DR.. Kerr asked him if
he knew Lessler, and on being answered in
the affirmative. asked him If he (Quigg)
would do him a favor. The doctor then
half of the Holland torpedo boat" DR..
Kerr, he said told him that Lessler was
opposing the boat In a .boisterous and
he could do much with Lessler, but If he
could "cool Lessler off, il would be ap-
preciated. Witness said he knew little
about the Holland, but DR.. Kerr said per-
haps he could induce Lessler to be a little
less peStiferOus.
Il said would" went on the witness "A
few days later Or. Kerr called me on the
telephone and asked me il had seen Less
Ter and requested me to see him at once, as
the matter was coming up in Washington.
| called LESSER up on the telephone, but
up by DR.. Kerr and then | got Lesslers
Office on the telephone. was informed that
Lessler was not in, but Doblin was, and if
/ could connect with Doblin / could find
him. This was about ten days after my
first talk with Kerr. The next day Doblin
came into my office. AT first forgot what
| wanted to talk TO nim about and I in
luncheon. n
the elevator / tried to recall. Doblin then
asked me If l could not get Mr.. McCullagh
to have him retained. l explained TO him
that 1 could not. but i'm casting around i'm
my mind for someone who might help him
1 thought of Lessler and mentioned him.
But IIessler's relations with McCullagh are
not good Doblin said. L asked why, and
he said, 'On account of the Holland torpedo
boats That recalled Kerr's request TO my
mind. ! then asked him about the Lesser-
McCullagh matter and he tolo me that Nc
Cullagh had gone down to Washington and
had threatened to defeat Lesser unless he
voted for the Holland boats. l expressed
incredulity.
LESSLER WAS HOT.
Later, when they were at lunch, Mr.
Quigg said he told Doblin that it was
curious that it was the Holland boat mat
ter on which 1 desired to talk to him. Doblin
told him Lesser would be home at the end
of the week and witness asked him to let
him know when he came. 1t was a week
after that, witness said. that Doblin came
into the office and told him Lessler was in
his Office and would see him. Doblin at the
time said: "Lessler is pretty hot about
the torpedo boat proposition, and did not
believe he would vote for it," Mr.. Quigg
said he called Lesser up on the telephone
and i'm the conversation talked to him about
a pending postoffice matter.
To h< ffl1e fs.~.,1
witness, II referred to the conversation
over the telephone concerning the post
office matter. which he explained. Then
said: 'Lessler, 1 called here to talk with
YOU about the Holland torpedo boats on
behalf of a friend of mine whom / would
hne to oblige. He has told me your op-
position is ugly and malignant and that you
have said all manner of nasty and disagree
able things about the Holland people. L
wanted to see If could not persuade you
not to be so stiff about the matter" 4"
Witness said Mr. Lessler thereupon told
him he was very much opposed to building
any more of the boats, and entered upon a
long and detailed statement of his reasons,
describing the mechanism of the boats and
saving ne did not believe they were or ever
would be "A success.
Continuing, Mr.. Quigg said: "He saws
you have got no idea of the abominable
methods to which these people have re-
sorted He said they maintain a most un-
scrupulous lobby i'm Washington and it is
as much as anybody's reputation is worth
III.
Mr.. Quigg specifically denied that he had
offered S.. 600 for Lesslers vote or that he
had told Doblin that he would try to fix il
so there would be 81 900 i'm il for him (DOb-
thor ICED Mr.. Doblin to make any offer of
any kind TO any one, politically or other
wise.
HONEST MEN AND KNAVEs.
During the course of the cross-examina-
ton of Mr.. Quigg by members of the COM
him: You heard the statement of Mr.. Nc
Cullash in relation to Mr.. Lessler's re-
marks about lobby swarming here and
the integrity of the committee In your
! conversation with mir. Lessier you also re-
ferred to his remarks along the same lines
as to the lobby. Did he in his conversation
with you say anything of the same nature
that Mr. Mccullagh quoted?'
! MIR. ouigg-Yes. The only thing he said
| TO me was this: That on the subject of
the Holland torpedo boat his committee
! knaves, and that he could rot be"
| Mr. Vandiver--That this committee would
be divided into honest men and knaves?
Mr.. Quigg-IeS, and that he could not be
/ in the wrong crowd.
| In conclusion Mr.. Quigg made the fol-
/ lowing personal statement: Now, Mr..
| Chairman, / do not know as / see, at this
time the motive of Doblin for what he
| has said here. / do not quite make il OUT.
/ l do not know whether Dobiin has seen
| anybody in connection with this enter
prise or what he has done. / do not
| understand IL. But l deem il proper to
/ say, not. OF course. as a matter OF testi-
! mony that ! served in three Congresses
with many of the members OF this COM
mittee, and cannot believe that any
| member of this committee will believe
what has been stated. / cannot believe ii. .
Mr.. Dayton-You cannot believe what?
/ j do not understand you.
Mr.. Quigg-I said that l cannot believe
/ Mr.. Dayton, that any member of this
committee. especially any member who
served with me in other Congresses. who
| knows that such an imputation could not
| have laid against me. who has never
| seen me down here at Washington lobby
| ing for anything, or even seen me here
except in the most occasional way. most
| ly of a social character. can believe such
terrible statements. beg you not to grind
me between the milestone OF the interests
/ for or against this boat. YOU gentlemen
/ have formed your opinions whether this
| boat Is good thing or whether it Is not;
whether YOU want TO support it. OF
/ whether you do not. But L want to beg
/ that each of you will put yourself in my
| position, will know that a thousand re-
/ quests are made of me In this way as to
| this. that and the other. Now sometimes
II l. -