The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-27
TOOK 1T ALL BACK
DOBLIN SAID HE HAD LIED TO THE
COMMITTEE.
OFFERED LESSLER NO BRlBE.
QUIGG HAD OFFERED NONE TO
D0BLIN.

Story of COIIusiOn Between Con-
gresham LessIer and His witness
DObIin "a Greater Sensation Than
the Formers Charge That $4,000
Was offered Him for His Vote.
DObIin Made Affidavit That He
Gave Testimony to ObIise LessIer.
He AstOundcd the Committee.
Washington. Jan. 26.-Philip Doblin,
who testified before the House Commit
tee on Naval Affairs Saturday that he
had approached Representative Lessler
of New York with an offer of money
to influence his vote on the submarine
boat bill, and who made the further
statement that he had been told there
might be 81 900 in it for him, made the
astounding admission before that COM
mittee to-day that he had made state
ments Saturday which We're not true
and that he wanted to retract his state
ment that Mr.. Quigg had rendered a
bride to him.
The statement came without any
previous warning that Doblin intended
of the committee looked at one another
in amazement as Doblin went on with
his statement.
Gustavus Rogers. an attorney, arose
in the committee room after the first
witness had left the stand this morn
ing and said he appeared for Mr.. Dob
lin, who had stated to him that he
Doblin) had made some statements
Saturday which were true and some
which were false, and held in his hand
a statement to which Mr.. Doblin had
sworn. The committee was unanimous
in agreeing that Doblin appear in per-
son forthwith.
Gave Personal Testimony.
He was called and made specific de-
NAL of all statements he had previous
ly made wherein he alleged attempts
at bribery. He was rigidly cross-eX-
amined by practically every member of
the committee and pressed vigorously
for explanation of his action of to-
day, but persisted that he was telling
the truth to-day, and adhered to his
denials.
Doblin told the committee that he
was summoned to Washington by Less
| Ter and told that he must stand for
| Lessler's story about the bribery. Dob
| lin said he was given a newspaper ac-
count of the story to familiarfze him
| self with the statement Subsequent-
| ly Doblin was taken before the sub
| committee, where, thinking he was in
| the hands of friends and that he would
| back up Lessler and vindicate him, and
| that everything would come out all
| right, he admitted in response to a
| question that it was Quigg who said
there was $1,000 in it for Lessler and
| 81, 900 for himself Doblin then re-
turned to New York, and when he got
| home received a. telegram from Less
| Ter saying, Statement all right. Have
no fear"
A day or two later Doblin appeared
before the full committee AS to his
testimony then, Doblin said
1T was a question of whether l was
| going to Substantiate myself before q
committee of friends and Lessler, or
whether / was then and there. going to
make Lessler's statement appear I'M
true. l decided with myself that L
would just make my same statement,
as to that which l spoke of before the
Subcommittee. / made it, and l now
retract every word in which I said that
| Mr.. Quigg rendered me any bride in
| any way.
LessIer Wired His Wife.
He stated that after giving his first
testimony he had gone down to the
station with Mr.. Lessler, who had adj
dressed the following telegram to his
wife:
"Phil examined. Substantfates story
in every way. He is all right"
Examined by Mr.. Taylor, Doblin said
he had made no improper proposal of
any kind to Mr.. Lessler and that Less
lers statement that Dobln had men
toned $1,000 to him was false. Dob
lin said he knew nothing of the law
Furnishing perjury, but accepted Less
ler's assurances that everything would
come out all right.
Doblin was questioned with a view
to developing what caused him to
come to Washington and make this
retraction. He told of consulting a
lawyer and of his decision to make his
statement on his lawyers advice and
! of making an affidavit-the affidavit
Mr.. Rogers sought to offer when the
committee decided to have Doblin take
the stand and personally make his
statement.
Plot Against Quigg.
Mr.. Nicoll, Mr.. Quigg's attorney,
asked:
Ibid you consider yourself under
such deep obligation to Mr.. Lessler that
you were willing to do that for hlm?"
Eyes, sir"
Questionable you go back to New
York satisfied that you had rendered
him substantial service?"
Answer-"He so told me-he said it
was all right"
Delaney Nicoll, attorney for Mr..
Quigg, then said:
81 consider that the wickedest and
foulest plot against the integrity of my
client, a former member of the House,
has been revealed in this committee to-
day, and / want to prove it here, en-
failing consequences which every one
of us must see must happen, and l
want to probe it to the bottom!"
Mr. Rogers then questioned Doblin,
and brought out a statement from him
that no one had sent Doblin to him
(Rogers).
The witness said that no one had
explained to him that sworn testimony
before a committee of Congress was
the same as before a court of Justice
Lessier Was Astonished.
When Doblin had left the stand the
committees programme, which contem-
plated calling DIR. w. r. Kerr to the
stand, was abandoned and it went into
| secret session.
Some of the members in view OF the
remarkable developments, favored
dropping the investigation, but others
urged that it be continued. 1t is I'M
derstood that Mr.. Lessler asked that
he be permitted to make statement,
and said that he had another witness