Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-26
DENIED BY MR.. QUIGG
NEVER OFFERED A BRIDE TO
REPRESENTATIVE LESSLER.
Tells Of His Conversation With Doblin
and Contradicts the Latter's Asser-
tions-A Personal Statement.

Before taking final adjournment Saturday,
the House committee on naval affairs took
the testimony Of Lemuel E. Quigg. as to his
connection with the attempted bribery
charged by Representative LESSER.
Mr.. Quigg said he had known Mr.. LESSER
for eight years. but his acquaintance, while
cordial. had not been intimate. He had
known Dobln for about the same length
Of time. He described Doblin as "a district
worker" He then told his story, as fol-
lows:
December 9. 1902. he testified he called
at the Waldorf and sent his card to Sena-
tor Hanna to invite him to public dinner.
While he was waiting he encountered DR..
Kerr Of Chicago, whom he had known as a
partner of Mr.. Milholland in the pneumatic
tube business. DR.. Kerr asked him If he
knew LESSER and on being answered in the
affirmative asked him If he (Quigg) would
do him favor. The doctor then asked him
If he would see LESSER on behalf on the
Holland torpedo boat. DR.. Kerr. he said,
told him that Lessler was opposing the
boats in a ''boisterous and noisy" way He
said he did not suppose he could do much
with LESSER but if he could "cool Lessler
off, it would be appreciated. Witness said
he knew little about the Holland boat, but
Dr.. Kerr said perhaps he could induce
Lessler to be little less "pestiferous."
Il said l would" went on the witness.
IA few days later DR.. Kerr called me on
the telephone and asked me if I had seen
once. as the matter was coming up in
Washington I called LESSER up on the
telephone. but he was not in. Twice sub
sequently I was called up by DR.. Kerr and
then got Lessler's office on the telephone.
I was informed that Lessler was not in,
but was with Dobln. and If 1 could con-
meet with Doblin I could find him. This
was about ten days after my first talk with
Kerr
Doblin Calls on Quigg.
1.-THE next day Doblin came into my Office.
At first I forgot what 1 wanted to talk to
him about and invited him out to lunch
con. On the way to the elevator tried to
recall. Doblin then asked me If could not
get Mr.. McCullagh to have him retained
I explained to him that could not, but in
casting around in my mind for some one
who might help him 1 thought Of LESSER
and mentioned him. But Lessler'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 1 then asked
him about the LESSER McCullagh matter
and he told me that McCullagh had gone
down to Washington and had threatened to
defeat LESSER unless he voted for the Hol-
Later, when they were at lunch, Mr..
Quigg said he told Doblin that it was Gu
rtous that is was the Holland boat matter
about which he desired to talk to him. Dob
I'm told him LESSER would be home at the
end of the week, and witness asked him to
let him know when he came It was
week after that, witness said. that Doblin
came into the office and told him LESSER
was in his office and would see him. Dob
lin at the time said, "Lessler is pretty hot
about the torpedo boat proposition and did
not believe he would vote for it." Mr.
Qugg said he called LESSER up on the
telephone and In the conversation talked
to him about pending post Office matter.
Quigg's Call on Lessler.
when 1 got to the Office" continued the
witness, II referred to the conversation
over the telephone concerning the post Of
flee matter (Which he explained). Then
said: LESSER, L called here to talk with
you about the Holland topedo boats on be-
half of a friend of mine whom 1 would like
to oblige. He has told me your opposition
is ugly and malignant, and that you have
said all manner of nasty and disagreeable
things about the Holland people. WANTED
to see if l could not persuade you not to be
so stiff about the matter"
Witness said Mr.. LesSler thereupon told
him he was very much opposed to building
any more of the boats, and entered upon
long and detailed statement of his reasons
describing the mechanism Of the boats and
saying he did not believe they were, or
ever would be, success.
Continuing, Mr.. Quigg said: HE says,
You have got no idea of the abominable
methods to which these people rave re-
sotred' He said, They maintain a most I'M
scrupulous lobby in Washington, and it
is as much as anybodys reputation is
worth to have anything to do with them "
Mr.. Qugg specifically denied that he had
offered $1,000 for Mr.. testers vote, or that
he had told Doblin that he would try to fix
it SO there would be 81 900 in 1t for him
Ooblin). He also stated that he had not
authorized Mr.. Doblin to make any offer
of any kind to any one politically or other
wise.
During the course of the cross-examina-
ton of Mr.. Quigg by members of the COM
mittee Representative Vandiver said to
him: you heard the statement of Mr. Nc
Cullagh in regard to Mr.. LESSER remarks
about lobby swarming here and the in
tegrity of the committee. In you CONVEX
sation with Mr. LESSER you also referred
to his remarks along the same line as to
the lobby. Did he, in his conversation with
you, say anything of the same nature that
Mr. McCullagh quoted?'
Mr. Quigg-"Yes; the only thing he said
to me was this: That on the subject of the
Holland torpedo boat this committee would
be divided into honest men and knaves, and
that he could not be-
Mr.. Vandiver-"That this committee
would be divided into honest men and
knaves?"
Mr. Quigg-'Yes, and that he could not
be in the wrong crowd"
Mr.. Quigg's Personal Statement.
In conclusion, Mr.. Quigg made the follow
ing personal statement: Now Mr.. Chair
man, do not know as I see at this time,
the motive of Doblin for what he has said
here. I do not quite make 1t out. 1 do not
know whether Dobln has seen anybody in
connection with this enterprise or what he
has done. 1 do not understand it. But l
deem it proper to say, not, of course, as a
matter Of testimony, that 1 served in three
Congresses with many members of this
committee, and I cannot believe that any
member of this committee will believe what
has been stated. l cannot believe it,
Mr.. Dayton-"You cannot believe what?
did not understand you"
Mr.. Quigg-"I said that I cannot believe,
Mr.. Dayton that any member of this COM
mittee, especially any member who served
with me in other Congresses, who knows
that such an imputation could not have
a wi n hoe