The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-04
LESSLER SUSTAINED
COMMITTEE SAYS DOBLIN TRIED
TO BRIDE HIM.
OBJECT WAS TO MAKE MONEY.
NO EVIDENCE TO SUSTAIN THE
CHARGE AGAINST QUIGG,

Findings of the Committee on Naval
AfTairs-NO Evidence to show That
the Holland Submarine Boat Com
pany Had Any Connection With
the Matter - Recommended That
the Attorney General Take Ac-
tiOn - Committee Voted Against
More Torpedo Boats.
Washington, Feb. 3.-The House
Committee on Naval Affairs to-day re-
ported, to the House it's findings in the
matter of the investigation of the
Lessler bribery charges. A minority
Kitchin, Democrat of North Carolina,
Vandiver Democrat of Missouri, and
Roberts, Republican Of Massachusetts,
was also submitted.
On the final vote on the adoption of
the report as a whole, Representative
Kitchin, Mudd of Maryland and Rob-
erts of Massachusetts voted present"
Representative Vandiver of Missouri
voted in the negative, each giving an
explanation of the voting.
There was a desire on the part of
some of the members to make the find
ings more sweeping in some respects.
The majority report after summarize
ing the testimony given by Lessler
and Doblin and the latter's retraction,
says:
"A witness sworn by the chairman,
as in this case. who states any ma
terial matter which he does not be-
| lieve to be true before a committee of
the House conducting an investigation
under authority of the House, COM
mits perjury, and is liable to punish
ment therefor
Your committee has most carefully
| heard and considered the testimony
! taken before it, and upon the same has
come to the following conclusions:
Findings of the Majority.
"E'irst.-That the charge made by
Mr.. Lessler that an attempt had been
made to corruptly influence his action
respecting proposed legislation is sus-
| tanned by the evidence; such attempt,
in the opinion of the committee, hav-
ing been made by one Philip Doblin,
on his own initiative and responsible
| ity, with the idea of making money for
himself if he should find Mr.. Lessler
| corruptly approachable.
"Second.-That there is no evidence
| to sustain the charge of an attempt
| by Lemuel E. Quigg to corruptly in
| fluence a member of the Committee on
Naval Affairs respecting proposed
| legislation pending before said COM
mittee and the House.
"Third.-That there is no evidence to
| sustain the charge of an attempt by
the Holland Submarine Boat Company
or any of it's agents to corruptly in
| fluence a member of the Committee on
| Naval Affairs respecting proposed
legislation before said committee and
the House.
"In view of the foregoing, we recon-
mend that the clerk of the committee
be directed to certify to the Attorney
| General of the United States a copy Of
| the testimony taken at the hearing,
with a request that he take such ac-
tlOIi dS TIE law anu the ldClS war
rant"
By vote of nine to six, the COM
mittee decided against the proposition
to authorize additional submarine tor
| pedo boats.
What the Minority Says
The minority report submits the con-
| clusions of the minority first of which
| is as follows:
"First-That the charge that an at
tempt was made to corruptly influence
a member of the Committee on Naval
Affairs respecting proposed legislation
pending before the House is not sus-
tanned"
The minority differs from the ma
jority only in its first conclusion. In
other respects the conclusions are
identical.