The Washington times., 1903-07-03
POLITICS INVOLVED
IN LITTAUER CASE
New Aspect Developed by
Gossip Over Contract.
OPPOSED BY PLATT MACHINE
Inquiry in War Department Limited to
Examination of Army Ofice:s.
Senator ProctoI's Contract.

The War Department IS continuing its
investigation of the matter OF the Lyon
contracts for supplying gloves aud
gauntlets to the quartermaster's depart
ment, in which contracts Representative
Littauer is alleged to have been inter
ested. As yet no developments have re-
suited
General Davis. the Judge Advocate
General OF the Army AMI law oLlcer OF
the department. has the matter in
charge to look up the legal points in
volved. and the contracts will be thor
oughly scrutinized.
The two points toward which the in
vestigation ordered by Secretary Root
Will be directed arc to ascertain whether
o, not any officer OF the quartermaster's
department was cognizant of the alleged
fact that Representative Littauer was
interested in the contracts, and the re-
pay ment OF the money in case il is
shown that while a member of Congress
he received a share OF the profits upon
the contracts. as the statute provides
that II shall be returned.
There is practically nothing to show
that any army officer had any knowledge
of Littauer's interest, although 1t was
known that his firm supplied a large
portion OF the goods purchased by Lyon
as the jobber or contractor So far as
anyone is aware Mr.. Littauer never
called at the War Department in regard
to the contracts. and his statement made
I
ed tse advisability OF seeing General
Ludington.
A Political Recrudescence.
The statement has been made that
when Lyon received the last contract.
now about four years ago. he was not
the lowest bidder. but that the bid of
a San Francisco firm was lower than
Lyons 1t is said that this bid was re-
iected because General Ludington cid
not regard tho San Francisco firm rs
financially responsible. despite the fact
that it agreed to furnish bond of IN
demnity
There is a strong intimation that the
case against Littauer- is largely one OF
politics. Several years ago there was
some controversy between Senator Plat
and Representative Littauer and tho
Representative was threatened with the
loss OF his nomination. He succeeded
in winning. however, against the ppo-
sition OF Senator Platt, and It is now
said that the present case is in part he
outgrowth OF that affair.
Mr.. Littauer Is a warm personal friend
Of the President. and was identified with
/ the Roosevelt faction in New York when
Mr.. Roosevelt was governor OF the State.
However the investigation may result,
ii is said that Littauer is immune from
punishment under the statute OF limita-
items, In case 1t is found that he was in
/ terested pecuniarily in the contracts
An Issue Over GIavestones.
\ Since the charges were made against
Mr.. Littauer the fact has developed that
Senator Proctor Of Vermont has been
largely interested in the sale OF tomb
stones 10 the Quartermaster's Depart
ment.
| Senator Proctor and his family are
( the owners Of the Vermont Marble Com
/ pany ar Proctor, VT. and have for sew
eral years had the contracts for fur
nishing marble slabs to be placed at
! the graves of soldiers who die in the
service and are Inferred in national
| cemeteries. Last year his company had
/ a contract for 10 900 OF these slabs.
/ His company was a bidder for the
contracts for the fiscal year ending June
so. 1903. but the bid was too high. and
| there was a second competition. with
the result that the contract went 10 the
Lee Marble Company. Of Massachusetts.
An investigation which has been made
/ OF the matter. however, has developed
the fact that Proctor's company is in
corporated. and that therefore be is
not subject 70 the law which would ap-
ply in the case of Representative Lit
tauer IL he is found 10 be interested N
Government contracts.