Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-27
Complaining Representative Writes Out
Tale and Gives it to Him
COMPLETELY FREES QUIGG AND FRIENDS
Witness Now swears No Money Was offered
for Boat Vote.
MEMBERS ARE AsToUNDED AT NEW STORY
Closely Question Man on stand and
Get Detailed Account of Alleged
Plot Framed by New York
Representative.

WASHINGTON Jan. 26.-Philip Doblin,
who told the house committee on naval af-
fairs on Saturday that Mr. Quigg had Of
fered to brlbe he and Mr.. Lessler, today
Tetracted
The statement came without any previous
warning and members OF the committee
looked at one another in amazement as
Doblin went on with his statement.
O. Gustav Rogers, an attorney, after the
first witness left the stand this morning,
said he appeared for Mr.. Doblin, who rad
made some statements on Saturday which
were true and some which we're false and
that he held In his hand a statement to
which Mr.. Doblin had sworn.
The committee was unanimous in agree
ing that Doblin appear in person. He was
called and made specific denial OF all his
previous evidence, wherein he alleged at
tempts at bribery.
He was rigidly cross examined by pTac
tically every member OF the committee and
pressed for an explanation of his action
today, but persisted that he was telling the
truth today and adhered to his denials.
When Doblin had left the stand the COM
mittees program, which contemplated call
ing DR.. w. b. Kerr to the stand. was
abandoned and 1t went into secret session.
Some Of the members, in view Of the re-
markable developments, favored dropping
the investigation, but others urged that it
be continued
It is understood that Mr.. Lessler asked
that he be permitted to make a statement
and said he had another witness re would
call, whereupon the committee decided to
meet again tomorrow. Mr.. Lessler was
present in the committee room Nhen Dob
lin gave his testimony.
Asks Immunity for DObIin.
Just before Doblin went on the stand
Mr.. Rogers asked that such immunity be
accorded him as was within the power Of
the committee.
Mr.. Taylor said only such immunity as
the statute gives could be accorded.
Mr.. Doblin then proceeded to tell OF his
coming to Washington and OF his appear
.anee before the committee. He said when
he came to Washington to appear before
the full committee he decided to make the
statement he did. II now retract," he
said. every word In which said Mr..
Quigg rendered me any bribe In any way"
"wfn you state to the committee In what
respect your testimony is not truer' Dob
lin was asked.
''In relation to my being called to Wash
ington and my conversation with Mr.. Less
Ter at the Hotel Normandie at o'clock
or thereabouts.
Statement Not the Truth.
"The fact is, the statements made re-
gardlng Mr. Quigg are not true. l read
the article as 1t was handed to me and I
was told by Lessler, You have got to stand
for this, and said, oh, that cannot be-
"'Weu,' he said, then am politically
dead"
"'well,' l said, you carry me with you.
He said, You will be all right II you will
Just appear before this committee. l will
20 and see the speaker and l will FIX II
up He goes out Of the room, comes back
and said he had seen the speaker, and said
1T will be all right. All you have got to
do is to go before the committee and sub
stantiate my story"
when l was called TO Washington got
this telegram:
Take midnight train and come to me.
Want to see you. Keep this CONFIDENTIAL
Monte"
Mr.. Roberts-Signed by whom?
Assigned by Monte"
, Mr.. Taylor-Who is "Monte?" Your as
sociateY
A.--"Monte" is Congressman Lessler.
have had correspondence signed Monte
Continuing. he said:
"Whie we were eating breakfast waI
reading the article familiarizing myself al
TO the statement made, and when we got
upstairs he said: DO as you want about
~
Influenced by Lessler.
"well' said, cannot stand for any
thing like this
"'oh. he said. you have got to. TIL b'
back in a minute He went out OF thu
room and when he came back he said; .
will go down and look after the commit
Tus ha aatds
not have any fear. There is nothing goint
TO happen to you. You appear before th
committee and they are friends OF mine
and all there will be to It. they viii repor
TO the whole committee and there won't b.
anything further to it, The congressman
left the room, laid on the sofa. tool
the paper up again and read II over Il
about half or three-quaTters OF an hou
someone came in and said: You come alon
with me. We will get into the capitol al
right. Nobody will see you. You will b
able to get up through a side elevate
which is right close to the naval committe
door and you can get in, and I will Sc
that nobody sees YOU
Makes startling Confession.
Continuing. Doblin said:
Il went into the committee room. Tn
gentlemen were standing about and m
guide SAID rms Is MT. Doblin.' The othe
gentlemen all shook hands with me.
sat down and later ! was handed a cigar
which I smoked They made me fee
agreeable / took IL for granted that /
\. was all right. The first thing / kae'
one Of the gentlemen OF the committee
after a conversation in which I explaiue
my interests In politics in New lork
asked me how long l had been Ia politics
Then one Of the gentlemen said: Wash
II Mr.. Quigg who said to you that ther
was 5000 in it for Lessler and $1,000 70
your
Il said at that time. No. sir The
all the gentlemen around me said oh IT,
all right; you go on and then there wa
a discussion in the room as to how | stoot
p I refused 10 answer at that time al al
The gentlemen seemed TO agree hat ther
was nothing To It, Feeling agreea5ly q