Evening journal., 1903-01-24
.LESSLER TELLS
OF BRIBERY
Explains to Congressional
Committee About Offer
of Doodle
HOW |, {, QUIGG WAS IMPLICATED
New York Congressman Tells How He
Was offered $1,000 Bribe-Mr. ouigg
Issued a tstement-Makes a Gen.
eral Denial
eral Denial.

Washington, jan 24.-The house
committee on naval affairs yesterday
began the investigation authorized by
the house in consequence of the charges
made by Representative Lessler of
New York, during a recent session OF
the naval affairs committee that he had
been offered $4,000 for his vote in COM
mittee in favor of the construction OF
submarine torpedo boats. Mr.. Lessler
was on the witness stand the greater
part of the day.
He identified Philip Doblin, a New
York politician, and told of a CONVEX
sation he said he had with him. Mr..
Lessled said Mr.. Doblin came to him
one morning and asked If the Holland
submarine torpedo boat proposition
would again come before the house.
Il said I supposed so. He asked if l
was still opposed to it, and 1 said l
was"
Mr.. Lessler testified that Mr. Doblin
said he had been sent for by Lemuel
E. Quigg and Mr.. Quigg had told him
there was $4,000 in it if he Oessler)
could be brought to the other side.
Mr.. Lessler said he said there must
be no further talk on that proposition.
Mr.. Lessler then said that Doblin sug-
gested that Mr.. Quigg was a man Of
power and influence, and that If
wanted to come back here l would be
aiding myself by doing him this
favor"
He then said that before the open
ing Of congress or during the holiday
recess Mr.. Quigg teiephoned that he
wanted to see him. II told him to come
over, and he came to my Office within
an hour" Mr.. Lessler said that he
then told Mr. Quigg that there should
be no question Of money. In answer
to questions, he said Mr. Quigg had
not mentioned torpedo boat, but added:
Il had no other business with Mr..
Quigg. and inferred that it was on this
account that he came to see me-"
Lemuel e. Quigg made the following
statement last night:
Il have no interest whatsoever and
never have had an interest in the Hol-
land torpedo boat or in any of the COM
panies organized to promote il. Nor
an l in any way interested in obtain
ing pending or other legislation in
their behalf. At the solicitation of a
friend. whose name / will give to the
committee, who said he was interested,
l consented to speak with Mr.. Lcssler
in advocacy of the boat. AS the re-
suit of efforts to reach Mr.. Lessler by
telephone. / was visited by Philip
Doblin, whom / knew to be Mr. Less
ler's personal friend. ! made no other
request Of Doblin than that he should
let me know when Mr.. Lossler was in
town and in his Office, in order that
might call to see him.
"Mr. Lessler at his Office did not open
the conversation by saying that, OF
course, there could be no talk about
money He did not say this then or
at any other time during the conversa-
ton, nor was there any talk about
money except in his own declamations
against the methods to which he said
the company was resorting. Mr.. Less
Ter promptly announced his opposition
to the pending appropriation, and stat
ed, with great detail why in his opin-
ion the Holland bill should not pass.
/ told him that guessed he knew more
about the subject than / did, that
had sufficiently performed my errand.
and that / had no request whatever to
make of him.