The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-01-28
BRIBERY INVESTIGATION.
Taking Of Testimony on Charges
Made by Mr.. LeSslef Concluded.
COMMITTEE HELD SECRET SESSION
To Discuss It's Findings, but No Definite
Action Was Taken--A State
ment by Roberts.
COMMITTEE HELD SECRET SESSION

thc bahius OK btstlhVhl IA lht IlNeS lst-
tlon Of the charges mnde by Represents
tive Lessler, that corrupt attempt had
been made to influence his vote In that
committee on the proposition to purchase
submarine torpedo boats
An executive session was held By the
committee at the conclusion Of the after
noon session and consideration was given
TO the findings the committee would re-
Port to the house. After several resolu
tions had been proposed and discuss on had
been had as TO the wording OF the report
the committee consisting II Represents.
tlyes Foss dll), Dayton w va, Tayler
Cohio,, Meyer Lao and Kitchen IN. CO.
was appointed to draw up set of find
ines to be submitted to the full commltte.
for is 6nal action
AZ the afternoon session Of the commit
tee, Attorney Nlcoll, for ex-Congressman
Quigg. urged that, IN view Of the tesi-
mony, Mr. Quigg was entitled to com
pete vmdcatlon at the hands Of the com.
Inlttee.
Mr.. Roberts then announced that he de
sired 10 make statement He said:
"Sr. Chalrmbu have learned during the
1 recess tuat wrong impress. on mas gon
our arising from the Incident alluded 90
ny air. l.esSlrr in his examination, Of
meeting he had with me in Statuary hail
] desire uuW 10 state Iully NY rpcolect OH
tt tue entire transaction, not with any III.
| tent or purpose Of inJurlug SIR. Lesslcr or
pFvJudlclng hin IN tho minds OF the COIN
mlltee, but merely thut'lt should be H. the
record.
The forenoon Of January u, while
WIS going through statuary hail, ON the
! way to my committee room, met M
1 Lcssler going In the opposite di. ection. iir
SPOKE to me- aud said: Can't we stop this
tA4ingt My God, | can not stand IL; IT'S
! killing me-
lAc thlug he referred to was the pro
posed investigation which we had au.
{horized TO be made by the subcommittee.
I salu TO MIN, so far as | personally was
/ concerned, / did not care whether n went
on or stopped, that there were other pnr.
yes pcbldGs myself iu this unttcr. Tho
statement mad gone out In the p-css to rho
company had attempted to influence his
nvluh ~ me ouer OF money, and | did not
h4i12W whether the Holland people would be-
WlHlHB 70 nave the thing smOthercd Mr.
LESSER thereupon volunteered, without any
eubBeSlloH from me- that he would mike
my tthtcnt,nt regarding the matter that
WIS thought To be fair aud reasonable III
SAD that when he made his flrst stptrlnent
IN TIA" cummlttee he did not intend Ia I'm.
}4re ne Holland people and remarked to
MIN That II he did not intend TO ininro
these people the only thing he could do ns
an honest and upright gentleman, was 10
mohe surh statement md he said il |
"ooqiiid haEp one prepared he would sign It.
he SAID further that he would NOT RIrn
suth statemcnt 10 be published
hud TO him thnt | did not suppose the
lt0t.nna people wonla care to publish such
make any usc Of II whatever. unless their
interests we're to be jeopnrllzed by the u9e
OF hls original statement and then In self.
defense they would h" obliged t1 ruhlish
any statement ne might make And. anon
, that Understanding, he authorized mo TO
make the statement / then snld To- him.
When your statement was made I'm The
lul committee certain mcmhcrs OF the com
mittee who had been opposed 10 su,ne-
rne legislation had insisted on an inveqti.
G4Uon don't believe those gentlemen
Mr. Lesslcr said: y believe can Ak
nvl4. oeUeve can arrange It MI right
re- men went on TO make sim another
b statement Z" me- ns 10 what he would do
personally when the Holland submarine
proposition came to q vote. I then left
MN. ! had prepared 3 statement for bin
/ 10 sign ] did not sec Mr. Lesslcr again
That day until shortly after the house met
MT; l4csSler came by with his overruat on
ana hat IN his hand and said to me: That
ilxcdl' '''' you ''"'" '' arranged mas oeen
This was on Wednesday, when the sub
committee, ! suppose. was investigating the
HlHliVf WIN an lden on the following dNV
or presenting some report to tho full com
mlttce. The statement | had nreparsd I
submitted 70 Mr.. Iessler In this committee
rGom next lHt morning II was the morning
when the subcommittee was to report 10
the fnll committee, and handed Mr., Less
A. this point Mr., Roberts produced n
letter which was to the effect that IL was
not Mr.; Lessler's intention to connect the
holland company, directly or Indirectly,
with an otter q. q bribe,
MI, Lcsser," he said. declined 10 sign
IT, because II was addressed to tho Hol-
Mr. Wheeler then Intercepted Mr., Rob
preached YOU in statuary hall. did You re-
port what he had said TO any OF the Off.
GERS or agents of tho Torpedo Boat COM
Yes, I did," replied Mr.. Roberts.
Who ala you tell It tof"
ITO Mr. Frost"
Anybody elsef'
Witness said he telephoued Mr. Frost at
the office or the Holland Torpedo Boat com
pany In Washington and subsequently saw
him az the company's office
did you go there OF your own yoltion,
or hy lnvltatlonf
"Ot my own volitiou,"
WAS that, tho nrst time You had ever
been there
How w. many a. times had you been there
Possibly two or three times
Who else was present.
Nobody"
who Ii Mr FrostT
, DO not know, except that he Ia con.
nected with the Holland company in some
capacity"
81 think so"
did You prepare that statement in
Erosts ofhcep
"Nc, sir"
/ "pid you prepare Il at allT"
mo, sir
"whO did prepare itf
81 don't know
How did YOU get hold o. itf'
1T vas sent mp TO me at my request"
! who did You request ia send ~"
"Mr Frost"
mid vou ahd Mr. Frost talk over the
! nurport Of that statcmeutP'
Az this point Mr. Roberts took the oath
as witness, and Mr. Wheeler continued
his interrogation, asking, among other ducs-
. items:
, ''Mr Roberts dld you ever tell any Nom.
her o. this eommittee ~ the conversation
Won had with Lessierw
ION. yes; but don't think I can
specify"
/, Cant You Indicate any member you com
: mpricntei q tDq'
II communicated 10 Mr. Rixey"
"Befofe YOU did TO Mr.. Frostf'
II can not state that | don't know !"
Ia Il not fact that you communicates
with Frost AZ once when Lessler made this