The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-07
DUMMY
BIDDERS
USED
Indication That This System
Has Figured Largely In Army
Glove Contracts.

Washington, d c., Aug. 7-Constant
revelations made public from day to day
concerning army glove contracts. and es-
pecially those IN which Representative
Lucius ". Littauer Is now charged with
having an undue interest. has led to a
suspicion, amounting almost TO a belief.
that the dummy system of bidding has
been in force for a number OF years.
-T =aisPateh from oyster Bay yesterday
morning. which stated that Httauer Bros.
were directly behind the transaction OF
Edwin ri. Taggart, whose bid was held UP
June "A last, and is still in suspense pend
ing investigation, has led to a still further
scanning of contracts I'm the office of the
quartermaster general.
AS a matter OF fact the Taggart con-
tract of last June is no contract at all,
as II was never signed by the quarter
master general
Taggart was the lowest bidder, but the
award was not made and still remains 20
be decided. IL was stated today at the
department that the further investigation
and decision of this bid hinges entirely on
the future action of the secretary OF war.
II is not unusual in bidding for gov
ernment contracts for firms to be repre-
sented by their agents. This, however, is
generally understood with government
officials and when the name OF an age
appears as bidder it is usually the custom
for him to name the concern for which he
is acting.
This does not constitute the dummy sys-
tenn proper. 1t is only when the real
firm fulfilling the contract is not known
to the government officials and remains
entirely in the backgroud that the iniqui-
ties of the dummy system appear.
WAS A BONDSMAN.
The name OF Representative Littauer
appears as bondsman for one contract
given to Daniel H. Hays e. Co, June
3, 1903. The name OF William Littauer
brother OF the representative appears as
bondsman for three contracts awarded
TO Z. r. Lyon. whose transactions with
the government are now the subject OF
investigation. and II was said today,
though not on the authority OF war de-
partment officials, that agents and en-
ployes OF the firm OF Littauer Brothers
have appeared as bondsmen for several
other contracts awarded during the last
five years.
Whether or not there was a combina-
tion among the bidders for the army
glove contracts OF which the firm OF
Littauer Brothers was a member, re-
mains yet TO be developed and It is not
impossible that such a state OF affairs
may be found TO have existed on further
investigation.
The experience OF Timothy Keck. who
Is said to have been barred from bidding
on all future contracts because OF the
discovery OF an agreement among mem
bers OF the Philadelphia ring OF which
he was member has called attention
to coterie OF other bidders in which
the Littauer Brothers are now suspected
OF having been silent partners.
While not absolutely illegal Judge Ad-
vocate-General Davis has already point
ed out the improperly OF a representa-
tive OF congress appearing as bondsman
for an army contractor. Whether or not
investigation OF other contracts will be
Instituted with a view of attempting TO
recover in the same manner in which the
Lyon incident developed remains TO be
decided by the secretary OF war.
IL Is thought here that this phase OF
the question was discussed by the presi-
dent and Secretary Root at oyster Bay
yesterday.
The papers in the Littauer case which
went to the department of justice yes
terday did not reach the desks of Judge
William A. Day, the acting attorney
general. today Very many important
matters are at present under considera-
t1on at the department of justice. but
the Littauer papers will be given the
earliest consideration and the opinion
sought by Secretary Root will be render
ed without delay.