The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-04
Committee Finds That LGssIer
 Was Offered Bfibe
MIR. QUIGG IS EXONERATtO
Committee Also Finds That the HoI- land Boat Company Had Nothing to Do With the Attempts
 at Bribery.

Washington, February S.-The house committee on naval affairs today reported to the house Its finding in the matter of its investigation into the Lessler bribery charges. A minority report, signed by Representatives Kitchen, democrat of North Carolina; Vandiver, democrat of Missouri, and Roberts, republican of Mas sachusetts, also was submitted.
 The full committee on investigations to- day took up the report submitted by the committee of which MT. Foss was chair man, which had been charged with the preparations of the findings of the com mittee. Two hours were given to its consideration, during which time there was much discussion as to the form diff ferent findings should take.
 On the final vote on the adoption of the report as a whole Representatives Kitchen Mudd of Maryland and Roberts of Massachusetts. voted present; Repre- sentative Vandiver of Missouri voted In the negative, he giving an explanation for so voting.
 Wanted to Make 1t More Sweeping.
 There was a desire on the part of some members to make the finding more sweeping in some respects. The major ity report after reciting the resolution directing the naval affairs committee to investigate the charges of bribery says;
 At a meeting of the committee on naval affairs, held January 2O 1903 during the consideration of the naval appropria- tion bill, MT. Lessler, a member of the committee. charged that he had been cor ruptly approached for the purpose of in- huencing his action respecting proposed legislation providing for the purchase csf Holland submarine torpedo boatS.~asfhe committee immediately appoinked a sub committee to make prAiminary in- yestigation of Mir. Lessle-fs charge. The following day Phillip nsblin of New York appeared before tts subcommittee and confessed that ae had approached MT. Lessler. The substance of this statement having besh reported the following day to the fdfl committee, the chairman was directed to present to the house and se- s1re the adoption of the above resolution. In compliance with the direction and au- thority of said resolution, your commit tee proceeded at once to take testimony and examine such witnesses as were be- lieved to have knowledge of the subject of the inquiry. That testimony Is set out in full In the appendix to this re- port and in view of the fact that your committee in this report makes an explicit finding of It's conclusions, it becomes nec essary to quote or comment upon the evidence
 There Was $5ooo In 1t.
 "Mr. Lessler in his testimony before the committee stated that Philip Doblin had come to him some weeks ago and had said that MT. Lemuel E. Quigg had | said to him, Doblin, that there was | s5000 in 1t if Lessler could be brought to support the proposition to buy more 4lol- land boats.
 This statement, in substance, Doblin | corroborated when he first testified be- | fore the full committed, stating that MT. | Quigg had said to him that if Less l Ter could be got to vote for more Hol- land boats there would be s50OO in it. | and that he (Quigg) added, I think I | can make a thousand Tor you.
 subsequently Doblin agaln went on | the stand and retracted this statement, | declaring that MT. Quigg had never sug gested money to him and that he (Dob- | lin) had not told Lessler that Quigg had | made such a proposal to him and that | he made his statement at the request | of Lessler and for his protection.
 The report then cites Section 5450 of the | revised statutes, which makes an offense | punishable by fine or Imprisonment for | any person to make any corrupt pro- | posal to any member of either house of | congress; also section 1892 of the re- | vised statutes, relating to the giving of | false testimony The report continues:
 "A witness sworn in by the chairman, as in this case. who states any material | matter which he does not believe to be fHtta l.AfAr a.,.4N conducting an investigation under the | authority of the house commits perjury and is liable to punishment therefore un- der section 5392.
 In conclusion the report says:
 Your committee has most carefully heard and considered the testimony taken before it. and upon the same has come to the following conclusions:
 The Finding.
 T. That the charge made by MT. Less Ter that an attempt had been made to corruptly influence his acton respecting proposed legislation Is sustained by the evidence such an attempt in the opinion of the committed, having been made by one Philip Doblin on his own initiative and responsibility with the idea of mak- ing money for himself If he could find Lessler corruptly approachatle.
 ''2. That there Is no evidence to sustain the cnarge or an attempt by Lemuel k. Quigg to corrupty influence a memner of the committee.
 ''3 That there is no evidence to sustain the charge of an attempt by the Holland Submarine Boat company, or any of its agents to corruptly influence a member of the committee on naval affairs respect ing proposed legislation before said com mttee and the house.
 Tn view of the foregoing we recom- mend that the clerk of the court be ready to certify to the attorney general of the United States a copy taken at the hear ing, with request that he take such ac- tion as the law and the facts warrant The minority report, after reciting that those signing it are unable to agree to all the conclusions of the majority, says: "On the 2th day of J. ,uary. 1903. Hon. Montague Lessler stated to the commit tee on naval affairs, while that commit tee was considering proposition to se- cure more Holland submarine boats for the navy, that these people (meaning the Holland Submarine Boat company) had through an ex-congressman. who used an intermediary offered him. the said Less Ter, 5000 for his support of such a pro- position. Thereafter to a subcommittee he gave the name of Lemuel E. Quigg as the ex-congressman and Phillip Dob lin as the intermediary referred to by him.
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