The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-25
TORPEDO BOAT LOB.
BY EXTREMELY
TOUGH
So Declare Witnesses in the
Lessler Investigation--Ex Ex-
Congressman Quigg Begs
Of the Committee Not to
Believe BadThings of Him.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 24.-The
house committee on naval affairs today
resumed the investigation of the
Ter that he had been approached with
an offer Of money for his vote.
Philip DobIin was the first witness
called. He said he had no employment
at present, but was employed by the
Republican committee during the cam
paign of 1902 and attended to the dis
tribution of literature and that he also
was deputy in the Office of the su-
perintendent of elections. He describ-
ed the interview with ex-Congressman
Quigg in December.
I'VE talked over the Roberts bill
that l understand is the name of the
submarine boat bill. Mr.. Quigg was
anxious to get Lessler's friendly dispo-
sition toward the bill. He said he was
not personally interested in this thing.
He said: There is some friend of mine
whom desire to favor If / can. If /
can get the aid I want there will be
$4,000 in it. Then he said: i think I
can make a thousand for you"
For whom did he say there was
$1,000 in it?''
The man we were talking about.
THAT is Mr. 5Lessler?''
We were, talking about Lessler. We
were not talking about anybody else
He did not use his name"
Witness said the next day he called
upon Lessler, who refused to talk on
the subject.
Says MccaI!aeh.
John McCallagh, state superintend-
ent of elections in New York, was the
wit
that he told Mr.. Lessler in Washington
he came from friend who had no in
terest in the Holland boat to ask him
to vote for the appropriation. Mr..
Lessler had replied thar he could not
support the proposition. He said he
was No ID fool; that he was not
born yesterday"
He told me- witnet.; said, that
tnere was not a man on the committee
he would trust except one. do not re-
member the name, although he men,
toned it,
I'VE are glad you don't" cried sew
eral of the members in chorus, and
there was general laugh around the
room.
Proceeding, Mr.. McCunagh testified
that Mr.. Lessler went on to say that
he was satisfied there was a lobby here
In the RntereSt of the boat
Furthermore" he said, 81 have
weighed the whole thing. While /
cannot prove it, believe there Is lob
by here and there Is Doodle. The
composition Of the whole thing, gentle
seen of 1T, is wine, terrapin and wo-
men,
Mr.. McCullagh said he had not inti-
mated to Mr.. Lessler that his acts
would in any way affect his election
He added that his visit to Mr.. Lessler
was purely a question of friendship
Tor a friend OF twenty-five years.
Quigg on the Stand.
Mr.. Quigg was sworn He said he
had known Mr.. Lessler for eight years.
but his acquaintance, while cordial
had not been intimate. He had known
Doblfn for about the same length OF
time. He described Doblin as "a dis
trict worker"
On Dec. 8, 1902, he testified he en-
countered DR.. Kerr, of Chicago, whom
he had known as a partner of Mr.
Milholland in the pneumatic tube busi-
ness. DR.. Kerr asked him IL he would
see Lessler on behalf of the Holland
torpedo boat. DR.. Kerr, he said, told
him that Lessler was opposing the
boats in "boiSterous and noisy way
He said he did not suppose he could
do much with Lessler, bdt If he could
"cool Lessler off, h@ would be appre-
ciated. Witness said he knew little
about the Holland boat, but DR.. Kerr
said perhaps he could induce Lessler
to be little less t'pestiferous.'
Il said l would went on the wit
ness. "A few days later DR.. Kerr
called me on the telephone. and asked
me II had seen Lessler and requested
me to see him at once. as the matter
was coming in Washington"
The witness told of his conversation
with Lessler in the office Of the latter,
as already related. LessIer told wit
ness:
AbominabIe Methods.
You have no idea Of tie abomin-
able methods to which r.ese people
nave resorted.' He said they maintain
a most unscrupulous lobby in Wash
lngton and 1T is as much as anybQdy's
reputation IS worth to have anything
to do with them"
Mr.. Quigg specifically denied that
he had offered $4,000 for Lessler's vote
or that he had told DobHn that he
would try to fix it so there would be
$l,0O0 In 1T for him (Dobnn). He also
stated that he had not authorized Mr.
Doblin to make any offer of any kind
to any one politically or otherwise.
During the cross examination Repre-
sentative Vandiver said: you heard
the Stateemtn of Mr.. McCullagh In re-
gard to Mr.. LeSSler'S remarks about
lobby sWarming here and the integ-
r1ty of the committee. In your con-
versation with Mr. Lessler you also
referred to his remarks along the same
line as to the lobby. Did he III his
conversation with you say anything of
the same nature that Mr. McCullagh
quoted?"
Mr.. Quigg-"Yes. The only thing he
said to me was this: That on the
subject of the Holland torpedo boat
this committee would be divided into
honest men and knaves, and that he
could not be"
Mr.. Vandiver-' this committee
would be divided into honest men and
knaves? ?"
Mr.. Quigg-@Yes. and that he could
not be in the wrong crowd
The witness concluded by-apnealing
to the committee not to believe the
dreadful things that Doblin had testi-
fed to about him.
PHoTo-ENeRAVERs AND PRINTERS
TO PATCH fIn DENIES