Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-04

TESTIMONY IN REGARD TO THRED
CONFERENCES.
Evidence at Yesterday Afternoons In
vestigation Of the Charges Regard
ing the Lanston Contract.

AT the meeting Of tho commission Inc
vestigatipg into the type machine charges
al the government printing office yesterday
AFTERNOON interesting testimony was
brought out. Additional evidence was given
In relation to meetings that had been held
at the home OF Mr.. J. Maury Dove presi-
dent OF the Lanston company, which were
attended by foremen OF the government
printing ONCE and which had for their
purpose extension OF the use OF the LanstoD
machines I'm the ONCE. They were also for
the purpose OF promoting the retention OF
Mr.. Palmer as public printer
During the giving OF testimony Tho
Ricketts, campaign" was referred to by ono
OF the witnesses. 1t was then developed
that the promoters of the Lanston machine
In the government printing office are op-
! posed TO Mr.. Ricketts, for public printer.
one OF the witnesses quoted the words OF
ME- j. Maury Dove to the effect that he
didnt care whether he ever got another
order for the Lanston machine for the gov
eminent printing office. he proposed to stick
by Public Printer Palmer and to support
him for the Office of public printer.
Who Attended the Conference.
Mr.. Albert Cottle. chief OF the fifth divis-
Ion, testified In reply to question that
he had been at the home of Mr.. Dove That
opened up a new field for examination and
upon the same question being put TO Chief
Engineer w. II. Tapley. It was developed
that he too had been to Mr.. Doves house.
Further examination proved that Mr..
Theodore Hoges, chief OF the Official Ga
zette division also had been at a confer
ence at Mr.. Doves house in which tho
affairs OF the government printing office In
relation to the increase OF the number Of
Y ,,lt
well as the desirability of having MIR.
Palmer retained as public printer.
1t was shown that there has been three
such meetings at Mr.. Doves house. The
first OF these meetings was held last winter
when the campaign for placing more ma
chimes in the government printing office was
begun. la April the second meeting was
held, at which Gen. l.. T. Kitchener of tho
law firm of Dudley & Michener was pres
ent.
Ricketts, Commission in New York.
When the government printing Office was
about to install typesetting machines a
year or so ago. Tapley and Cottle were
members of a commission OF which Mr..
Ricketts,, foreman of printing. was chair
man. This commission visited New York.
The testimony yesterday showed that dur
ing the visit this commission received num-
erous courtesies from Mr.. Dodge, president
of the Mergenthaler company. They re-
ceiVed visitors cards to several clubs.
Among these was the Engineers Club,
where MIR. Dodge entertained them at din
ner He also took them on an automobile
ride about the city entertained them at the
| theater In a box, and gave them another
luncheon at one of the famous restaurants.
Attorney A. H. Larkin, for the Lanston
side, asked questions which were calculated
to show that Mr.. Ricketts, was the candi.
date of the Mergenthaler company for pub
lie printer.
The Third Conference.
The third conference of the three gov
eminent printing office employees at Mr..
Doves residence was June "a. soon after
President Roosevelt directed that there be
an investigation of the Lanston contract.
Gen. Kitchener, Barry Mohun and Mr.. Dove
were present The situation growing out
of the Presidents order was discussed at
this conference. Mr.. Dove and the two
attorneys of his company, witnesses said.
went over the terms of the contract care
fully, and talked about the necessity OF
standing solidly behind Mr.. Palmer.
Mr.. B. w. Bonney, chief OF the records
clerks division, was Questioned about the
preparation of the figures by which the
Tapley commission showed that the Lam
ston machines did more and better work.
Estimate Clerk Mitchell. Miss Ora a.
Brady who is Chief Clerk Brians chief
assistant, and who handles the cash and
checks that pass through the office, and
who also inspectS contracts, and Mrs.
Cottle. wife of Foreman Albert Cottle, were
also Witnesses
The commission adjourned until next
Thursday.
Holdings Of Lanston Stock.
1t is expected there will be further prob
ing of the holdings of the Lanston stocks
One clerk testified during the day that he
had bought 100 shares at ID and a fraction.
He sold out little later at q profit of $50.
This clerk told of another clerk who held
100 shares of Lanston. That clerk
called, admitted the transaction and the
present possession of the shares. The
holding of 100 shares OF the Lanston by sun
another person in the Office was admitted.