The sun., 1908-02-27
THE SUBMARINE ROAT SCANDAL
or 1908.

At the election Of 1900 Nj cholas Muller,
Democrat, OF Staten Island was chosen
Representative from the Seventh New
York district. He esigned in 1901, and at
a special election held on January Of 1909
Montague Lessler. Republican, was chosen
to ill the vacancy thus caused. Tho Fifty
seventh Congress had met in its first session
on December ?, 1901. Thus Lessler had
practically full legislative term to serve.
David B. Henderson Of Iowa was Speaker,
serving his second and last term. The
Committee on Naval Affairs vas composed
Of these members:
George r. Foss Of Illinois. Aston @. Dayton OF
West Virginia, Henry c. Loudenslager Of New
Jersey, Thomas s. Butler Of PennsylvSnlR, Melville
Bull OF Rhode Island, sydney z. Mudd OF Mary
land, James f. Watson Of IRdiAnA. Robert q.
Cousins of Iowa, Robert W. Tayer OF Ohio, Ernest
W. Roberts OF Massachusetts,. Montague Lessier OF
New York. AdOph Meyer OF Louisiana, Parish
Carter Tate OF Georgia. John F. RiGey OF Virginia,
william W. Kltchin Of North Carolina. Willard D.
NAndiver OF Missouri and Charles X. Wheeler OF
Kentucky.
On January 20. 1903. this committee was
in session discussing a motion for the in
sertion in the naval appropriation bill Of
a provision for the purchase Of ten Holland
submarine torpedo boats. when Mr.. Lessler.
beginning, declared in an excited manner
that he had been oorruptly approached by
a man who had offered him a bribe OF
IS. 900 il he would favor the appropriation.
Mr.. Lessler declared to his fellow commit
teemen that the offer had been made soon
after his election. He refused at that time
to disclose the name of the alleged bribe
giver. but insisted that the effort had been
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Representative in Congress. On motion
of Mr.. Wheeler the Committee on Naval
Affairs voted Immediately 70 appoint a
subcommittee 20 investigate Mr.. Lessler's
charge. Mr.. Foss. chairman of the COM
mittee. was made chairman of the sub
COMMITTEES. its other members being MIR.
Butler, Mr.. Tayler, Mr.. Wheeler and Mr..
Rixey. Mr.. Lessler told his story in full
to the subcommittee at once.
On January p Mr.. Lessler was exam
ined further by the subcommittee, being
questioned vigorously as to the details Of
his allegations. His charges had created
sensation. The names Of a number OF
influential men were connected with them.
1t was asserted that the owners Of the
Holland patents, the Electric Boat Com
pany. had distributed stock among owners
and that Lessler had been threatened with
defeat at an approaching election II he
persisted in his opposition 10 its product.
JOHN McCullagh, Superintendent Of Elec-
tons for New York. volunteered the state
ment that he. 10 oblige a friend, had spoken
to Mr. Lesser in behalf OF the Holland
boats, but denied that he had mentioned the
possibility Of Lessler's defeat as a threat.
When the House met on January - Mr..
Foss offered a resolution empowering the
Committee on Naval Affairs to investigate
the Lessler charges and authorizing IL to
summon witnesses. administer oaths and
to do whatever else might be necessary to
establish their truth or falsity. While the
House was adopting this resolution with
out opposition, Isaac l.. Rice, president Of
the Electric Boat Company, was swearing
to an affidavit denying that any OF the
stock of his company OF OF the Holland
Company had ever been issued except on
payment at the full and regular price,
and specifically declaring that none of IL
had ever been used to corrupt the press.
The investigation authorized by the House
began on January % and was open to the
public. Mr.. Lessler was the first witness.
Mr., Tayler doing the questioning for the
committee. Mr.. Lessler informed the com
mittee that his friend and confldant, Philip
DoLlin. who had been employed by the
New York Republican county committee and
by the State Superintendent of Elections,
had told him that Lemuel Z. Quigg. former
Representative in Congress and ex-presi-
dent Of the New York county committee.
had said there was 5000 in it for Lessler
and 81 900 for Doblin' if Lessler would vote
right" or for the purchase Of the Holland
submarines. Dobln. according TO Lessler,
represented himself as an agent of Quigg
in the matter and Doblin also suggested the
possibility Of Quigg's bringing about Less
lers defeat. Lessler said that he saw Quigg
later, but at their interview no money
was talked Of Lessler also testified that
McCullagh had told him that the men who
owned the Holland boat patents could elect
or defeat him in his district.
Mr. Quigg was represented at the hear
ing by De Lanoey Niooll, who cross
examined Lessler at length. Mr.. Lessler
said he understood Mr.. Quigg to say he
was not interested in the Holland boats
except to do a favor for a friend, whose
name Mr.. Lessler got .as Mr.. Hunter
Of Virginia" Mr.. Eessler said he had
told his story to Mr.. Foss, Mr.. Dayton
anu mr. wheeler OF Ine committee. At
this hearing ex-senator HuntOn Of Vir-
ginia, of counsel for the boat builders,
swore that no money had been used to
influence legislation and declared he had
known Quigg only since IL O'Clock that
morning and Lesslers secretary, Frank
B. Son, oOrroborated his employers version
of the McCullagh conversation.
When the hearing was resumed on the
following day Dobhn was examined and
gave testimony that upheld Lessler's.
He declared that Quigg had made the
offer through him, explaining what was
wanted at a luncheon they ate together.
Doblin declared that Lessler rejected the
offer and that he 80 reported to Quigg.
John McCullagh at this hearing denied
having threatened Lessler and quoted that
Representative as saying that there was
not a man on the Naval Affairs Committee
he would trust except one." Mr.. Quigg was
also called to the stand on this day, and
his denial Of attempts to corrupt Lessler
was as detailed. as complete and vigorous
as the charges had been. He said that to
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