The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-04-15
President Simon Lake Tes-
tifies Regarding an Offer
of the Electric Boat
Company.
DECLINED TO SELL PATENTS
Lake Attorney Declares His
Company Would Have Dis
couraged Investigation
Had They Known of
Lilley's Plans.

Washington, April 14-Simon Lake.
president of the Lake Torpedo Boat
i company. denied to-day before the
special house committee investigating
charges make by Representative LII
lev against the Electric Boat COM
pany that the Lake company made
overtures to sell Its interests In this
company, as testified to by President
!, Rice Of the Electric company. On the
contrary. overtures were made to him
by parties representing themselves as
Il speaking for the Electric company to
buy the Lake company, He said he
was given to understand that officials
of the Electric company desired the
s present investigation stopped. Mr.
s. Lake said he declined to sell and in
d formed one of the emissarles who
came to hlm-Charles r. Flint-that
q his company had nothing to do with
81 the investigation, and could not stop
Il It. He said he had no knowledge Of
ef any improper methods used by the
81 Electric company or his own company
Y to secure legislation. He claimed that
8. under the pending naval bill his COM
~ pany Is shut out from competition.
Former u. s. Senator John NJ.
ss Thurston of Nebraska, counsel for tho
81 Lake company, was the only other
x witness of tho day. He stated that
,.sthe Lake company was In no way re-
Responsible for the Investigations; If he
&lhad known In advance of Mr.. Lilley's
'zsintention to introduce his resolution
9rhe would have discouraged It, as It
..smight endanger the appropriation by
=, congress for submarines.
81 While he considered that the form
Il, of the bill as reported by the COM
lir.mittee deprived the Lake company Of
ktany participation In the appropriation
he still believed that congress might
fgive the Lake company chance to
{compete with the other boats. He
saw no improprlety of n man repre-
Asenting an interest In measure pend
0bing before congress, going TO any
Wo1lember of congress and in n fair and
'fFlecent manner presenting his views.
'd0Ie said he had tried to secure hear
Ing before the naval committee of the
house for Simon Lake and himself to
';present arguments in favor of their
boat. hpt had been unsuccessful
}% Regarding the postal cards sent out
a. BY the Lake company to which refer
ysrnce was made last week, Mr.
.}frhurston said he had advised Mr.
AXE that there was nothing wrong In
-Z1endlfg out these cards II they pre-
[iNented faii\ the facts
,E Mr. Thurston said Mr.. Liley had con
n Suited him several times during tht
eourse of the investigation and that HI
5s# Lflley) had asked him to act as his
A ttorney In the matter, but that he hat
Declined to do so owing to his connec
/, - ion with the Lake company.
ES II outlined to him IN the hriefes
7possible way n line Of questions to bt
$propounded to the Witnesses, but tn,
ong list of questions he presented a
he hearings were not drafted by me
Y Simon Lake, president Of the LAX,
n Torpedo Boat company, testified tha
fN his company had been in rivalry will
he Electric Boat company for abou
fifteen years. He had no knowledge o
4fany improper conduct on the part o
he latter company to secure legisla
+ " lion or to influence members of con
W gress.
- Touching the postal card inciden
@ MIR. Lake said he had instructed Rob
ert G. Skerrett over the telephone T.
81 get out the cards and mail them t.
n members of congress. He said he wa
n anxious to get them out as quickly a
h possible as the naval committee ha
'.I reported the naval bill and he wante
I4 lnembers of congress to know Of tn
s4&nherits OF the Lake boat before the
X Voted on the bill, When he learned o
ss* he Introduction of Mr.. Lilley's resolu
ls# ion he directed that the mailing o
lhe cards be temporarily suspended.
g2 Regarding reports in the navy de
5113 bartment, supposed to have been Sc
tts3H H bret, which Mr.. Skerrett testified las
Il sxklveek had been sent him, Mr. LAX
z#ftated that the report Of Captain Tay
s,aXlo lor had been forwarded to him G.ake
- while in Berlin, from the Bridgeport of
ks lce of the Lake company and had bee
I aiken by his Office boy to Mr.. Skerret
y who also was in Berlin When M,
~l AXE learned that Mr.. Skerrett ha
u aublshed this information he said tho
had a disagreement over It, and thi
y Iisa greement led to Mr.. Skerretts res
lgnation from the company Mr. LAX
Thought that Captain Taylor, if Il
wanted to make his report publ
should do SO over his own signature
~ Ehis report was on scientific matte
81 connected with submarine boats an
All Mr. Lake said he did not consider ths
bny harm had been done by the pull
licaticn
The report was forwarded to NJ
~ AXE from Bridgeport he thought, b
Frederick Baker, an engineer of tr
| Company, who formerly was employe
l..$An the navy department
- Mr.. Lake stated that he started
propaganda for adyaphit@ the interes
(Continued on Third Page)