Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-24
.L|LLEY NOT GROWING
UNDER The L|MELIGHT
|nslIgaloP Of The Submarine Ii
VeslIgat|OR Evidently Not In Good
0'doP by Committee.
HIS SECRETARY TAKES BLAME
Number of Peculiar Things Have
Happened Which LelIcy Knows
Nothing About and for Which Sec
rotary Assumes Responsibility =
Li'lcy oodges Questions.
ny Associated press)

Wy AsNbtihttu IltSbJ
WASHINGTON. d. c.. April % -
Interesting developments followed
each other In close succession today il,
The hearing being conducted by The
special committee oil the House Of the
charges preferred by Representative
lilley. of Connecticut. against tic
Electric Boat Company. They ranged
from the participation OF the Lake
Torpedo Boat Company In the prep
aration OF the resolution OF inquiry
Introduced In the House by MIR. Lii
Icy TO matters of n personal nature I'm
which criticism OF the committee play-
cd n prominent part. Incidentally
Representative Lillcy was severely
taken to task by members OF the COM
mittce for allowing public criticisms
OF its actions over his signature 10
stand for n month without being con-
tradctcd.
Mr.. Lislcy and the committee lock-
cd horns over the question of the pro-
duction of letters which he claimed
are confidential, and the question of
whether they should he produced had
not been decided when adjournment
was taken until tomorrow.
The question OF the authorshlp or
the two anonymous letters that hayn
played such an important part in the
Investigation WAS also gone into and
1t Is The belief of the committee that
the identity of the writer will be CO.
itablished within the next As hours.
Mi. Olmstcd read clipping at 10.
DAYS session from the Hartford Cour.
ant of March 30. containing a letter
signed by Mr.. LilIey, and addressed
to George w. off. of East Hampton.
Conn. This letter, which was in reply
to one received by Mr.. Lillcy from
Mr.. Goff contained tho following:
"The select committee to inyesti-
gate have already demonstrated their.
intention to apply the whitewash
brush wherever they can. Therefore
IT is safe TO assume that very little
will be brought out. They refused me
The privilege of counsel to cross OK
anime witnesses and do not allow me
to ask questions except by submitting
them In writing. and even then thcy
may throw out those which they
deem improper, which means throw
ing out all important questions.
II believe, however. that the press
OF the country is already fully con-
vinced."
LiIley Blames Secretary.
Mr. Lilley stated that that letter
was written by his secretary, Mr..
Webster. and that he had not seen it
until it appeared in print.
Mr. Webster, he said. had author
ity to sign his name to letters.
Mr.. Webster, he said was author
ana admitted that he wrote the let
ter. He said that he had gathered
his inference about the committee
from newspaper clippings and from a
conversation with man that attend
ed the hearing. The letter was not
Suggested by Mr.. I.illey, he said
| Mr. Lillcy then resumed the stand
and was asked If he had repudiatcd
the letter. He replied that he had
not.
do You repidiatc it now?" asked
Mr. Olmsted.
Il do not personally desire TO make
that charge answered Mr.. I.illcy,
and ! am perfectly willing to with
draw IT,"
ut is not Il question OF withdraw
ing the charge said Mr.. Howard
We want 10 locate the responsibility
for the suggestions in that letter"
This letter casts reflection upon
the character of The House OF Repre-
sentatives and the officers of ii
which cannot go unno;iced." inter-
posed Chairman I,outcil.
IA month has elapsed since you
had knowledge of It's existence over
your signature. During that time IL
would certainly have been possible
for you to explain OH the floor of The
House or TO this committee. but no ex-
PLANTATION was forthcomlng."
~ dlsclaim the charge said Mr..
/, Lilley,
. Mr. Broussard asked Mr. Lillcy IL