The Washington herald., 1908-04-25
Submarine PrOhers Again
Haul Him Over Goals.
ASK FOR PROOF OF CHARGES
Committee Seeks to Find Who May
Have Furnished Information on
which Resolution Was Introduced.
Review Whole Case Thoroughly.
COFkscrew Questions Numerous.

After hauling him over the Goals for
censure that had been passed upon the
committee and members of the House
in letters written by him and articles
appearing in newspapers. his charges and
his testimony IN support OF them was
taken up section by section. and he was
asked to tell exactly on what information
OF proof be had based his sworn state
ments.
Members Of the, committee were critical
of a statement Mr.. Lilley had made under
oath that he had famiiarhzed himself with
the investigation held by the Naval Com
mittee on charges Of Representative Less
Ter. and that that investigation he'd re-
suited in a verdict of mot proven" This
was a starter for Mr.. Stevens, es the
committee. and he took Mr.. LAney in and
out and across the subject TO ascertain
what he knew about It and where he
learned it.
The same quest5dning was applied to
his other charges, iB which he said he
had become convinced, after careful in
vestigation OF Legislative proceedings in
Congress relating % submarines, that
legislation had been so shaped from the
beginning down 10 the present time as
10 eliminate ali competition in awarding
contracts for submarine boats.
More Interr Ogntions.
More corkscrew inEerrogatories were
put into Mr. L4lley's charges that the
Electric Boat Company had maintained
an extraordinary number of attorneys
and agents in Washington to further its
purpose in procuring appropriations for
submarines. and that the company en-
ployed lawyers IN Congressional districts
10 intimidate Representatives
In all but the last presentments Mr..
Stevens backed Mr.. Lilley down into the
admission that all the knowledge he had
on the subject was fran conversation
and newspaper reports. This was how
he had famiIarized himself with the de-
tails.
On the last proposition respecting at
torneys in Congressional districts. Mr.
Lfley recollected that Chairman Foss, of
the Naval Committee, had bold him some
thing about IT, and that another Repre-
sentative had verified it,
Mr. Lilley was driven into a corner by
Mr.. Stevens when he demanded specific
reasons for the charge of Mr.. Lilley that
the Electric Boat Company gave lavish
entertainments in Washington 10 lnnu-
ence members Of Congress.
AL that Mr.. LIlley knew about the
lavish entertainments was reduced 10 a
statement of a feIoW~member Of Con-
gress that he had seen ElihU Frost, vice
president of the Electric Boat Company
in the cafe of the Nev Willard Hotel,
where they and others had a couple of
IL. g .Fsfe, nd aser
Frost paid the bill, S375, which Mr.. Lilley
thought was an indication of Mr.. Frost's
lavish expenditures for entertainment
In another case he heard a member Of
the House Of Representatives say Frost
would pay for the drinks a party was
Just going 10 take and that Frost don't
mind buying champagne or anything else /
they wanted. AIT. Lilley was pressed to /
tell some more Instances, but those were /
the sum total
Only RumOr and HearsRy.
Asked If he had information on which |
he based charges against MI. Lord and
Ar ETly, newspaper correspondents. and
the employment of publicity agents by
the Electric Boat Company TO get favor
able newspaper notices, Mr.. LiIley ad-
mitted his information was only rumor
and hearsay.
I formed an opinion in my own mind" |
was his explanation when asked what /
facts or influences moved him to make /
his sweeping charges.
Your basis for the charges were hear |
say and rumOr and an opinion formed in |
your mind" suggested Mr.. Stevens.
The witness answering in the affirma- |
tive. Mr.. Stevens inquired:
Did you seek to find out what were the !
facts?"
7 didn't constitute myself an investi- |
eating committee IN order that the facts |
might be brought out" Mr. Lnley an
swered
Mr.. Broussard-You have made charges |
of corrupt methods by the Electric Boat /
Company directed against Congress, the /
Navy Department, the public press. Now
viii you charge that those corrupt I
methods were effective with any member /
Of Congress, the press, or the Navy De- /
partment?
Mr.. Lnley-I will make no such charges. /
] viii not maintain that wrongful methods /
were used 10 obtain legislation on gov
eTnment contracts
Mr.. Broussard-Yet those wrongful
methods were not effective toward any
Mr.. Lilley-Not that I know Of.
In reply to three questions by Chairman
Bouteu, all of them Of considerable
length. and to which Mr.. Lilley was re-
quested 10 make categorical replies. the
witness said in substance that II the pend
ing naval bill had contained a clause pro-
viding for submarines under free competi-
tion with no limitations. he probably
would not have introduced the resolution
which resulted in the pending inquiry.
Just before the committee adjourned for
the day Chairman Bouten made a request
upon Mr.. Lilley for the Goff and Lathrop
letters. and certain other memoranda. all /
of which is supposed 10 have a bearing
upon attacks made upon other members. Of
the House and members Of the committee
on inquiry.
BOuteu Has Confession.
Chairman Boutell. it was said. has in
his possession a written confession of the
author Of the anonymous letters which
sought to impIieate Representative Loud.
Of Michigan, in the submarine boat
scandal.
The anonymous letter writer is said to
live in New York, and was formerly con-
nected with one Of the companies men
toned so frequently in the course Of the
investigation.
Chairman Boutell was asked tonight II
he had received such a confession
'"Is this another rumor?" he observed
with a smile
Continuing, Mr. Bouteil said, u cannot
discuss the matter"
s@----s-.s..-s--...-
Always the Same
Tharn'S