The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-03-13
H0BSON BACKS UP
L|LLEYS CHARGES
THAT ELECTRIC BOAT CO. Used
IMPROPER INFLUENCE ON
coNeREssMEN.
llLLEY MAKES STATEMENT 7
That the Electric Boat Co. Has No
Plant and No Assets, Its Only
Business Being to Secure
Contracts for Boats.

Washington March 15.-The Lilley
submarine boat inquiry was begun In
earnest Thursday by a special house
committee. Representative Liiley was
heard at length He uagan his testi.
mony by reading long typewutten
statement, part OF which was in the
nature of an affidavit, in which he out.
lined his charges ia detail. When be
had completed this formal presenta.
tion he was questioned by Mr. Ohm.
sted Of the committee, who was de.
signated by Chairman Boutell to per.
form that service.
During the afternoon session Repre-.
sentative Richmond Pearson hobson
testified that he had been approached
In November, 1907, by Lawrence
Speer OF New York representing the
Electric Boat Co, who told him that
II he would support the claims of that
company before congress the com
pany could bring influence to bear on
Speaker Cannon TO have him (HobsonD
appointed on the committee on naval
affairs.
AT the suggestion OF Chairman Bou.
tell. the names of the attorneys repre-.
senting interested parties were en-.
tered on the record. Mr. Lilley intro
duced Frank 4. Brown of Norwich
and State Senator Siles Judson of
Bridgeport, Conn. as his counsel
Martin w. Littleton of New York an
nounced that John ID. Lindsay. also Of
New York and himself represented
the Electric Boat Co.
In reply to one of Mr. Olmsteds
questions Mr. Lilley said the Electric
Boat Co. had no plant and no assets.
He declared that that company did not
build boats, It's only business being TO
secure contracts for boats and then
sublet the contracts.
Concerning Lilley's assertion in his
prepared statement that no report had
been made to the house of the inyes.
tigation of the Lessler charges by the
naval committee, Mr.. Olmsted called
his attention to the fact that such a
report had been made and said that IL
had shown that representatives of the
Holland company had made improper
overtures to a member of congress.
Mr.. Lilley gave the names OF the
Connecticut manufacturers and the at
torney who had asked him, according
TO his statement, to vote for an appro-
prlation for submarine boat legislation.
The manufacturers he said were
Franklin II. Taylor of Waterbury, and
A. NJ. Ferris of the Bridgeport Brass
Co.; the attorney was John r. Kellogg
of Waterbury.
Mr.. Lilley said that Mr. Kellogg, the |
attorney for the Electric Boat Co.
made an appointment for Mr. Ferris |
with Mr.. Lilley, but Kellogg was not |
present at the interview. At previous !
visit, Mr. Lilley said MIR. Kellogg !
handed him a written form Of the pro.
vision that would probably be offered
to the naval committee while prepar.
ing the naval bill of the last session.
IL was offered, he said but he did not
remember by whom. II was Lilley's
impression that he supported that res
olution. He was for open legislation.
he said, leaving the letting of con.
tracts with the department. The one
submitted this year shut out the one
possibility of competition.
Mr.. Lilley said he could only name
two newspaper men at this time who
had worked for the Electric Boat Co
and he gave the names OF two who, he
said, had admitted having worked for
the company.
Mr.. Lilley insisted that If the com
mittee would call on the witnesses
whose names he had given IL would as
certain that there were great many
such men employed and that a great
deal of money had been spent that
way. Mr. Lilley was asked TO give the
names of attorneys employed by the
Boat company In district Of members
of the naval affairs committee.
John Kellogg" he replied, "of
Waterbury, in Mr.. Sperry's district
and w. d. Gordon Of Midvale, Mich, |
in Mr., Louds district"
Mr.. Lilley said he was being shad.
owed by detectives.
Il have had large number Of men
me since the resolution was
introduced" said Mr.. Lilley. "One |
man has been standing near my door
daily in this office building and two !
more usually at the entrance. Ere
quently have run into three here. At
the hotel there have never been less
than three, so the house detective /.
tells me. The detective stationed at |
the house OF representatives says
there have been at least six there"