The Washington herald., 1908-04-18
LILLEY TAKES STAND
representative TestifieS in
Submarine Inquiry.
SOME QUESTIONS AND REPLIES
Representative Howard, for the
Committee, seeks 20 show Where
Connecticut Graft Disc0verer Got
His Information - Lake Torpedo
Boat Company Is Involved,

| HIS Au1OEmHAtIh - AHhc AUFpSuO
Boat Company Is Involved,
Coming to the close OF its investigations
the House committee inquiring into the
methods OF the electric boat company
yesterday called Representative LAlley and
asked him If he had any further resources
that might be employed in substantiating
his charges.
Mr.. Lilley was assured that the COM
mittee desired to give him every oppor-
tunity to develop testimony that he had
been taken or in contradiction OF it. Mr.,
Lnley answered that he would like to
have time TO refresh his memory.
Mr.. Lilley asked permission to make
statement. There seeuled to be an i'm
preston. he said. that the Lake Boat
Company had instigated the resolution
for an investigation that he introduced in
the House. No one knew of his inten-
tion to do so. and the Lake Company nor
any one else had Influenced him He was
tactuated only by his own idea of duty as
d Representative. and his only motive was
in securing for the government open COM
petition in the purchase OF submarines.
Questions put by Representative How
ard, for the committee, and answered by
Mr.. Lilley indicate about what has been
developed and what has not been brought
OFT in the evidence Mr.. Howard's first
question almost summed up the case, and
other questions indicated what might be
lacking.
simple Little Question.
Question-It is material to my mind that
the charge or charges are essentially of
fraudulent methods on the part Of the
Electric Boat Company that tended TO
corrupt Congress TO leglslate in their IA
vor, and While you have said several
times that you charged no particular
member Of Congress of being corrupted
your insistence has proved that you be-
lieyed that corrupting methods were en-
pioyed.
4 have been unable in my mind TO
suppose an active agency of corruption
directed to the members Of Congress,
and still further specialized toward the
Committee on Naval AfIairs-it has been
to me inconceivable that this active agen-
cy Of corruption could have been in oper-
alton and nobody toward whom it was
directed affected. Therefore 1 would like
for you 70 explain 20 the committee, II
when you made the charges to the Com
mittee on Rules whether you had the
proofs then In your possession on and at
your command 10 support them.
Also what you had Of your own knowl-
edge and what you had from other
sources Of information distinct from what
M I'd
Company. I would Ike TO know what
you depended on to prove your charges
independent Of the Lake Boat Company.
and how much YOU expected TO get from
the Lake Boat Company at the tine the
charges were made
Answer did not expect to get any
thing from the Lake Boat Company az
that time. I thought I had sufficient evil
deafe in my possession, or could procure
1t 70 substantiate my charges
How About the LakesG
Question-You have testified that You
introduced your resolution OF investlga-
ton without suggestion from any one.
but after .'ou introduced it did You not
utilize ali the resources OF the Lake Tor
pedo Boat Company in the presentation
of your case TO this committee. and in
| order TO substantiate your charges?
Answer-I drew from every source
available in order 20 give light to the
/ committee
Question-Did you not know that # was
the policy Of the Lake Boat COMPANY
! 10 bring out such an investigation as
you procured. and did it not occur to
you that you might become the uncon-
sCiOus agent OF the Lake Boat Company
in permitting them to act with you?
Answer-I know that there has been
feeling among the Lake Boat Company
that they had not had fair deal here.
but I have never personally expressed
the opinion that they we're not having
a square deal
Queston-At the very outset the charges
themselves were drawn by the Lake Boat
Company. were they not?
Answer-A great many OF the charges
were suggested by the company. Mr..
ThurstOn put them into shape.
! Questien-Is there anything now that
you wish to add, any testimony you can
| suggest that will aid the committee In
reaching a conclusion and making It's re-
port on the evidence before it2
Answer can only say that I think II
unfortunate that I was compelled to dis
close my case at the start, thus enabling
the witnesses to cut their cloth accord
ingly
One More jolt.
Mr.. Howard then asked if Mr.. Lilley
would point TO a single instance where
he believed the fact that he had dis
closed his case as he said or the COM
mittee had examined witnesses in the
order followed had encouraged false
swearing or whether any lack of vigil on
the part Of the committee had permitted
| cOncealment OF the truth.
Mr.. Lilley did not say.
There is a general impression that the
| case is practically closed.
stevens Puts Question.
Representative Stevens tried to get Mr..
/ Lilley TO admit that he charged the
board of construction of the Navy De-
partment with being cheated or fooled by
the Electric Boat Company into making
| contracts that had lost the government
| over 81, ,00O He refused to adopt the
| language, but said he believed the board
was not capable Of driving a close bar
gain" and that the letting of navy con-
| tracts ought to be turned over to ex-
| perieneed business men.
The witness refused to admit that the
/ Secretaries of the Navy should be
| charged with the responsibility, because
they signed their names in a perfunctory
manner at the suggestion of the board of
construction.
Replying to questions by Mr.. Olmstead.
Mr. Lilley said he maintained that the
government had paid more than $1,000, 900
| in excess of what it should have paid for
submarines: that included the pending
unfulfilled contracts.
.r3VhAn did Won make the discovery