Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-13
H0BS0N AIDS uLLEY
Corroborates Some of the Lat
tiers Testimony.
SAYS he WAS APPROACHED
Offered Help if He Was Right on
:. Submarines.
GREGG OF TEXAS C0NTRADICTS
Denies Charge Against Attorney in
His Observation-Disclosures Of
Submarine Boat Builders.
GREGG OF. TEXAS CoNTRADICTs

~NSAAA0AA AV SVSt ~ASANSAS'
When the special committee investigat-
ing Mr.. Lilley;s charges against the
Electric and Holland boat companies re-
assembled yesterday afternoon after the
recess Mr.. Lilley said, in reply to ques-
ton, that ex-senator Thurston. attorney
for the Lake Submarine Boat Company.
had told him that former United States
Senator Marion Butler had drawn the
| amendment to the appropriation bill of
1907.
The question of the scope of the in
vestigation being brought into question
Mr.. Lilley said:
THE resolution reported from the COM
mittee on rules does not seem to bear
much relationship to the resolution 1 in
troduced For instance. it says some
thing about charges against members of
Congress. l have made no charges
against members of Congress"
Mr.. Lilley was asked if he had any ad-
ditional witnesses to suggest at this time.
He replied that he had not, but would be
very glad to give a list of names Of peo-
pie who. he thought, would throw good
deal of light on the subject.
I'VE propose to dig as deep as any of
these submarine boats dig" said Mr..
Olmsted
That won't be very far" replied Mr..
Lilley amid laughter.
AT this point Mr. Lilley was excused
temporarily. and Representative Rich
mond P. Hobson was called.
Hobson Was Approached.
After Mr. Mobson had been sworn he
stated to the committee that he preferred
that questions be asked him rather than
that he make statement. Questioned
by Mr. Olmsted, he said that he had
| made a statement to Mr.. Lilley some
thing like that to which Mr.. Lilley had
testified.
Did some person claiming to be rep
resentative of the Electric Boat Company
approach you in the manner indicator"
asked Mr.. Olmsted.
':Who was the party?'
Lawrence Spear Of New York. 1t was
In November last. Mr.. Spear saw my sec
| rotary first, and few days later called
me up on the telephone. ana it was over
the phone that he spoke to me directly
He had previously written me stating
that there was a matter of mutual in
terest about which he wished to confer
with me, and l replied that l would be
glad to confer with him. He said over
the. phone subsequently, that he under
stood / wanted. to go on the naval COM
mittee and that his company would be
able to help me-had influence to bring
that about if stood right on subma-
rines"
Mr.. Olmsted-Did he say influence with
whom?
MIR Housewives, sir:
Mr.. Olmsted-Whom did he say?
Mr.. Hobson-I would rather not state
that unless you insist
Mr.. Olmsted-We would like to have
you state 1t.
Mr.. Hobson-He said the Speaker.
Mr.. Hobson further said that Mr.. Spear
had informed him that he would have
leader.
Mr.. Olmsted-The idea was that IL you
secured the; support of Mr.. Williams they
| would do the rest?
Mr.. Housewives sir. They would use
their influence to have me placed on the
committee.
Mr.. Olmsted-I understand that the
naming of the democratic members of the
committee was left to Mr.. Williams by
the Speaker If he was in your favor
you would not have much difficulty with
the Speaker?
Mr.. Hobson-I had some ideas on the
subject. except in exceptional cases. that
the Speaker would abide by the recon-
mendations of the minority leader.
Mr.. Olmsted-You were not one of the
exceptional cases. were you, Mr.. HObson?
Mr. Hobson-I did not see any reason
why I should be.
Mr. Olmsted-You were appointed by the
Speaker on the recommendation of Mr..
Williams?
Mr. Hobson-I think So
Mr.. Olmsted-You did not require Spears
aid. or that of any one else?
Mr. Hobson-That is a question cannot
answer.
Mr.. Olmsted-Your appointment on the
naval committee was obtained in the
usual way?
Mr.. Hobson-I made an official applica-
tor to Mr.. Williams and to the Speaker.
and / think that was all. I do not re-
member having urged my case to the
minority leader, and 1 do not know
whether any Of my friends did SO; but
it was known by them generally that
wanted that committee. I told Mr..
Spear that did not want the influence
that, his company had, and / made no
promise to support any naval proposition
he might have to offer.
Mr. Hobson said that he had seen Mr..
and in reply to a question propounded
by Mr.. Littlefleld said that he and Spear
had been classmates at Annapolis and
that they had belonged to the same corps
in the navy. Their relations had been
cordial.
Shadowing of Lilley.
This ended Mr.. Hobson's examination
and Mr.. Lilley was recalled. He was
questioned by Mr.. Olmsted regarding
the statement he had made to the COM
mittee that Ahe was being Swallowed by
detectives. and was asked if they were
hampering him in his work before the
committee.
II have had very large number of
men shadowing 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 entrances. Frequently 1
have run into three here. At the hotel
there have never been less than three. so
the house detective tells me. The de-
tective stationed at the House of Rep
resentatives says there have been at
least six In there. did not protest against
this proceeding until they began to
shadow the members of my family. and
Maj. Sylvester. chief of police here. told
me he would have them arrested If 1 SO
desired. My only object in having the
detectives summoned was to tell the COM
mittee who was hiring them. l think it
comes from one source. President Rice
of the Electric Boat Company says he
welcomes an Investigation, and proceeds
Immediately to put men to shadowng
me- l suspect that Is where they come
from: but the annoyance has passed and.
personally, l do not care anything about