The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-05-21
.L|LLEY CHARGES
NOT WARRANTED
HOUSE COMMITTEE GIVES REPRE-
SENTATIVE tsARp RAPs.
SUBMARINE CASE FINDING
Connecticut Man Said to Have Acted
In Bad Faith and as Tool Of
Rival company-AIso 40
oused Of Contempt.

Washington, May 20.-That Repre-
sentative George l.. Lilley of Connecti-
cut was not warranted in bringing
charges against certain of his col
leagues in the house and accredited
members of the press, is the conclu-
sion reached by the special commit
tee named by Speaker Cannon to in
vestigate methods employed BY the
Electric Boat Company of New Jersey
in connection with legislation before
congress. In an exhaustive report sub
mitted to the house Wednesday
Chairman Boutell and his col
leagues review the testimony
brought out before the commit.
tee on hearings extending over sew
eral weeks and declare with entire
unanimity that no member Of the
house and no representative Of the
press haze been induced by officers of
the Electric Boat Company to act from
corrupt or improper motives.
Makes Charge Against LiIIey.
Furthermore, the committee finds
that Mr.. Lilley allowed himself TO be
used as an instrument of the Lake
Boat Company in questioning the in.
tegrity and fairness of the members
of the investigating committee and In
attacking a competing submarine
company. Mr.. Lilley is charged also
with maintaining an attitude of bad
faith, both in bringing the charges
and conceaiing from the committee
the identity of the real parties in in
terest behind the investigation.
The investigation grew out of reso
luton introduced by Mr.. Lilley in the
house on February 20 last asking that
a committee be appointed to investi-
gate the conduct Of the Electric Boat
Company of New Jersey and their
predecessors, the Holland company, re
specting the methods employed by the
Conn fAfffes named; hr connection viii
past and proposed legislation before
congress-
Calls Lilley company's Tool
Il is alleged that Mr. Lilley
acted in bad faith in stating before
this committee that he had made no
Chdi lClCNlihB upOu VI IHC
house before the committee on rules;
that Mr.. Lilley allowed himself to be
used as an instrument of the Lake
Torpedo Boat Company in its rivalry
and attack upon competing COM
pany; that Mr.. Lilley's real object in
introducing his resolution and making
his charges was the same as the pur.
pose of the propaganda Of the Lake
Torpedo Boat Company, namely. the
defeat Of the clause in the naval COM
mittee's bill relating to submarines;
that Mr.. Lilley acted In bad faith in
concealing from the committee the
real parties in interest who were be-
hind this Investigation and furnish.
ing him with information and eyi-
dence-
LlIIey Severely Roasted.
Regarding the battle-ship plans the
report says that the charge that the
four battle-ship proposition was de-
feated by the adoption of the subma-
rine clause in the naval committees
bill was false; that Mr.. Iilley, as
member of the naval committee, knew
that the charge was false, and that he
refused TO maintain the charge before
the committee. The report continues:
THAT Representative Loud was made
the object Of anonymous charges that
were without any foundation in fact;
that Mr. Lilley violated his obligation
as a member of this house in formulat-
ing and urging before this committee
the groundless charges against Repre-
sentative Loud; that Mr.. Lilley acted
in contempt of this house in destroy
ing the forged letter from Webster to
Edinbourough instead of delivering 1t
to this committee; that Mr.. Lilley vlo-
lated his obligations as member of
this house.
LIlley Charged with Contempt.
Contempt is charged in the clause
stating "that Mr.. Lilley acted in con-
tempt Of this house in not disavowing
openly upon the floor of the house
the letter to Goff, published over his
signature, rejecting upon the honor
and integrity OF members of this
house; that no official of the navy has
been induced by the officers OF the
Electric Boat Company or any one
else to act in his official capacity from
corrupt or improper motives; that Mr..
Lilley's charge of excessive profits In
the submarine contracts was based on
fictitious figures. composed by an
agent OF the Lake Torpedo Boat Com.
pany by peryersion of the testimony
OF Admiral Bowles in 1902.
Waterbury, Conn, May Cocoon
gressman Lilley today refused to com.
ment at length on the report of the
Boutelle committee. He explained he
had not resceived copy and desired
to read 1t carefully and consult his
attorneys before talking. He said how.
ever 'the most serious and most pain.
ful aspects of the report to me. is the
reelection on my personal honor