The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-17


w Admission was made to-
EA/ day before the special com
Wv mittee Investigating the
charges OF Representative
Lilley. OF Connccticut, regarding the
legislative methods OF the Electric Boat
Company. that money had been paid
by the Electric Boat Company 10 5eA.-
tain newspaper mpn to prepare and
distribute news concerning submarine
boats. Ihls testimony was given by
Charles $. McNeir. of this city. an at
torney for the Electric Boat Company.
Mr.. McNcir however, entered gen
eral denial that Ills company had ever
paid for the dissemination of news with
the purpose OF influencing Legislation
or for creating Il wrong impression In
the pubic mind. He also denied that
general press bureau WAS maintained
by the Electric Boat Company or that,
as far as he knew, the company had
ever spont money for the entertain
iDent OF members OF Congress or others
who might exert an influence IN secur-
ing contracts with the government for
its boats.
a nWnber OF ether witnesses were
examined during the day and thcy
entered general denials to Mr.. Lilley's
charges.
These witnesses were former init
ed States Senator M c. Butler. of South
Carolina; former United States so..-
ator Marion Butler, OF North Caroline
and +. w. Creery and r. 2. B. Sands,
both OF this city, all OF whom at one
time or another had been employed
as,attorneys by the Electric Boat Com
pany.
Gen. Iiunton Denies Charge.
Former Senator Butler, of South
Carolina, was called as the first Wit
ness to-day. Mr.. butler said he desired
TO make statement of behalf of Ger
eral Eppa Hunton, whose name had
been mentioned in connection with ,ha
charges. Mr. Butler said General Hum
ton was unable to come here on accoun.
OF his age and !nfifmities He said
that he had served in both the House
and tie Senate with General Huntol
and did not believe there was a more
honorable man in tho United States
A letter from General Eppa Hunton' 5
son, Eppa Hunton, Jr., was read stat
ing that his fathers health was such
that ne could not go TO Washington.
The letter stated that his fathers so!4
connection with the Holland Boat Com
PAM was; that al one time, number o.
years sBo, he was employed as a -nem-
her of its counsel. 1t was stated that
General Hunton. during the previous
investigation of the Holland Boat Com
tpany. voluntarily appeared before the
committee and asked that that state
ment now be accepted as his testimony.
senator Butler Counsel.
Senator Butler, speaking of his own
affairs. said that after leaving the
Senate ne was engaged by the Hol-
land Boat Company and later by the
Electric Boat Company but has done
no work for the company for the last
three or four years. He thought it
likely he had n written contract in the
form of a letter with the boat com
pany. but did not recollect positively.
He said that one year he received "a
retaining fee of S2.500 and since then
probably has received about $1,000.
His employment principally was to
make arguments before the Senate
Naval Committee. He never had ap-
peared before a House committee, nor
had he discussed submarine boats with
any member of the House His recol-
lection was that he had been employed
BY e. b. Frost.
Mr.. Butler said he had taken no part
IN the present Congress for or against
submarine boat legislation. and that
he had no apologies TO make for what
he had done. He thought that sub
marines were good investment, and
that tho government should have at
least 100 of them
Speaking of tests of the Holland boa
In the Potomac River few years ago.
Mr.. Butles said that a party Of Sena-
tors and members of the. House were
his guests on q tugboat to witness
the experiments, and that food and
drinks were furnished, which he sup
posed the boat company paid for.
Il did not think any suspicion of
bribery could be connected with ask
Ing member of the Congress to take
drink he added causticaly.
He resented Mr.. Lilleys imputaticn
that he wasta member of an organized
lobby and slated emphatically he had
been guilty of no corrupt practices.
can IIonored official"
9, -. Creery, of Washington the
principal attorney for the boat COM
pany from 1891 until 1903, denied that
he had ever spent any money tolnnu:.
etceS government officials or member,
of Congress in favor of the boats anal
that he did not believe any one else
had done so,
Hesdescribed himself an IAN honoredI
ofllcial,' and SAID -'ne woald never
never have permitted a dollar to haveI
been paid to a government officer. FIeI
added however. that no had no knoWl-
edge Of what occurred since 1909.
Mr.. Grecry said that the testimonyI
of Admiral Dewey before tho House
Naval Committee that he could not
have taken his ships into Manila Bayl
II there had heen5twot submarines therc,|
had prompted him to draw an amend- |
pent TO the naval bill providing for !
twenty submarine boats This aplend-