The Cairo bulletin., 1908-03-13
SUBMARINE BOAT
INQUIRY BEGUN
BY SPECIAL HOUSE COMMITTEE
REPRESENTATIVE LiLLEY
HEARD AT LENGTH.
OvtRTURCS WERE MADE
BY Electric Boat Company to Mem
bers of Congress--Represe
tive Hobson Tells OF Talk on
Telephone.

Washington, March 12-The Lilley
submarine boat inquiry was begun in
earnest today by the special house
committee. Representative Lilley was
heard at length. He began his testi'
mony by reading a long typewriter
statement, part Of which was in the
nature of an affidavit. in which he
outlined his charges in detail.
When he had completed this formal
presentation, he was questioned az
length by Representative Olmsted of
the committee who was designated by
Chairman Boutel to perform that ser
vice.
During the afternoon Representa-
tive Richmond F. Hobson testified
that he had been approached by \
man representing the Electric Boat
company who told him that If he
would support the claims of that com
pany before congress, the company
could bring influence tobear upon
Speaker Cannon to have him (Hob-
SOM appointed on the committee on
naval affairs. Hobson was made a
member OF that committee, but he
said it was in a regular way and that
he made no promises to the company
Concerning Lilley's assertion in his
prepared statement that no report had
been made to the house of the inyes
4fuat ton If fba | acglaf. ~ nv TN "a
naval committee, Olmsted called his
attention TO the fact that such report
had been made and said that 1t had
SHOWN thai the representatives OF the
Holland company had made improper
oyertures to a member of congress.
Lilley gave names CT Connecticut
manufacturers and an attorney who
had asked him, according to his state
ment, to vote for an appropriation for
submarine boat legislation. The man.
ufacturers he said, were Franklin II
Taylor, OF Waterbury Chas. Ferry, of
the Bridgeport Brass company; the
attorney was John T. Kelll gg, of
Waterbury.
Lilley said at one meeting Kellogg
handed him written form of provis
ion that would probably be offered In
the naval committee while preparing
the naval bill of the East session. 1t
was offered, he sai1, but he did not
remember by whom. 1t was Lilley's
impression that he supported that res
iluticn. 1t was for open legislation,
he said, leaving the letting of con
tracts with the department, The one
submitted this year shut out any pos
sibility of competition.
Lilley said a representative who, he
claimed had been approached by 4
member Of the Electric company with
a proposition to get him on the naval
affairs committee if he would favor
submarine legislation, was Captain
Richmond P. Hobson.
He said Hobson was willing to ties
tify and give the name of the man
who approached him. Lilley said it
was his understanding that there was
an agreement between the Electric
BOAT COlHpdul anu NlhtiS oOiS anu
Maxim of England who are building
English submarine beats, whereby all
improvements made by the Electric
company was turned over to the Eng
lish company, but under which all Of
improvements made by Vikers Sons
and Maxim. are not given the Elec-
tric company.
Lilley continued his testimony most
of the aftern~ N. and was succeeded
by .,ho testified as outlined
above. The name of the man who 1t
is alleged approached him in the in
terest of the boat company he said
was s. Laurence Speer. of New York
and that the talk with him was over
the telephone in November last.