The Washington herald., 1908-04-24

hAA1h tAAA g8oN-A ne-tF WAANA A-AI AAbtA9s
Investigating committee called Repre-
sentative George /. Luley, OF Connecti-
cut, to account. The committee felt the
string Of criticisms and innuendoes that
have been cast in letters and newspaper
articles for which Mr.. Liney was held re-
sponsible.
No effort was made by the gentlemen
of the committee 10 conceal their views
of Mr. Lilley's conduct, and they went
after him as only lawyers can in half
day Of griIling examination. Chairman
Bouten was outspoken in declaring It was
the purpose Of the committee TO run down
rumors that have been spread rejecting
on the committee and every member OF
the House Of Representatives.
The ire OF the committee was most
aroused by two letters and a telegram
that have emanated from 8Ir. Luley's of
fee in Washington. Mr.. Lilley took refuge
by denying the authorship of one letter.
.or knowledge of it, though his name was
signed TO It. II referred TO the commit
tee in contemptuous terms.
He passed the responsibility for it to the
shoulders Of Benjamin Webster. his young
secretary. Mr. Webster was right there
and stood by his employers statement He
had written the letter and signed his en-
ployer's name. AS for the telegram.
which was Wild and wide of the mark.
Mr. Webster had sent that to Mr. Lilley
as a matter of duty, in order 10 keep him
informed. \ newspaper clipping was in
line qita the sensational dispatch and
the committee held an impression that
the whole thing was OF piece.
A Day of Revelations.
The day was one of revelations. Some
thing was exploding every minute It
was like the last act of a play when the
plot is being unfolded- The testimony
OF Abner f. Ncf. of the Lake Torpedo
Company, had added 10 his productions
for Mr.. Lilley a resolution introduced
by Mr.. Lilley in the House on February
2. and written by Mr. Neff February =.
This additional testimony of Mr.. Nen
unintentonally deprived Mir. Lilley Of
the authorship Of the last document !n
the case bearing on his charges. All
that have gone before were Mr.. Neff's
productions or had emanated from mis-
Office Il brought the date Of establish
ment Of activity toward an investiga-
ton. outside OF Mr.. Lilley, 10 within one
day OF the date OF his famous resolution,
which was introduced in the House Feb
ruary 20
Following this development Mr.. LiiIey
was forced TO defend himself from swear
ing 10 papers that hitehed up with the
Nen resolution and complicated his testi-
mony 0y saying he offered the written
evidence without having read il.
Searching the shadows for the author
Of the anonymous letter to Frank L
Edinborough. of Michigan. one of the
mystical signs Of spectral hand that
supported Mr. iniey's charges five days
before he made them. publicly or private
iy, the committee was informed by Ben
jamin Webster. Mr.. Lilley's secretary,
borough. not the anonymous letter,
though, but a letter signed smith This
was merely a letter Of inquiry. but it
also concerned Representative Loud.
against whom the anonymous letter
brought a charge of graft.
shadows Grow Deep.
Here the shadows deepened. FOR the
committee was convinced as all followers
Of the testimony were convinced that
the trail of the anonymous letter writer
led away from Mr.. Webster and its
markings all but identified another man.
One of the committee remarked that the
phantom figure that has lent the interest
Of mystery to the investigation, writer of
anonymous letters and user Of Mr.. Nef's
typewriter for their production. would be
known within forty-eight hours.
One Of the exhibits for which Mr.
Lilley was put on the rack was a tele-
gram of March q. sent Mr.. Lilley on a
train as he was returning from Connectt-
cut by his secretary, Benjamin Webster.
which said Boutell, Olmsted, Rothermel,
and Rodenberg had bought tickets for
New London on the o'clock train.
Coupled with this was a clipping from
the Bridgeport Standard for March -
which stated that it was reported around
the corridors Of the Capitol that Bouten
Olmsted. ROthermel, and ROdenberg had
left Washington the day before for New
London for the purpose Of bringing politi-
cal influence TO bear on BIr. Lilley to stop
the submarine investigation.
Next a letter was held IN siened
George L. Lilley, and directed 70 George
w. Goff, OF East Harrington, Conn, in
which the writer states that the commit
tee 'have already demonstrated their in
tention to apply the white-wash brush
whenever they can. Therefore, Il is safe
TO assume that very little viii be brought
out
Wrath Is Stirred.
There was more to stir the wrath of
the gentlemen Of the committee which
has got into the public prints, and the
committee was particularly exercised over
a letter that Mr.. Lilley had sent 20 the
of the Navy, Victor H. Metcalf,
last September which put Representative
Roberts, of Massachusetts, under suspi-
cion in these words:
"As for the attitude of the House to-
ward Mr. Roberts argument, nobody lis
tened to It when it was made. Among
the well-meaning members OF Congress
the Lake people have more friends be-
cause they never employed the methods
OF the Holland type people"
Mr.. LillAy disclaiRed responsibility for
the felepra "a or the letter 70 EoH Rofh