The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-13
LILLEY LIFTS
 LID OF LOBBY Tells Committee What
 He Knows. CAPTAIN ROBSON A WITNESS Submarine Boat Contracts Become
 a Scandal. lawyer to Examine Witnesses is De- nied by Chairman Bcuteii But investigators Probe fate
 the Affair.

yv..h,neton. March i2.4The Liiley submarine boat inquiry was begun m earnest today by special House Com mittee. Beginning at 10 ocsocH. .ne Committee continued its worh uuihe the greater part of the day.
 Representative Lilley was heard ~ length. He began his testimony oy reading a long typewritten statement: a part of which was. In the mature oA an af9idavit, in which he outlined ms charges in detail When ne nao com nIated this formal presentation, he was questioned at length by Representa- tive olmsted of the Committee who was designated by Chairman Boutell to per- form the service.
 During the afternoon session, Rep resentative Richmond P. Robson testi- fled that he had been approacnea py . man representing the Electric boat Company who told him that if he would support the claims of that company be- fore Congress, the company could bring influence upon Speaker Cannon 70 nave him (Hobson) appointed on the Com mittee on Naval Affairs.
 At the suggestion of Chairman Bou- fell. the names of attorneys represent ing interested parties were entered on
 Mr. LiIIey introduced Frank T. Brown of Norwich, and State Senator Stiles Judson of Bridgeport. Conn, as his counsel. Martin W. Littieton Of New York announced that John D. Lind say, also of New York, and himself represented the Electric Boat Com
 Tn reply to one of Mir. olmsted's questions. Mir. LilIey said the Electric Boat Company had no plant and no assets. it's only business being to se- cure contracts for boats and then sub- I IAt k1o fra Rf
 CorrectIon by Olmsted.
 Concerning Mir. Lilley's assertion in his prepared statement that no report had been made to the House of the investigation of the Lessler charges by the Naval Committee, MT. Olrnsted called his attention to the fact that such a report had been made and said that it had shown that representatives of the Holland Company had made im-1 proper overtures to member of Con- gress.
 Mir. LIIley gave the names of the Connecticut manufacturers and the at- torney who had asked him. according to his statement to vote for an appro- priation for submarine boat legislation. The manufacturers, he said, were Franklin H. Taylor of Waterbury and Charles Perry of the Bridgeport Brass Company; the attorney was John q. Kellogg of Waterbury.
 Mfr. Lilley said that Mir. Kellogg. the attorney for the Electric Boat Com- pany made an appointment for Mir. Perry with Mir. Liliey but Mir. Kellogg was not present at the interview. At a previous visit Mr., Lilley said. Mfr. Kellogg handed him a written form of the provision that would probably be offered in the Naval Committee while preparing the naval bill of the last session. It was offered. he said, but he did not remember by whom. It was Mr. Lilley's impression that he sup ported that resolution. It was for open legislation, he said, leaving the letting of contracts with the depart ment. The one submitted this year shut out any possibility of competition.
 Mfr. Lilley said that the representa- tive whom he claimed had been ap- preached by,a member of the Electric Boat Company with a proposition to get him on the Naval Affairs Commit tee. if he would favor the submarine legislation was Captain Richmond P. Hobson. He said that Captain Hobson was willing to testify and give the name of the man who approached him.
 MT. Lilley said 1t was his under standing that there was an agreement between the Electric Boat Company and Vickers Sons and Maxim of Eng land. who are building English subma- rine boats, whereby all the improve ments made by the Electric Company
  pany. but under which all of the im- provements made by Vickers' Sons and Maxim are not Given to the Electric Company.
 For Open Legislation.
 Mir. Lilley said he had been ap- preached by representative of the Lake Boat Company who asked him if he would stand for open legisIation, meaning that If any appropriation was made 1t should be left so that all the people could have a fair chance to ob- tain the business.
 Mfr. Ltlley said he would stand for open legislation. Later he was asked by an agent of the Lake Company if he would offer a substitute resolution leaving the appropriation to be ex- pended in the regular way by the sec- retary of the Navy.
 T said" continued MT. Lilley. 'I did not care to offer the substitute resolu- tion. I do not think submarines are of much account. but if we are going to have them certainly will vote for open legislation.''
 was theNnotion offered in Commit tee?" asked Mir. olmsted.
 No, he took 1t to the wrong man" replied Mir. Lilley.
 The man was predestined to vote for the Electric Boat Company" sug- gested Mir. Olmsted.
 MT. Lilley said he thought the name or the Lake company agent who saw him was Neff.
 Concerning the proceedings in com mittee. MT. Lilley said Mir. Padgett tried to have an amendment attach- ed to the provision offered by Mr Loudenslager, removing the part that prevented competition. Mir. Lilley said he voted for that amendment but 1t did not carry. Mir. Louden- slager's provision was adopted. he said. When MT. Loudenslager finished reading his amendment, Captain Hob son said: That means Holland. doesn't it?" According to MT. Lilley, Mfr. Louden- slager replied "Yes. in effect" ''The Loudenslager amendment" MT. | Lilley said. was typewritten and look l ed very familiar to me. remembering l back a year or two when l had one passed up to me as it had been drawn | outside of the naval committee"