The Mena weekly star., 1908-03-19
.BOAT COMPANY INQUIRY
House Committee Begins Investiga- tion of Charges Against Manu-
 lecturers of Submarines.
REPRESENTATIVE LLLtrS STATEMENT
The Connecticut Congressman Ex- plains the Charges and His Altitude Concerning Them to the Committee --His Request That Certain Witness es Be Summoned Refused.

Washington, Mar. 13.-The special l committee appointed by Speaker Can non to investigate the charges made l by Representative Lilley that undue efforts have been made by the Electric Boat company to influence legislation resumed it's sittings Thursday with all the five members of the committed present and the spacious room in l which the committee is sitting well l filled with newspaper men and other interested spectators.
 At the opening of the session MT. | Lilley addressed the committee say | ing that he desired to correct the i'm | pression that had been created by the report of the committee on rules to l the effect that he had charged that members of congress had been bribed. 1 He denied that he had made such | charges, but said that up to the pres ent time his accusations have been solely against the Electric Boat com pany and it's predecessors, the Hol- land company, and had covered the point that these companies had made an effort to influence legislation by congress.
 MT Lilley then read a carefully pre- pared statement, receiving the clos est attention from all membehs of the committee.
 MT. Lilley's statement was in part IS follows:
 MT. Lilley called the attention of the committee to the fact that his charges io not embrace the accusation or in- ference that any member of congress had been actually bribed or knowing ly had participated in or been in auenced by wrongful efforts on the part of the Electric Boat company to secure legislation. His purpose, he said. was to set on foot and assist the carrying out of an investigation, which he believed If properly conducted would show that wrongful methods had been used by the Electric Boat company to secure legislation in con gress. MT. Lilley said he was now prepared to furnish the committee with the addresses of all witnesses whom he desired to have called. He said that whether or not money had been improperly used to secure legis- lation in the interest of the Electric Boat company could be shown only by the examination of the officers, at torneys and agents of that company and careful scrutiny of the com pany's books. vouchers, checkstubs and other accounts.
 q now insist" said MT Lilley, that you summon as witnesses Isaac s. Rice, president of the Electric Boat company; Elihu B. Frost, vice presi- dent; Maurice Barnett, treasurer; August Treadwell, assistant treasurer and that they be required to lay be- fore the committee documentary evil denee in their possession. The call ing of these witnesses is necessary to disclose methods used by the com pany to secure legislation and money disbursed by 1t"
 This request being denied by the committee through Chairman Boutell, Mir Lilley said:
 T now feel that I am relieved from any responsibility of this investigation and as an individual l submit mysen to the direction and orders of this committee l still protest that it would be detrimental to a thorough in vestlgation to have my testimony talk en at this time, for by so doing you uI Ixyfc ha oh, | fI improper actions in influencing con gressional action in such a manner as would enable them to prepare for possible defeat of the purposes of the investigation. I now waive ser vice of summons, and if you now or der me to do so, will take the stand as a witness"
 When Mir. Lilley came to the first stopping point. at which time he in. dicated a desire to know the wishes of the committee in the matter of summoning witnesses. he stopped for a response and was told by Chairman Boutell that under it's instructions the business of the committee must neees- sarily be confined to the conducting of an investigation. The members of the committee, he said. were not there as prosecutors, nor would they permit Mir Lilley to assume the role of prosecutor Witnesses would be called, as the necessity for their pres. ence was developed by the progress of the inquiry.
 After reading another paragraph. in which he expressed his willingness to submit to the will of the commit tee, Mir, Lilley suspended his state ment long enough to be sworn and then proceeded under oath. Before he went on, however. the chairman announced that Mir. olmstead one of i the members of the committee. would | ask whatever questions might bs ne. | cessary in the conduct Of the invesu | gation.
 Mir Lilley's statement under oath substantiated his charges.
 
 r.tt. I