The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-17

a lew years ago, MT. Butter Sdiu llial a party of senators and members of the House were guests on tug boat to Wit less the experiments and that food and drink were furnished, which he supposed the boat company paid for.
 Ethics of Taking a Drink.
 q did not think any suspicion of brib- cry could be connected with asking member of Congress to take a drink, he added caustically He resented MT. Lilley's imputation that he was mem Der of an organized lobby and stated eni- phatically ne had been guilty of no. cor rupt practices. Upon leaving the stand, MT Butler said he would like to make another statement but feared it would be unparliamentary.
 C. E. Creecy of Washington, who said he was the principal attorney for the boat company from 1894 until 1903, denied that he had ever spent any money to il fuence government officials or members of Congress in favor of the boats and that he believed no one else had done so
 MT. Creeck saId the testimony of Ad- miral Dewey before the House naval com nittee that he could have taken his shlrs into Manila bay if he had two sub marines, had prompted him to draw up an amendment to the naval bill providing for twenty submarine boats. This amend ment was offered by Amos Cnmmins or New York, E. w. Creecy, a brother Of C. E. sCreecy, denied having had any connection with the Holland or Electric Boat company and after very brief ex- animation he was excused.
 McNeir's Denias.
 Charles S. McNeir of this city, an at torney for the Electric Boat company, stated that MT. Lley's charges regard ing a lobby so far as they referred to him were not correct He said that his Work was mostly before the navy department, but that on three occasions he had gone to see members of Congress regarding tha boats of his company. Once he called on Senator Ankeny of Washington to vol ,1nteer certain information regarding a resolution concerning submarine poa,s that the gentleman had introduced; an other time he called on Representative Humphrey of Washington, and still later he made visit to Representative kahn of California. MT. McNer pointed out to them the advantages to be obtained through the building of large number of e,,brnarines for the defense of the Pacific coast. of the company to influence the Juds- rnent of any member or congress.
 He explained the trips down the To .on,ac river to witness tests Of the sup
 
 raents were served during the trips, ny saving saving that they expected to be gone ali day. and they did not care to ask tbair guests to bring their luncheons "ith them. ~ 4h Lleetric
 MT. McNelr denied that the ,,,' Boat company maintained a press , D rea, for the purpose of sending out col, ored red or distorted stories He said tna' ,a' on inc advice of former Senator Butler of South Carolina, a series of articies nau been prepared. to be published ,irous. ,sane inc middle sections of the country "nei' tt,av never see boat, covering the ms tory of the submarine boats. Two o'hel articles. he said, had been prepared, anu he said that he had had the worK o9,l' by two newspaper friends. fraHk D had consisted largely in distributing al article written at the time of the dis aster to the French torpedo boat iaatin For period covering a year and hAi'