The sun., 1908-03-18
SPEARS TALKS With HOBSON
DIDN'T REFER TO SPEAhER
CANNON. ASSERTS SPEAR.
4 Mr.. Lynch Now Enters into the sub
marine boat Investigation Frank u.
Lord Declares That Nlr. Llllcys Denials
OF an Interview Are wholly Untrue.

marine boat Investigation Frank u.
Lord Declares That Mr. Lillcys Denials
OF an Interview Are wholly Untrue.
WASHINGTON, March Continuing its
investigation Of the charges OF evil intiu-
ence exerted by the Electric Boat Com
pany in submarine legislation the Horse
Naval committee had Lawrence Spear on
the witness stand to-day. He is general
manager and naval architect OF the klec-
tric Boat Company and he Ia the former
classmate and fellow officer IN naval
construction corps Of Representative lAch-
mond Pearson Hobson.
Representative Hobson had testified that
Mr.. Spear had volunteered to Use the in
fluence Of his company with Speaker Cam
non to get Hobson on the Naval committee
Mr.. Spear said he had known MIR. Hob7on
twenty-five years. Nice-Presldent Frost OF
tho Electric Boat Company had sent him
to see Hobson.
II seems that Mr. Frost had been seen
by n man named Lynch, who represented
himself as a newspaper correspondent.
Mr.. Spear did not know anything further
about Lynch but this Mr.. Lynch had tod
Mr.. Frost that he Lynch had influence
over Mr.. Hobson. Mr.. Lynch had, suppos-
edly. spoken good word 20 Mr., Hobson
for Mr.. Frost's s submarines. To all this
Mr. Frost had responded, according to Mr.
Spears TESTIMONY that it was wrong OF
Mr. Lynch to put the boat company in such
a position. Possibly Mr. Hobson might
think that Mr. Lynch had been authorized
TO speak to him for the boat company,
which would make bad impression SO
it was to clear away false impressions that
Mr. Spear had sought Mir Hobson
Mr.. Olmsted Of the committee led the
witness up 10 the telephone conversation
reported by Mr. iobson as having passed
between himself and Mr.. Spear. Mr..
Spear was also asked about a letter he had
written Mr., Hobson prior to the telephone
talk and in which he had referred to the
subject matter Of a desired Interview as
one Of mutual interest
Mr.. Spear acknowledged having written
such a letter and said he had received no
reply.
In regard TO the telephone conversation
the witness said Mr.. Hobson had called him
no and had told him that il was necessary
for him to see him regarding submarines
Mr.. Spear had inquired whether MI. Hobson
exDectad TO be appointed to the Naval
COMMITTEES and Mr. Hobson had said he was
n candidate, Mr.. Spear said he would be
glad 10 help him in any way he could and
Mir. Hobson had replied that nc did not want
help that IL would inlure him to have any
influence Of the company eNerted IN his
behalf.
out 10 MIR. Hobson any suggestion that he
could assist MIR. Hobson in securing assign
ment to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
NIr. Spear told the committee that he had
no influence with Speaker Cannon, that he
had never had any correspondence with
him. and in fact had not to his knowledge
ever seen the Speaker
Frank b. Lord, a newspaper writers
appeared voluntarily as witness with the
view Of clearing himself Of the charge
made by MIR. Lilley that he had been in the
employ Of the Electric Boat Company as
n publicity agent. A particular point OF
issue was an interview which Mr. Lord
caused 10 be published in which Mr.. Lilley
was quoted as saying that Representative
sherman Of New York and Representative
Criggs OF Georgia, the first Republican
and the second a Democrat. were under the
influence OF the Electric Boat Company.
Mr.. Lilley denied positively making the
statement and had repudiated the inter-
view Mr. Lord reafiirmed his testimony
that Mr.. Lllley told him precisely what he
had written, and he added with emphasis
that Mr.. Lilley's subsequent dcnials were
wholly untrue.
Mr.. Lord was asked II he had made state
ment to the committee Of the press gallery
at the Capitol that he had received $500 for
work from the Electric Boat Company.
also il he had told his newspaper bureau
chief, when first accused by Mr.. lilley.
that he had never been In the employ Of
the Electric Boat Company and had never
received "a cent from that company
Mr.. Lord replied that he had made both
statements and that both we're true. The
press gallery committee, hesaid hadquizzed
him about what he called the jules Verne
articles that he had prepared for his per-
sonal friend, Mr. McNeir, Wnshingt ton
representative Of the Electric Boat Com
pany. This work, he said. was purely
literary, referring 10 the possibilities OF
submarine navigation.
Mr.. Lord declared that he had never
been employed TO write current news about
submarine development or on legislative
matters relating 10 IT, Nothing that he
had published in any newspaper that had
employed him as a correspondent had
= q 4 -