Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-02
.L|LLEY DEFENDS
COURSE OF ACTION
Gives Out Statement on So Called
Submarine Boat Scan
dial investigation.
QUOTES IMPORTANT LETTERS
Declares He Has Not Now and Never
Did Have Any Interest In Any
Submarine Torpcdoboats.

Waterbury, Con-, June 2.--Cougress-
man George l., Liley. whose resolution
and charges in connection with the So
called submarine boat scandal resulting
last week in a severe scoring OF the
congressman by the Boutell Investigate
ing committee. today gave statement,
on the subject Incorporated in the
statement are letters which declare that
two weeks before the report of the
committee denouncing Mr. Lilley was
made, Mr. Boutell expressed admira-
tion for Lilley and endeavored to eff
feet an agreement whereby the matter
under investigation might be compro-
missed The letter In which this allega-
ton is made is signed IF. w. Reisinger.
NJ D. and was addressed to Mr.. Lilley
after the doctor had called upon Mr.
Boutell to explain that Congressman
lilley's physical condition necessitated
his leaving the city. The letter adds
that when the proposition Of "a compro-
mise was carried to Mr.. Lllley by DR..
f. w. Reisinger, the congressman re-
piled that he would rather die than
withdraw the charges which he knew
were honest and square. In concluding
his statement, Congressman Lilley
says;
CONSTITUTING CHARGES
"A suggestion that member of the
house has been annoyed by importuni-
ties of the Electric Boat company's rep
resentative cannot rightfully be con-
struod as charge against the MEM
Der A request that the committee as
certain by partial investigation
~lNsltl NaIs
of the Electric Boat company had in
duenced congressional action is not In
my judgment. charge against MEM
bers of the house | believed and still
believe, that the Electric Boat COM
pany has received excessive profit In
the sale of submarine boats to the L. s.
government That belief has been
strengthened by the testimony given
at the committee by responsible per-
son that he would take a contract fol
the construction Of submarines at the
price which | mentioned as giving lib
eral profit to the contractor Whether
the conclusion of the committee in this
particular we're justified or not, l leave
to the public to judge.
LILLEY is HONEST.
Conscious of the honesty of my
motives and having information OF the
lbtNS lntnllpNeC III tnt letter moor
porated In this paper, and having
learned from my counsel that MEM
Der of the committe had said to him
in the presence of other members ana
without any dissent on their part that
the committee had no doubt of my SIM
cerity, and knowing that the state
ments to my physician and counsel
were made near the close of the hear
Ing and after | had concluded my tes-
. linz t-s.t lNGrs
dition, on learning the committees con-
illusions was stupeficatlon.
II present this statement of my posi-
ton without any elaboration of de-
tails and with the renewed express
sion of my gratitude to the public that
has so generously accorded me its con-
fidence--a confidence which ! hope L
have deserved, and shall never for
felt"
NO INTEREST IN BOATS.
Mr.. Lilley declares IN his statement
that he has not now and never did
have any interest in any company : J
structing or selling submaricn torpedo
boats: that he has not and Nc ~ has
had any utilization with persons inter-
ested in the construction on sale OF
submarine torpedo boats.
| reiterate here" the statement con-
Ireiterate here" the statement con-
tinues, that my motive in introducing
my resolution calling for an investiga
ton was the pubic welfare and that
don't act In concert with other persons.
II is true that the Immediate moving
cause of my act was my conviction that
the appropriation Hill az framed in the
naval committee would so restrict the
powers of the secretary OF the navy
that he would be compelled to purchase
submarine boats Of the Electric Boat
company to the destruction OF compete
ton and to the disadvantage of the gov
eminent. My belief that the methods
employed by the Electric Boat company
warranted investigation, was of long
standing.
against the presumption OF honesty
and my own direct testimony ana that
of the representatives Of the Lake Tor
pedo Boat company there was no direct
evidence. In the minds of the commit
tee, however, all these were outweiShed
bv certain circumstances which the
committee incorporated in the report
strung together on chronological
thread. They are. ] believe, inlsgniii-
cant individually. and In the aggregate.
/ believed, and | still s)eleve, that the
thing of consequence TO the committee
was the answers brought up by the
questions aud not the origin OF the
questions themselves. ! am not at
tempting AT this time TO defend myself
against charge Of faulty judgment ]
would say. however, that | have been
Informed by counsel that II he had been
permitted 10 examine witnesses I'm the
ordinary way, he would have gone d.
rectly TO representatives. OF the Lake
Torpedo Buat company as an obvious
source OF information and have asked
them 10 put him NJ on additional lines
OF inquiry; that If he had failed TO