Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-13
STATEMENT
OF CHARGES
SUBMIT TED
CONGRESSMAN LlLLEY GOES
BEFORE COMMITTEE
BOAT COMPANIES ACCUSED OF
nuNpuE INFLUENCE"
Representative Makes Numerous Ae-
cusations Regarding Submarine
LeeisIatIon-Rribery Not
Among Allegations
.lLLEY HouNpEo IN CONGRESS

EILLEY HoUNoEo IN CONGRESS
ByAssociated Press.
wAsuINGTON March 1a.--'I have had a
very large number OF men shadOwtng me
since the submarine boat resolution was In
troduced,' said Congressman Liiley tonight
..one man has been standing near my door
daily I'm his Office building, and two more
usually at the entrances. Frequently nave
run into three sbadowers here,
s'At the hotel there have never been less
than three, so the house detective tells me-
The detective station at the house of rep
resentatives ssys there have been at least
six in there. l did not protest against rms
proceeding until they began to shadow 'he
members Of my family, and Major syiVes-
ter, tho chief of police here, told me ne
would have them arrested If SO desired
WASHINGTON, March l2.--lhe
special committee appointed by speak
er Cannon to investigate charses a,,e ila5ue
by Representative Lilley that unous
efforts have been made by the Blec-
trie Boat company to influence leSls-
lation resumed It's sittingS today Win
all five members of the committee pres
en;. and the spacious room IN Whlch
the committee met was well hlled Wlti
newspaper men and other interested
SPECTATORS.
AZ the opening of the session Mr.
Liiley addressed the committee, saying
he desired to correct the impression
that had been created by the report
oe the committee on rules TO the effect
that he had charged that members or
congress had been bribed.
He denied he had made such charges,
but said that up toethe present time
his accusations had been solely against
the Electric Boat company and its
predecessor, the Holland company,
ami had covered the point that these
companies made an effort to influence
legislation by congress. Mr.. Lilley
then read carefully prepared state
ment, receiving the closest attention of
all the members of the committee.
Declares His Purpose
MI. Lilley called the attention of the
committee to the fact that his charges
do not embrace the accusation or in
ference that any member of congress
had been actually brihed or knowingly
participated in, or had been influenced
by wrongful efforts on the part of the
Electric Boat company to SECURE leg
isiation. His purpose. he said, was
to set on foot and assist the carrying
out of an investigation which he be-
lieved, If properly conducted, would
slow that wrongful methods had been
used by the Electric Boat company to
secure legislation in congress.
Mr.. Lilley said he was not prepared
TO furnish the committee with the ad-
dresses of all witnesses whom he de-
sired to have called.
He said that whether money had
been improperly used to secure leg
islation 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 q careful scrutiny Of the companys S
be oks, vouchers, check stubs and ac-
coEntS.
Il now insist" said Mr.. LilIey, that
you summon as witnesses Isaac Rice
president of the Electric Boat COM
pany: Elihu B. Frost vice president;
Maurice Barnett. treasurer; August
Treadwell assistant treasurer, and
thot they be required to lay before the
committee documentary evidence in
thei. possession. The calling of these
witnesses is necessary by the closed
methods used by the company c Sc
cure legislation and money disbursed
by it.
Warning Not Advisable
~ never knew" continued Mr.. Lilley,
"oi an important and successful in
vestigation begun by notifying the
parties to be Investigated of the pre-
ci.se character of the evidence that
would or could be produced to show
their corrupt practices.
"And having informed the committee
of my responsibility as a member of
congress and of the Witnesses eX-
hibits, etc, and of whom can be OBJ
tanned the necessary information, 1T is
for this committee and not for me to
determine whether or not these wit
nesses shall be brought before the COM
mittee and examined.
"A conspiracy to corrupt public
morals or unjustly influence legislation
and official action cannot be proved by
the testimony of one Winess. These
practices are not conducted in open day
or In public view Their methods are
secret and the aim always is to so carry
on such an effort that no proof will be
left from which their real character an
be disclosed.
mot being an attorney, and not be-
ing in any way experienced in develop.
ing and presenting testimony, l am not
qualified in person to examine wit
nesses, and therefore I request that
he placed in a position TO develop the
facts. This request has been refused
by the committee"
Statement Under Oath
Mr.. Lilley's statement, under oath
was as follows:
II propose to show that for severa
years prior to the Lester investigation
the Holland Boat company and it's sue
cessor, the Electric Boat company
maintained in Washington an organize
lobby for the purp Sc of influencing
legislative appropriations in favor oi
the submarine boats built by that com
pany, and that it had under an annua
retainer C. Z. Creency, Gen. Epp1
Hunton, former United States Senator
Marion Butler, S. c. McNeir, DR.. W
r. Ker and others.
THAT for several years Elihu 3
Frost. vice president of said company
has been a continuous visitor at Wash
ington during congressional session:
and has spent large sums of money II
furnishing entertainment to member:
of congress, his expenses along this linz
amounting to thousands of dollars.
''That the senate amendment to the
Appropriation bill o. March 2, 1907, wa'
prepared and drafted by the attorney
for the Electric Boat company for the
purpose and with the intention to elm
mate competition in submarine con
struction and to prevent the secretary
of the navy from exercising any discre
tion in awarding contracts for sub
marines.
Large Sums Expended
THAT q thorough investigation by ar
impartial committee will show tha
.arge sums of money have been spen
by the Electric Boat company, its of
ficers or agents, contributed to cam
paign funds of members OF congress