The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-16
Witness in Submarine Probe
Admits Being Actual Con
ductor of the In
quiry.
LlLLEY ONLY A MEDIUM
Counsel for Bridgeport Company
Avows Authorship Of Charges
and Questions Presented
by Congressman.

Washington April l5.--The Lake
Torpedo Boat Co. was placed In the
attitude Of prosecutor of the Electric
Boat Co. In the investigation now be-
Ing conducted by a special committee
of the house of representatives of
charges preferred against the Electric
company by Representative Lilley, of
Connecticut. This was brought out at
d todays session of the committee when
Abner r. Neff, the Washington repre-
sentative of the Lake company, and
former Senator John NJ Thurston,
general counsel of that company. adj
mitted that they had prepared most Of
the questions that had been submit
ted to the committee by MIR. Lllley to
be asked the witnesses for the Elec-
trio company as wei rs a number of
statements that Mr.. Lllley had pre-
sented to the committee. Mr. Neff
stated that the Lake company had
data in its possession from which he
framed large number of technical
questions that were asked the vari-
Gus witnesses, and that others had
been suggested to him by rumors
newspaper articles, etc. He said he
had conferred frequently with Mr..
Lilley in the preparation of these
questions and that Mr., Lilley had sug-
gested various lines along which he
wanted ouestn
wanted questions asked.
is II not true that substantially
all Of Mr.. Lilley's formal statements
/. to this committee have been prepared
either by you or after consultation
with you and Senator Thurston ?" ask
/ ed Mr. Howard,
n II should say that greater portion
\ of them had been"
is 1t not also true that substan-
y TALLY all the questions submitted by
!, Mr. Lllley to this committee to be
!. propounded to the various witnesses
have been prepared either by you and
Senator Thurston or after consulta-
tion between you with Mr.. Lilley?"
Practically so, yes Mr.. Neff said
he considered II his duty TO lend all
assistance possible to the clearing up
OF the submarine situation.
!. Mr.. Lilley at various times has sub
! mitted lists Of questions addressed to
\ the chairman OF the committee and
y signed by himself which has wound
up with the following statement.
mot being an attorney or having an
opportunity under the rules of the
\ committee to have any Of said witness.
h 81 examined by attorneys, / am unable
Ia ~ state more specifically the line of in.
j uiry / desire TO have pursued and the
6re sponsibiity of such examination
unjust remain as decided by the com.
emit ttee upon the members thereof"
Mfr. Thurston informed the commit
tee that all lists Of questions with thi!
eendlng had been dictated by him. HI
ftaleo said he had dictated the state
&ment Mr. Lilley presented to the com
Ixmittee on rules as we'll as a number o
other statements he had presented t
/the investigating committee.
NJ M Thurston told of luncheon Civ
zen ,at a hotel In this city by John C
NfLake, during the past Christmas holi
dSye at which the entire Connection
8delegaton of both houses and one o
1.-TWO other gentlemen were present. Th
lpurpose Of the luncheon, he said, wa
Ito discuss with this delegation tn
Nhuestion of having the delegation asl
F}lthe secretary of the navy to give tn
s8Lake company a chance under tn
naval appropriation bill of last yeai
$lIie said the members We're favorable t.
3tIcaling on the secretary with this pur
pose In view and that sometime i
s& &lJanuary a number Of them did go {
see him IN the interest of the LAX
as company. It Is under the provision
z lof this bill that the Lake company ha
L ilsecured the contract to build one boat
jno money to be paid It until the boa
demonstrates that 1t is the equal O
Il any submarine boat now owned or con
s. ltracted for by the United States gov
4 ernment.
a The hearings will be continued tc
], morrow.