The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-03
EVIDENCE IN LILEY'SFAVOR Congressman's Private Secretary on Stand. UNDUE INFLUENCE USED Mir. Lilley coreets Statement of
 MT. Taylor. It Was Charged Yesterday Beforo Committee thst Mir. Loud Voted
 for Submarine BnI to stay
 in Congress.

Washington. April 2.-That an ak- torney of the Electric Boat Company was pressing and bearing down. upon a member of Congress in reference to submarine boat legislation. was the charge made today before the special committee of the House Investigating the charges against the Electric Boat Company.
 The charge was made by Frank Ledfnborough of Bay City, Mich. q State Senator, and former private sec retary to Congressman Loud of that State. who is a member of the House Committee on Naval Affairs. Mir. Edin- borough testified that the attorney In question was w D. Gordop. and that the member of Congress whdm he was pressing was Mir. Loud.
 Mir. Edinborough was not a willing witness and at first refused to answer certain questions on the ground that they were confidential, owing to the fact that he had been private secretary to Mir. Roud. but Mir. Soud released him from such obligations and he then told his story.
 Mir. Marlborough produced an anony- nous letter which, he said. he had re- ceived ;n Bay City on Feb. IT from Washington. D. C., stating that Mr. Loud had voted for the ef ,4Ts,Doo graft in the Naval Committees that the Hoi- land people had secured a prominent attorney to become a candidate for Congress against Mir. Loud. that hrr. Loud had finally agreed to vote for the submarine bill on condition that the attorney withdraw as a candidate.
 The other witnesses of the day were Silas l., Berger. former President of the Berger Sub-Surface Torpedo Boat Company, and August Treadweii. IT.. assistant secretary-T Treasurer of the Electric Boat Company. Both denied that their companies had used any Ina- proper influence to secure favorabls legfslation.
 Corrects statemens. Mir. Lilley made statement corr recting iVsrt Of the testimony given yesterday by Mr. Franklin Taylor. of l Waterbury. Conn. Tn this statement MT. Liiiey referred especially to Mr. Tayior's announcement concerning the | possible result of the committees in- quiry. On that point he said: "Mr. Taylor stated that he heard me say in the Waterbury Club before about a dozen gentlemen that I ex- pected an adverse report from the
 committee and that I would go on
 knew about submarines. His testi- mony differs only in the following par- ticular:
 While taking lunch at the Water
 bury Club some one present asked
 me what would happen if the com
 mittee reported adversely. It was at that moment. as remember. that
 MT. Taylor entered the room and he
 heard only my reply. which was that l In the event of an adverse report I
 would still have the privilege of mak- l ing an argument on the floor of the House to present my sfde Of the | case"
 Norman Johnson. of New York City. | general counsel for the Electric Com l pany, testified that he named the various lawyers who had been eFn- ployed by the company during the past five years and told the reasons for | heir employment. He denied that he had ever given instruction to any | counsel of the company to frame
 amendments to any pending legiala- | tion. He said that the company never
 had contributed cent to the political | expenses of any one nor had ever | tried to elect or defeat any capdidate | for Congress. August Treadwdll. Jr i, assistant secretary and assistant treas urer of the Electric Boat Company.
 made general and specific denials of | the charges against the company. The committee then adjourned.