Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-07
TRUST
QUIZ BOAST.
A BLUFF
Lauterbach Admits to Lobby Com
mittee He Claimed He Could
Block Inquiry.

WASHINGTON. July Edward
Lauterbach. a New York lawyer, to-
Gay confessed to the Overman lobby
investigating committee he had told
Lewis Cass Ledyard he was able to
prevent or to head off the Congress
sIonal investigation Of the Steel Trust
Severely grilled, Lauterbach was
forced to admit that, when he had
told Ledyard of coming TO Washing
ton ITO look over the situation" he
actually had seen no member Of the
House or Senate, nor any other Of
fetal He had learned that Presi.
dent Taft was opposed to the investi-
cation from Henry B. Martin, the
much talked about secretary Of the
Anti thrust League"
Calls Claim Exsggeration.
Then your statement to Ledyart
that you had ben to Washington ant
learned things that prompted you tc
say the investigation could be stop.
ped was falsehood ?" demanded Sen.
ator Reed.
1T was an exaggerauon." replied
Lauterbach.
Lauterbacn, when cornered az tC
the source OF his information abou,
inside matters" in Washington, each
time was forced TO admit that David
Lamar and Martin were his sole au
thority for his statements that Presi-
dent Taft did not want the investiga q
ton to proceed or that other high
officials were opposed to the investi-
cation.
Denies Posing as Power.
The witness declared that in his
conversation with Ledyard, February
s, 1912, he did not represent himself
either to have seen or TO have been
in the confidence of any member of
the Democratic party.
LauterbaCh declared he never had
known Lamar in seven years pur-
posely TO do a wrong thing. He be
came acquainted with Lamar in 1896
when litigation regarding the Man
haitian and PETERBOROUGH railway
lines In New York was pending, at
which time Lamar represented the
interests Of Russell Sage and II. H.
Rogers. He detailed several impor-
tant lawsuits in which he was en-
gagged as the result Of his introduce
tion to Rogers by Lamar.
Confirms Ledyard's Story.
Lauterbach also denied he calle7
Lamar a blackmailer during his talk
with Ledyard last year. Ledyard hai
testified before the committee that
Lauterbach said he did not represent
himself at that meeting as a repre-
sentative of any member Of the Dem
ocratic party. Lauterbach asserted
this was correct and that his remark
covered ali subjects.
The witness asserted he had never
discussed with Lamar the alleged for
gerry of $50 900, 600 in the books Of the
Union Pacific. He repeatedly assert
ed ne knew nothing of Lamar's i'm
presentations Of Congressman until nc
heard his testimony before the Over
man committee.
Lauterbach explained he engineer
ed the purchase Of a majority of the
stock Of the Tennessee Coal and Iron
Company by J. 7. Morgan during the
panic Of 1907, and that this panic
was engineered by the men who were
seeking to buy the Tennessee Coal
and Iron Company and that they
bought it much cheaper as a result
of the financial catacIysm they pre-
cipitated."
Explains Wall Street "PuII."
Lauterbach explained that it was
on account Of his knowledge Of the
Tennessee Coal and Iron deal that he
felt that he could influence Wal
Street with regard to the steel inves-
tigation.
Lauterbach knew Of the steel in
vestigation resolution before it was
introduced in the House. Lamar
showed it to him. Lauterbach pro
tested and went at once to tell Nor
gan about It.