The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-07-04
ADMITS CAREER OF FRAUD
WANTED TO AID HIS FRIEND.
Man Who Conceals His Real Name
Tells Lobby Probers of Imper-
sonating Congressman.


Washington, July "a story Of
misrepresentation, impersonation of
public men and organized effort to
influence Wall street financiers, prob
ably without parallel in the history
of congressional investigation, was
unfolded today before the senate
lobby committee.
A prosperous looking, self-pos-
| sessed individual, calling himself
David Lamar, of New York, self de-
scribed as an operator in stocks"
and admittedly the bearer OF several
assumed names, was the principal
in the remarkable session. With ell
tire abandon, arousing the commit
tee to laughter at times by his naive
admissions, he told of his imperson-
ations, his participation in attempts
TO influence Wall street operators,
In his association with Edward Lau-
terbach, New York lawyer, in ef-
forts to have Lauterbach retained
by the Morgan firm, the Union Pa
cific and other great interests TO
head off congressional activity in
Washington.
ASSUMED GUISE OF INCOMES.
He telephoned to financial men
and lawyers in the names of Repre-
sentative Palmer and Representative
Riordan. He assumed the guise Of
Chairman McCombs, of the demo
cratic national committee, to tele-
phone to Chairman Hilles, of the
republican national committee. Lew
is Cass Ledyard, of New Yo,k, coun-
sci for the Morgan firm, was one Of
his attempted victims. Mr. Ledyard
came to the witness stand today arm
ed with almost a verbatim account
of all the conversations held with
Lamar, who had represented him
self as Congressman Palmer. AS he
read the record of conversations, in
themselves unusual in their tones,
Lamar, sitting nearby, laughed and
nodded, saying, That's right" and
slapping his leg with apparent en-
| joyment.
The purpose of his impersonations.
Lamar contended, was to secure re-
instatement for his friend Lauter-
bach in the good graces of the Nor
gan firm. Members of the commit
tee tonight demanded that Lamar
remain in Washington for reappear-
ance tomorrow. Edward Lauter-
bach, who recently testified before
the committee, was recalled from
| L,
Henry b. Martin, a local man, who
has figured as head of the "anti-
trust league" also was subpoenaed
to appear.
PREPARED RESOLUTION.
Lamar declared he prepared the
resolution for the Stanley investi-
cation of the Steel trust; that it was
given to Martin, who gave it to Con-
gresham Stanley. Subsequently he
said IL was introduced in the house
with but few technical changes -
from its original form.
Lamar denied that there had been
an attempt at eXtorting money from
any OF the New York financial men
! Ihe story evolved during the day,
mainly through the Ledyard testi-
mony, indicated that the latter had
been to various members OF the Nor
gan firm to tell them OF the "steel
trust investigation resolution, which
Lamar had prepared; but that none
or the Morgan firm would pay any
attention to the matter or make any
effort to stop it,
Lamar paved the way for Lauter-
bach to call upon Ledyard. accord
ing to testimony given by Ledyard,
and corroborated by Lamar. In an
interview February 8, 1918, between
Ledyard and Lauterbach, the latter
declared he came direct from Sena.
tor Stone, who represented Speaker
clark, and that he had a proposal
10 make the Morgan interests for the
heading off of congressional activity
against the United States Steel cor
poration.
STONE nENroIrNrCI,C CrODy
Senator Stone took the stand be-
fore Ledyard had finished, and de
nounced the whole thing as a ma
licious fabrication" and a Common
lie" Members of the senate com
mittee agreed in the belief that II
was a fabrication and Lamar laugh
tngly clinched the matter by break
ing In and admitting there was no
truth in the allegations. He admit
ted that he had prepared the out
line OF the conditions that should be
submitted to the Steel CORPORATION
attorney, but he could give no expla.
nation Of his purpose except that the
whole thing was a farce
The story of how Ledyard had
Kept Lamar on the telephone time
after time until he could locate the
real Congressman Palmer in Wash.
inBton; how he had once succeeded
in getting Palmer over the long dis.
tance telephone when the bogus
Palmer" was on another phone and
how he had finally traced the imper.
senator to a telephone in Lamar's
apartments on Riverside Drive, held
the committe and spectators almost
dumbfounded for more than an hour
Dnnl II nrnunAh - - -