The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-07-11
GRAND JURY BEGINS
CASE AGAINST LAMAR
, Lewis Cass Ledyard Tells How
lie Trapped the SO-Called
Wall Street Wolf.
LAUTERBACH NOT HEARD
Criminal Proceedings Based on
Law Against Personating
Federal Officer.

Tho Government took the first steps
,e.,crday in the prosecution OF David
/ smar. the seif-confessed associate Of
: Edward Lauterbach in campaigns OF
deeep,ion and trickery. The Federal
crand Jury began the inquiry which
United states District Attorney Mar
shall purposes to use as the ground
work for a criminal indictment against
Lamar.
I.auterbach will not be called as a
witness. The procedure In Federal and
state prosecutions does not permit Of
calling witnesses who may themselves
he prosecuted. Mr.. Marshall was asked
~ atty II the Federal authorities in
tended to prepare criminal case
against Lauterbach.
You have read the report Of the
testimony before the Senate commits
tee" said the District Attorney. my
Office does not permit roe to discuss our
plans as regards Lauterbach. In any
event. We shall not require his testi-
mony."
Lewis Case Leayara T<sttAes.
The only witness before the Grand
Jury at this first session was Lewis
Cass Ledyard. the lawyer and long time
friend and adviser Of the house Of
Morgan. 1t was Mr.. Ledyard who ex-
posed before the Overman lobby In
vestigating committee the tactics OF
AA tn nh ra1
voluntarily before the Grand Jury yes.
terday. and occupied three hours In
describing how Lamar had personated
Representative A. Mitchell Palmer OF
peunsylvania and Representative Dan.
iel J. Riordan Of this city. and in tell.
ing what part Lauterbach had played
In the intrigue.
He testified that he had suspected
from the start that Lamar was per.
sonating legislators. and that he had
made record Of various conversationa
ne had over the phone with the per-
son who represented himself to BE- Mr.
Palmer or Mr.. Riordan. M. Ledyard
produced the notes Of these conversa-
tions and Of his experiences He told
the Grand Jury how the man pretend.
ing to be Mr. Palmer had sugGested
that Edward Lauterbach should be con.
suited by representatives Of the Nor
gan Arm in order to prevent friction
with the new Administration. He gave
in detail also the story Of how Lamar
personated Representative Riordan. nd
he said that the telephone calls from
the bogus Riordan followed or were
contempOraneous with the appearance
Of Edward I.auterbach at the Office OF
j p Morgan 4 Co. with offers Of as.
sistance.
How lie Trapped Lamar.
A particularly interesting part OF Mr.
I.edyard's testimony was his description
OF how he trapped Lamar and satisfied
himself Of the identity Of the man VIII,
was pretending to be this or that law
maker and always recOmmenGn
I.auterbach an a fixer. Mr.. I-edyard hsi
two telephones in his home. ON tn,
night Of February 8. while "Mr. r.
Lamar in the gulse Of Representativ,
Pamer) was calling On>the listed phone
Mr.. Ledyard asked the Lcnox exchang,
over his private wire to trace the sourc
of the call over the listed phone. Th,
report came back quickly that the cal
came from 53s7 Riverside. a phone IL
the name OF "Marie Lamar
AT the close Of the testimony by Mr
Ledyard the Grand Jurors thanked hin
cordially for appearing. To-day the wit
ne~es will be Paul ID. Cravath. will
whom Lamar held at least on
anonymous telephone conversation
Representative Palmer Of Pennsylvani
and Representative Riordan.
Legal Basis Of Proceediass.
District Attorney Marshall is proceed
ins in the Lamar prosecution unde
Section 80 Of the United States Crimina
lode. the section which fxes punish
meet Of not more than 1000 fine o
not more than three years imprisOn
ment. or both. for pretending to be al
officer or employee OF the United State
Government. The Federal District At
torney has convinced himself after al
Examination Of the precedents that
Congressman il a Federal OfYicer or en-
ployee within the meaning OF tn
statute.
Section 80 makes no mention OF con
spiracy in pretending to be q Fedora
officer or employee. SO that the Distric
Attorney has not yet decided how other
Than Lamar can be prosecuted. He be
lieves. however. that he will have it'll
trouble in finding q statute available TO
case or two he has In mind.
The Grand Jury took up the Lama
case yesterday with more than tn
usual amount Of secrecy. 1t was no
until the late afternoon that 1t becam
known that the Government had &C
'ialIy moved against Lamar.