Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-27
LOBBY COMMITTEE TO
CALL GREAT COUNSEL
CONTINUED from FIRST psseo

CONTINUED from First PaEe.)
dap are the only congressman whose
names have thus far been given as
having been impersonated over the
telephone.
Mr.. Palmer before the committee
last night swore that Mr.. Ledyard
had told him of repeated telephone
conversations with a man purporting
to be Representative Palmer, of
Pennsylvania" who said that he
possessed the confidence of leading
Democratic legislators, After many
telephone talks, Mr.. Palmer said
Ledyard met Edward Lauterbach. an
other New York attorney. who was
supposed to represent the mysterious
user of the telephone. Lauterbach,
he said. spoke of this persons infu-
ence with high officials in Washing
ton and named several.
Mr.. Lauterbach's Denial.
Mr.. Lauterbach later took the stand
and made a statement denying that
he had ever claimed to have infiu-
ence with congressman.
Representative Palmer took the
stand at his own request.
I'm view of the turn which your
investigation has taken by reason of
Judge Lovett's testimony he said
| II felt 1t my duty to acquaint you
with an experience of my own, of
that kind so that you might have the
benefit of it If you cared to pursue
this branch of the investigation
deeply.
Early In February last while 1
was at my home in Pennsylvania 1
was called to the telephone. to an
swer what my clerk said was call
] from New York. voice at the other
end of the wire said. This is Mr.
fLedyard.'
He spelled his name and said he
Was Lewis Cass Ledyard, and added,
You ought to know, for you have
beon talking with me over the tele-
phone.'
IT said, You are very much mis-
taken, Mr.. Ledyard. I have never
seen you, have never spoken to you,
| directly or over the telephone. or had
any communication with you. You
will have to explain yourself little
further
Scented a Conspiracy.
/ HE then went on to say that il
| that was true, there was very
! strange and remarkable conspiracy
on foot, In which my name had been
used, and he then went on to tell
me what was to me very amazing
story.
Ole said that he had been called on
| the telephone short time before that
! by a gentleman who after some hest
| tation about giving his name, saying
| that he was a representative in Con-
gress, finally said he was Repre-
sentative Palmer. OF Pennsylvania,
and this person told Mr.. Ledyard
that he was in position. by reason
of his membership in the House. and
his relation with prominent members
of the House, to be of service to in
terests which Mr.. Ledyard represent
ed, even going so far as to say, as
l recall it, that he thought the money
| trust investigation report could be
controlled, that various investiga-
tions then proceeding, both in Con-
gress and in the courts, affecting
large financial interests in New York
| city. could be satisfactorily adjusted,
and promising most q amazing results
of his efforts here In Washington.
Mr. Ledyard detailed that CONVEX
1 sation to me, and during the next
/, two or three days he had perhaps a
half dozen other telephone CONVERSE
tons with the same person. in which
| this person went into even greater
1 -
in a position TO grant legislative fa-
/ vors.
after each of these telephone con-
versations that Mr.. Iedyard had with
this party over the wire in New York,
Mr. Ledyard called me on the tele-
phone and repeated them to me. for
| the double purpose of having evil
| dence at hand that It was an imper-
sonation, that / was actually at that
! time many miles away from New
York. and also to acquaint me wills
| the proceeding, thinking that perhaps
as a member of the House l ought
| to know about 1t.
Mr. Ledyard endeayored to get .
personal interview with the man. He
! fought shy of that, saying, as / recol-
| lecI IL, lfdl no BOOu WOuiu NC AWFUL
plished from personal interview
with him. but promised to see him
later, and even went so far as to
| declare that in the next day or so hd
was obliged to be in Bethlehem,
which is in my district, so that he
could not meet Mr.. Ledyard at an
hour that Mr.. Ledyard suggested fol
conference.
"Mr. Ledyard, through the tele-
phone company, and l think through
! various other agencies, made very
earnest effort to locate the person
who talked with him over the tele-
phone. The best he could do was to
trace the telephone calls, and he
traced them to a place which salts