Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-27

an effort to sell d gold brick to Wall street and how it was foiled was told in part to the senate lobby inves- tigating committee tonight at one of the most sensational producing ses- sions it has held in it's stormy career II was a tale of how influence was to be exerted in the seats of the mighty in Washington to prevent unfayorable investigations into the doings of the Street. of how law suits that the finan cial interests in New York wouldn't like were to be prevented and of how the gold brick seller was generally to protect the interest of the clients he sought in the political game in the capital
 Identity of Gold Brick Artist Not Dis
 closed.
 Representative A. Mitchell Palmer of Pennsylvania, one of the prominent democrats in the house, mentioned for secretary of war in the pre-inaugura- tion days and a close friend of the president. told the story, and Edward Lauter5ach. New York lawyer and Representative Daniel J. Riordan of New York gave the committee some light on its details.
 According to Mir. Palmer, Lewis Cass Ledyard another New York lawyer, was the man who was largely inStru-
 
 who proposed to do all these things in Washington was not given to the committee although MT. Palmer ac- knowledged that he had strong suS- picions of his identity.
 Palmer StartIes Committee.
 Representative A Mitchell Palmer of Pennsylvania startled the senate lobby investigating committee tonight by testifying that efforts had been made by some person. whose name he did not give. to create the impression in high financial circles in New York that he. Speaker Clark, Majority Lead CT Underwood and other prominent democrats could be influenced in 1egis- lative matters in a way that would please these interests.
 Mysterious Telephone Calls.
 MT. Palmer sWore that Lewis Cass Iedyard a New York attorney, had told him of repeated telephone conver- Sations with man purporting to be Representative Palmer of Pennsylva- mia" who said that he possessed the - confidence of the leading democratic legislators After many telephone calls, Nr. Palmer said, LedyaFd met Edward Lauterbach, another New York a,ttor- ney. who was supposed to represent the mysterious user of the telephone. Lauterbach, he said. spoke of this per- sons influence with high officials in Washington and named several.
 Lauterbach Makes Deniais.
 MT. Lauterbach later took the stand and made a statement denying that he had ever claimed to have influence with congressman.
 T don't know people in Washing ton" he said
 T don't know any of the people in- ~estigating things this year.
 Lauterbach explained his conversa- tion with Mir Ledyard by saying that A. h-sG -a11 -<<1 171~r a7z f5,e al leged interest of Congressman Riordan fn his employment by the Union Pa cific railroad
 Representative Palmer took the stand at his own request.
 Palrner's Testimony.
 Tn view of the turn which your in- Testigation has taken by reason of Judge Lovetts testimony" he said, T felt it my duty to acquaint you with an experience of my own of that kind so that you might have the benefit if you cared to pursue this branch of the investigation deeply.
 Early in February last, while I was Rt my home in Pennsylvania, l was called to the telephone to answer what my clerk said was a call from New York A voice at the other end of the wire said This is MT. Ledyard.'
 T said WhoT
 He said -Br. Lefyard,
 T told him Spell it.
 He spelled his name and said he vas Lewis Cass Ledyard. and added; |1ou ought to know, for you have been talking with me over the te1ephone.'
 Said it Was Mir. Ledyard.
 '1 said '1oa are very much mis- taksa, AiF, LedyaFd, I have never seen yeu. , have never spoken te you. di- recffs CT ever the telephone. OF had any communication with you. You will ha%e te explain yourself il little further
 PaInaerss Name Used.
 He then went on to say that if that was true there was very strange and remarkable conspiracy afoot ir which my name had been used. and he then went on to tell me what was to me very amazing story.
 He said that he had been called on the telephone a short time before that by gentleman who after some hesf- taiion about giving his name, saying that he was 9 representative in con- gTeSs. finally said he was Representa- tive Palmer of Pennsylvania and this person told Mir. Ledyard that he was in a position by reason of his member ship in the house and his relation with prominent members of the house to be of service fo interests which Mir Led yard represented, even going so far as to sar, as l recall if, that he thought the money trust investigation report could be controlled, that various in- NeStigauons then proceeding, both in congress and in the courts, affecting large financial interests in New York city, could be satisfactorily adjusted and promising most amazing results of his efforts here in Washington.
 Other Telephone Conversations.
 -.ss-. Ledyard detailed that conver- Eaficn fo me and during the next two or. three days he had perhaps 8 half dozen other telephone converse tiona with the same person, in which this person went Into even greater detail nSout how and why he was in q posi- ton to grant legislative feYors.
 After each of these telephone con- v~rsnsiora that Sir. Ledyard had with thls party over the wire in New York, Afr. Le6ya-d called me on the telephone and repeated them to me. for the double purpose of having evidence a. hand that it was an iB1personaton. that 1 was actually at that time many Mzles away from New York, and also ks sequaint me with the proceedins,