Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-27
Representative Palmer I'm
personated in a TeIe-
phone Conversation.
SECRET TRICKERY SEEN
Lawyer LauterbaGh Denies He
Claimed to Have Influence
With congressman.

Washington, D. C., June 27.-Sub-
poenaes will be issued at once by the
senate lobby investigating committee
for Lewis Cass Ledyard and Paul d.
CTavath, New York attorneys and
David Lamar. a Wall street man. 70
appear next week in connection with
the investigation OF charges that
names of congressman were being
used 10 secure influence with financial
men. Ledyard and Cravath are said to
have additional information they are
willing 10 give the committee. Both
were referred TO by Chairman Lovett
OF the Union Pacific as recipients OF
telephone calls purported to come
from a congressman.
I'VE will go 70 the bottom Of this
thing" said Chairman Overman. The
committee will resume hearings next
week.
The story told by A. Mitchell Pal.
mer to the lobby committee last night
has astonished congressional circles.
Palmer testified that Ledyard had
been called repeatedly by a man who
represented himself TO be Palmer.
Mr.. Palmer swore that Lewis Cass
Ledyard, q New York attorney. had
told him OF repeated telephone con-
versations with a man purporting to
be Representative Palmer of Penn
sylvaDta," who said that he possessed
the confidence of leading democratic
legislators.
LOUTERBACH BROUGHT IN.
After many telephone talks, Mr..
Palmer said Mr.. Ledyard met Edward
Lauterbach. another New York .ats
= tofnby.>,Sii,EE&a supposed to repre-
sent the mysterious user OF the tcle-
phone. Lauterbach. he said, spoke Of
this persons influence with high Of
ficials in Washington, and named sew
eral
Mr.. Lauterbach later took the stand
and made a statement denying that he
had ever claimed to have influence
with congressman.
81 don't know people in Washing.
ton" he said. q don't know any OF
the people investigating things this
year"
Lauterbach explained his conversa-
he had talked with him about the al
legged interest of Representative Rior.
dan in his employment by the Union
Pacific railroad.
CALDED BY LEDYARD.
Mr.. Palmer took the stand at his
own request
I'm view OF the turn which your
hag A,- -.
Judge Lovetts testimony" he said
Il feel 1t my duty TO acQuaint you
with an experience of my own of thai
kind so that you might have the ben
eft OF IT, II you cared TO pursue thi:
branch OF the investigation deeply.
Early in February last, while wa!
at my home in Pennsylvania, / was
called to the telephone to answer
what my clerk said was a call from
New York. A voice at the other enc
OF the wire said: This is Mr.. Led
yard He spelled his name and saiC
he was Lewis Cass Ledyard and add
ed: You ought TO know, for you hav,
been talking with me over the tele
phone
81 said: You are very much mis-
taken, Mr.. Iedyard / have neve
seen you; have never spoken to you
directly or over the telephone, Of
had any communication with you. Yal
will have to explain yourself littl
further
TELLS OF CONSPIRACY.
He then went on TO say that II tha
was true there was a very strang
and remarkable conspiracy afoot, Il
which my name had been used, an
then he went on TO tell me what wa
TO me a very amazing story.
He said that he had been calle
On the telephone a short time befor
that by gentleman who, after som
hesitation about giving his name, sa!
ing that he was a representative
congress, finally said he was Repr,
tentative Palmer of Pennsylvania an
his person told Mr.. Ledyard that h
vas in position by reason of hi
membership in the house and his T,
lation with prominent members OF III
house TO be OF service to interest
which Mr.. Ledyard represented, eve
going so far as TO say. as | recall
hat he thought the money trust Il
vestigation report could be CO
trolled. that various investigation
then proceeding. both in congress an
In the courts, affecting large financi
interests In New York City, could
satisfactorily adjusted, and promisiI
most amazing results OF his effor
here in Washington. a
CHECK Up ON STRANGER.
"Mr. Ledyard detailed that conve
sation 10 me and during the next "