Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-07
TRUST
QUIZ BOAST
4 BLUFF
Lauterbach Admits to Lobby Com
mittee He Claimed He Could
Block Inquiry.

WASHINGTON. July Edward
Lauterbach. a New York lawyer, to-
day confessed to the Overman lobby
investigating committee he had told
Lewis Cass Ledyard he was able to
prevent or to head off the Congress
slonal investigation of the Steel Trust
Severely grilled, Lauterbach was
forced to admit that. when he had
told Ledyard OF coming to Washing
ton TO look over the situation" he
actually had seen no member OF the
House or Senate, nor any other Of
fetal He had learned that Presi-
dent Taft was opposed to the investi-
cation from Henry B. Martin, the
much-talked- about secretary of the
anti Trust League"
Calls Claim Exasseration.
Then your statement to Ledyard
that you had ben to Washington and
learned things that prompted you to
say the investigation could be stop
ped was falsehood?" demanded SEN
ator Reed
TT was an exaggeration," replied
Lauterbach.
Lauterbacn, when cornered as to
the source Of his information about
inside matters" in Washington, each
time was forced TO admit that David
Lamar and Martin were his sole au-
thority for his statements that Presi- !
dent Taft did not want the investiga-
ton to proceed or that other high |
officials were opposed to the investi- |
cation.
Denies Posing as Power.
The witness declared that in his !
conversation with Ledyard, February
6, 1912, he did not represent himself ]
either to have seen or to have been !
in the confidence of any member of |
the Democratic party.
IAuterbach declared he never had |
posely to do wrong thing. He be-
came acquainted with Lamar in 1895 |
when litigation regarding the Man
haitian and marlborough railway |
lines in New York was pending, at !
which time Lamar represented the !
interests Of Russell Sage and H II.
Rogers He detailed several impor-
tant lawsuits in which he was en-
gagged as the result Of his introduc- |
ton to Rogers by Lamar
Confirms Ledyard's Story.
LauterbaCh also denied he called !
Lamar a blackmailer during his talk |
with Ledyard last year. Ledyard had
testified before the committee that |
Lauterbach said he did not represent |
himself at that meeting as a repre-
sentative of any member Of the Dem
ocratic party. Lauterbach asserted /
this was correct and that his remark |
covered all subjects.
The witness asserted he had never |
discussed with Lamar the alleged for /
gerry of $50, GOO. 600 in the books Of the |
Union Pacific. He repeatedly assert
ed he knew nothing Of Lamar's i'm !
presentations of Congressman until he /
heard his testimony before the Over /
man committee.
I.auterbach explained he engineer |
ed the purchase Of majority of the !
stock of the Tennessee Coal and Iron !
Company by J. 2. Morgan during the |
panic Of 1907, and that this panic !
was engineered By the men who were
seeking to buy the Tennessee Coal !
and Iron Company and that they !
bought It much cheaper as a result |
of the financial cataclysm they pre-
cipitated."
Explains Wall Street pull"
Lauterbach explained that 1t was |
on account Of his knowledge Of the !
Tennessee Coal and Iron deal that he |
felt that he could influence Wall |
Street with regard to the steel inyes-
LEGATION.
Lauterbach knew OF the steel in
vestigation resolution before it was 1
introduced in the House. Lamar |
showed 1t to him. Lauterbach pro- !
tested and went at once to tell Nor
gan about it.