Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-02
"WULF OF WALL ST."
placed ON TRIAL
DAVID LAMAR ON TRIAL
FOR IMPERSoNATING A
CONGRESSMAN.
Mitchell PALMER TESTIFIED
Denied That He Ever Talked
With Lewis Cass Ledyard
About Steel Trust.

Nj EN YORK; Dec. Testimony
~ by Louis Cass Ledyard and
representative A. Mitchell Palmer OF
Pennsy yNania today regarding tele-
phonic conversations dealing with the
United states Steel Corporation and
j. +. Morgan, was the principal de
yelopment in the trial Of David Lamar
in the federal district court here on
the charge OF impersonating Repre-
sentative Palmer with intent to de-
fraud the steel corporation and the
Morgan firm.
Although three indictments had
been brought against Lamar charg-
ing him with impersonating officers
OF the United States with fraudulent
intent, District Attorney Marshall an
nounced today that the only one to
be pressed would be that accusing him
OF representing himself as Mr.. Pal
mer and attempting improperly TO
procure the employment OF Edward
Lauterbach, a lawyer, by the steel
corporation ana the Morgan firm.
Did Not Talk.
Representative Palmer's testimony
was brief, consisting mainly Of de-
nial that he had talked over the tele-
phone with Mr. Ledyard between Feb
ruary and s, 1913, the period when
II is charged Lamar Conversed with
Mr.. Ledyard in the guise Of the Penn
sylvania congressman. When tho
counsel for the defense conceded that
Mr.. Palmer had not spoken to Mr.
Ledyard on those days, the congress
man was excused to catch a train for
Washington.
Mr.. Ledyard testified that on Feb
ruary he had been summoned to the
telephone to talk with "a congressman
p" The witness continued;
When | took up the telephone a
voice said, This Is Congressman =.
DO you know who | am? ! told him
no He asked If the information
that he came from an eastern district
in Pennsylvania helped me in plac-
ing him. Again ] said mo- Then
he spelled his name out for me
Palm -e-r-and asked il that idenu-
fled him. | said 1t did"
The pseudo Palmer then told MI
Ledyard that he understood Ledyard
was conyersant with the plans of the
United States Steel Corporation and
the witness replied that he did not
represent the steel company.
He said" the witness continued,
that Mr Morgan had refused to lis
ten to any plans to stop the investi-
cation OF the money question and
that both Gary and Perkins knew Of
this attitude | asked him how he
knew Mr. Morgan's position and he
replied that he knew 1t perfectly
we'll
Conversation Renewed.
The following day the telephone
conversation was renewed Mr.. Led
yard said, and the voice asked him
whether he represented the steel cor
poration or Mr. Morgan. When Mr.
Ledyard replied that ne did not rep
resent either but thought he held Mr.
Morgans confidence he said he was
very much disturbed over this state
ment lie said 1t was not until Mr..
Morgan's attitude of defiance to the
government had become apparent that
the money Investigation had become
the policy Of the Democratic party.
He said the speaker himself was
greatly perturbed over the doubt
thrown "over the situation He said
Edward Lauterbach had seen the
speaker and wanted me TO see Laut-
erbach. He told me Lauterbach had
the authority of the speaker to come
to me If Lauterbach said anything
about money he would have no more
to do with the affair. He said the
situation concerning steel was very
grave. based on the defiance men
toned"
The next day "P." telephoned that
he would call again from his home in
Bethlehem, Pa, said the witness, and
would report the result OF confer
ence between himself. Speaker
Clark Senator Stone and Representa-
tive Henry. After another converse
ton on February s. Mr.. Ledyard tes-
titled, he decided to call Lauterbach
for a consultation as "P." had told
him II had been decided at the con-
ference not to "cut out" Lauterbach.
as the new attorney general was sure
to be radical" The witness de-
clared "P." derided the idea Of ac-
cepting money for his services, saying
he was moved by higher motives.