Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-12
EX-REAR ADMIRAL
PAID TOLL FIGHT
LOBBYIST, CLAIM
Charge Made Against BowIes,
Head of Fore River Ship
building Co.

WASHINGTON, March 12.-That he
contracted with former Rear Admiral
Bowles, president of the Fore River
Shipbuilding Company for $1,000 and
a contingent fee of $1,000 to work for
toll exemptions for American coast
wise ships in the Panema Cana rt
was charged today by Clarence w. DE
Knight before the Senate lobby com
mittee.
For his services in behalf of the
Fore River Shlpbuilding Company be-
fore the Senate canals committee
when the Panama Canal law was
under consideration De Knight testi-
fled he was paid only the $1,000, de-
spite the fact that the tolls exemption
was included in the bill.
lie demanded the $4,000 contingent
fee from President Bowles after the
bill was passed, but thought the rea-
son he did not get 1t was because the
bill did not go through in such form
that the Fore River Shipbuilding Com
pany was to build some ships.
Promises to Produce Contract.
Did your contract call for con-
tingency whereby the bill was to in
clude q provision whereby the gov
ernment was to contract for ships in
case the toll exemption was granted"'
asked Senator Reed.
mo, | don't think So" said De
Knight. 'T don't exactly remember
the contingency | was to get the
$4,000 If the bill went through GER
tain way. Anyhow l know that Ad-
miral Bowles's company didn't build
the ships. / never threatened to sue.
The matter was dropped there and l
am still retained by the company in
connection with some claims cases"
The committee commanded that De
Knight produce his contract with
Bowles, which the witness said he
would do later. De Knight had been
subpoenaed to produce files of his cor
respondence in relation to my legis-
lative matters. but he urged that he
wanted to consult counsel as 10
whether their production would inn
pugn confidential relations between
attorney and client. The committee
will insist upon production of the
correspondence.
Knows Of No Organized Fight.
DE knight said that he knew OF no
organized effort now to fight repeal
of the toll exemption clause and de-
MED that he had written any letters
of warning to shipbuilding companies
relating to 1t. Asked If he knew of
any fund being raised to fight the re-
peal De Knight averred that he did
not.
De Knight charged that there was
animus behind an effort 10 discredit
him. He added that the animus arose
from his discharge of a woman stem
ographer, whose name he coupled
with newspaper man In a further
charge.
Senator Overman produced copy
of contract in which retired vol
unteer officers and enlisted men Of
Civil War service agreed to pay De
Knight so per cent. of any increases
in pay they might receive should a
bill for such increase now before Con-
gress be passed. De Knight testified
that he had drawn such a contract
and promised to inform the commit
tee how many of such contracts had
been signed by officers now in the
government service.
BOSTON, March f2-Rear Admiral
Bowles. president of the Fore River
Shipbuilding Company. today denied
that ne had employed Clarence w.
De knight to work for toll eXemp-
tions for American coastWise ships In
the Panama canal act. as testified by
De Knight before the Senate lobby
committee at Washington.
II employed Mr.. De Knight in con-
nection with section eleven OF the
Panama canal act, which has TO do
with the jurisdiction of the Interstate
Commerce Commission over canal
shipping" the admiral said. THE
provision concerning tolls Is section
five of the act, and with this l had
nothing to do"