The Washington herald., 1917-01-09
LAWSON INVITES
TRIAL BY HOUSE
IN Baking QUIZ
Author of Washington Leak
Scandal Refuses to Answer
Some Questions.
PRESENTS NO NEW FACTS
PRESENTS NO NEW FACTS
Boston Banker Follows Secretary /oi
State Lansing and Secretary
Tumulty on Stand. =


Thomas w. Lawson, by refusing to
answer direct questions to the House
Rules Committee yesterday during
its inquiry into the necessity for an
investigation into alleged leaks" of
advance information on the Presi-
dents peace note, faces a citation be-
fore the bar of the House for con-
tempt.
Lawson, who on the witness stand
most of the day, dehed the commit
tee and demanded TO know what
they could do with him" He grew
angry, irritated, jocular and pleasant
alternately.
He did not give the committee any
information, but volunteered a for
mula" to discover the leaks, which he
said had eminated from "the White
House, the Supreme Court, the State
Department and Congress for forty
years" He frequently questioned
the right of the committee to interro-
gate him and said it was not real
committee" He grew impatient with
individual members and carried on a
verbal quarrel with Representative
Chipperheld throughout the after
noon. At one time they were near to
blows.
Pin Lawson Down.
The members pinned Lawson down to
a direct refusal and the motion was
made TO hold him for contempt II was
suspended so that his testimony may
be completed II will then be taken up
by the committee The,conternpt charge
viii not avail much because the Con-
gress will die on March 4 and little ac-
I ton on an Indictment could be obtained
before that time. Even then any possible
penalty would end with adjournment
Lawson will resume the stand today.
! He is fortified by the advice OF Samuel
Untermyer. whom he described as his
ernin0t counsel" Mr.. Untermyer was
! not present yesterday.
Following Lawson will be Charles H
( Ssbin. president Of the Guaranty Trust
/ Company. OF New York. He was present
with his bride, a daughter Of the late
/ Paul Morton and anxious to be excused
/ to start on a honeymoon to Europe. The
proposal to excuse him was put UP to
! Mr.. Lawson. who told a story which
; led the committee TO continue Mr. Ssbin
in attendance.
! This story was that a bear movement
/ in stocks occurred shortly before the re-
/ turn Of Ambassador Gerard. The story
! was that Mr.. Gerard brought word from
4 Germany to President Wilson. Lawson
! said the rumor ran that Hr. Sabin had
1 given the story TO reporters.
Ambassador. Mentioned
! During the turbulent day two new
names were introduced, those OF Am
| hassadors Gerard TO Germany and VII
lard 10 Spain. OF the former Secretary
I to the President Joseph Tumulty e1-
| planned a visit TO the stockbrokerage Of
| fee OF William B. Hfbbs & Co, this city.
! by saying he had taken Mr.. Gerard, who
wished to purchase some bonds, there to
introduce him.
Secretary Of State Lansing who WAS
a witness also, told the committee that
he had discussed the peace note with
| Ambassador Willard before II was made
public in a discussion Of the advisa-
bility Of sending a note to the King OF
Spain
Lawson supplied the spectacular fea-
lures of the hearing. He took on one
member of the committed after another
with a display OF Wall Street vernacular.
! In the center Of the big marble hear
CONTINUED on PAGE TWO.