Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-09

for the present" Mr.. Lawson asked
if he were to be stopped at any point
in his talk. Mr.. Henry said that
would depend on whether he confined
himself to the subject before the COM
mittec.
"My name is Thomas w. Lawson"
he said. my home is Boston. My
occupation, you might say, is that Of
farmer"
The crowd burst into roar of
laughter and Lawson fastened to ex-
plain.
81 don't say ! am farmer to be
facetious. In way also ! am con-
nected with financial matters"
81 will give testimony regarding the
damnable condition which has ex,
listed for two years for the purpose of
finding remedy for conditions which
caused hundreds of thousands of per-
sons to be driven to enormous
losses"
Flies Into a Rage.
Lawson flew into a rage after he
had proceeded for half an hour when
interrupted by Representative Chip
erheld. He asserted he proposed to
say all he had TO say, regardless of
consequences.
Whats the penalty?' he shouted,
and I'll take it an advance"
The committee room was in an up
roar and Representative Henry
threatened to clear it and hold the
proceedings in executive session.
Lawson gesticulated, shook his fin
ger in Representative Chiperflelds
face and loudly declared he, as an
American citizen, would see to it that
he got his rights. Jerry Smith. clerk
OF the house, pulled Mr.. Lawson back
into his chair, until order rould be
restored
Lawson, pacing up and down be
fore the committee, declared that all
he had said in the public press re
garding the leak he believed to be
true.
Many Other Leaks.
81 repeat it all now he declared.
1T is one of the commonest things in
Wall street, advance information
from Washington about government
affairs. affairs of such Importance that
they frequently affect the country's
securities. ! mean all leaks from the
supreme court. advance information
on decisions, advance Information on
important senate matters, action of
congressional committees, cabinet al
fairs and advance information direct
from the White house itself
From that he led into charges of a
premedtatcd, deliberately figured
out, deliberately worked out robbery
of the American people through
United States stock gamblers"
He said he knew who was respon-
sible for the leak and reiterated he
was convinced the committee did not
want an investigation. He reviewed
his recent trip to Washington
Lambasted by Congress.
Il came to Washington" said he,
TO aid in an honest investigation,
only to have hell lambasted out OF me
as soon as congress convened.
Promptly when the senate met, a
leather-lunged, scwer-mouthed old
blatherskite-
The chairman stopped Lawson
there and then followed row be
tween Lawson and Representative
Chiperheld, which was unintelligble
even to the official stenographcr
Chairman Henry raped for order
and Lawson roared: II don't propose
to be bulldozed and ! will not be
intimldated
Finally, after more wranglng, by
an unanimous vote of the committee
all of Lawson's heated speech was
struck from the record The chair
man then began to question him.
You stated that there was leak
Will you give the committee the
name Of the person who carried the
leak to Wall street from Washing.
tom"
Would Violate Confidence.
Lawson replied that the only way
he could give the identity of the
bearer of the leak would be to violate