The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-09
LAWSON CAREFUL
OF TESTIMONY
Continued from page IL

SeTlOuS lndu Iue meutlOu OIL any
other persons" he had limited at. In
fact he said, "the bare mention or the
name might be disastrous to the name
and administration"
Thirty days hence he said 1t might
not be disastrous to mention it. After
Lawson had mentioned bearing mar
selling Is not an evil unless abused
and that sit puts check on the mark
when it is running away as 1t has
been the past two years"
Under persistent questioning Law
son confessed he had no direct infor-
nation Of any one proflting through
the alleged leak.
did you personally proflt?" Clipper
field demanded.
mo" was the reply.
In the course OF en- effort to have
Lawson provide names he had left
blank in a telegram to Henry. Clipper
field started to put in another con-
tempt motion but withheld 1t at sug-
gestion of other members.
Promises a Sensation.
LBy ]. P. Yoder. United Press Staff
Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.-Revelation
Of the name of high official which
II now given would be disastrous to
the nation and administration" was
promised by Thomas w. Lawson, f.
nancier today, should an investigating
body with higher powers than the
present house rules note leak com
mittee be ordered.
This promise came after Lawson
confessed that all he wants is to have
Wall street probed to the bottom.
Lawson lodged on the plea that the
situation was serious and he did not
want to drag any names out into pub
lie
He talked about how It would look
in the headlines If he named any one.
I'm not interested in head lines"
said Chiperfeld.
But I am said Lawson.
Il believe that" retorted the repre-
sentative.
Lawson offered to communicate his
information relative to the third
name, to Representative Garrett, OF
Tennessee personally that he might
determine whether or not 1t would be
disastrous to make public the name.
Finally, Lawson admitted under
questioning from Representative Gar
rett that he did not care anything
about the leak probe except to get a
change in the stock market system"
ALI the morning he lodged commit,
tee queries and so incensed were
members that two new motions were
presented, aimed at putting him in
contempt Of the committee. The mo-
lions were received but action there.
on was deferred.
Lawson answered Representative
Harrison's question aren't you a
I common stock speculator?" by say.
ing:
Not any more than you are"
Representative Chiperf1eld vented
| his displeasure several times on Law
son, who replied in the same strain.
/ The committee got a frank express
sion from the self-styled farmer" to
/ the effect that he wasn't interested in
the leak really; all he wanted was the
New York stock exchange probed and
reformed by legislative rules.
! In StrategicaI Position.
I(By j. P. Yoder, United Press Staff
Correspondent
! WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.-Democra-
tic members Of the house note leak
committee confessed today that
Thomas W. Lawson, Boston farmer
and financier, had them in more or
less of a tight pinch-strategicaliy
speaking.
They did not want to hear any
more of his limitations, generalities
and quarrelsome attacks upon mo n
bers OF the committee. But they
scarcely dared dump him out of the
session summarily, they admitted
lest the public nisinterpret the action
and believe Lawson's charges that
the present inquiry is not real In
vestigation"
The present investigation is pre-
lininary, but is intended 70 be SO
broad that a second investigation
would be more or less of formality
Lawson thus far has hidden himself
behind hearsay, offering only to give
formula for getting at facts il
there is a real investigation.
He was booked today as the first
| witness, with fire works a practical
-