The Washington times., 1917-01-15

an executive session at which it ap-
proved the list OF questions to be
asked Mr.. Lawson.
In Written Form.
These questions are in written
form and embody, substantially, the
same language used when Mr.. Law
son was interrogated by members Of
the committee last week.
These questions ash Mr.. Lawson to
give the name Of the Cabinet officer
and the banker alleged to have been
involved in the leak" and the specu-
lation that followed, as well as the
name of the member OF Congress
who DISCUSSED the matter with Law
son.
Lawson told the committee last
week that "a member Of Congress
had brought in the names of the Cabi-
net officer and banker during a con-
versation between Lawson and this
member OF Congress.
Declined to Reveal Name.
The nnancier said the matter was
$50 serious" that he would decline to
reveal any OF these names at q pre-
liminary inquiry, but would reveal
them to "a special investigating COM
mittee."
Lawson also supplied 'fhearsay" evil
dence that a Cabinet officer, Sem
ator, and a banker had a joint stock
account, and promised to tell q
special committee about how they d.
vided the proceeds-"more than a mil
lion dollars" He claimed to have had
a conversation with q banker who
knew another banker, and this latter
banker, according to the secondhand
information, virtually controlled q
member OF the Cabinet "and could
force him to come to New York at
! any time"
Included In Questions.
The questions about this alleged
stock account are also included in
The written questions the Rules Com
mittee will press for answer.
Altogether the questions prepared |
by the committee cover sixteen type |
written pages. The committee de- |
clined to make public these questions |
IN advance of the hearing, evidently |
on the theory that 1t would both be |
unfair to the witness and likewise |
itsmight give him undue foreknowl- |
edge OF the grilling to which he is to
be subjected.
Members of the Committee came to |
the morning hearing prepared to |
meet any emergency. Not only did |
Congressman Campbell, ranking Re
publican member, have ready q mo-
tion to cite Lawson for eontempt-if |
he falls to answer-but plans were /
well laid for taking Lawson into
Immediate custody
Appreciate Possibility.
The members of the Rules Com
mittee appreciate that Lawson may
have recourse to a writ of habeas
corpus in the Federal courts This
method of evading contempt charges
has been invoked several times in the /
past The more recent case is that
of Snowden Marshall, district attor-
ney for the Southern district of New
York, who defied the authority of a
subcommittee of the Judiciary Com
mittee and severely criticised 1t.
When a Sergeant-at-arms was sent
to New York to take Mr.. Marshall
into custody he sued out q writ of
habeas corpus and has never been
hailed before the bar of the House.
The case is now before the Supreme
Court OF the United States.
Would Forestnn Writ.
However, the committee plans to
take Mr.. Lawson quickly into custody
and forestall a writ If this is posi-
BILE. These plans, OF course, are based
on the supposition that Lawson may
-efuse to testify. 1t is quite likely
hat Mr.. Lawson has taken precau-
tionary measures and his writ may
be ready the moment an attempt is
made to bring him before the House.
In 1873 one Henry Wil1off was
taken into custody of the Sergeant
alarms for refusal to answer at a
Teak" inquiry on advance informa-
tion as to a Presidents message. He
was detained two days by the House
authorities and then answered.
In that case, however, Wikoh made
no attempt to sue out a writ of ha-
beas corpus, and the Rules Commit
tee does not know what might be the
outcome should the resourceful Law
son not submit tamely to detention
by the Sergeant-at-arms of the House.