POLITICAL CORRUPTION IN AMERICA.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13824, 22 September 1913, Page 3

POLITICAL CORRUPTION IN AMERICA.

. *a»— —: A more amazing story of deception, fraud, and duplicity was probably never told before a Parliamentary investigating committee than that related by. a man calling himself David Lamar, a name which is admitted by him to be an alias. "l^amar" is a Wall Street operator, writes the Washington correspondent of the "Morning. Post,"' and at one time had relations with Mr. Sago Koon a;id other prominent financiers, and for years past has been known in Wall Street a* a "wolf," He told the Senate Investigation Committee how he had endeavoured to have his friend Edward Lauterbach, a New York lawyer, retained as counsel by the Union Pacific Railroad. He confessed that ho had telephoned to Judge Lovett, presidont of the Union Pacific Company, representing himself on difFerent occasions to be various Democratic members of Congress, and had advised Judge Lovett to retain Mr. Lauter-1 baoh because of his great influence! with the Speaker and the members of Congress and the Attorney-General. "Lamar" asserted that his only object in trying to secure employment for Mr. Lauterbach was friendship, but the committee 'believes that his motives were less disinterested, and that he was plotting to secure information which would have been valuable for Stock Exchange purposes. "Lamar" also told the committee that he,'had drafted, and secured the introduction of, a, resolution which the House adopted last session, to investigate the Steel' Trust. When .' the committee, in amazement, asked if he really meant that he had drawn •up a resolution and secured its introduction, he answered with a laugh:; "Introducing resolutions in the House of Representatives is as easy as talcing candy from a, baby." Without hesitation, "Lamar" told of his various financial and,' legislative activities,seeming to think it was all a great joke, and that ft was rather amusing to pass himself off as a member of Congress. As there is no law against a man using the name of another' person over the. telephone, "Lamar" knows ho. has nothing to fear. His testimony is\ the most interests ing phase of lobby investigation yet revealed, and* the committee is wondering: whether it will lead to even more sensational disclosures. ,