Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1914 — ADMITS TAKING FEE [ARTICLE]

ADMITS TAKING FEE

LAWYER SAYS HE HAD PACT WITH EX-ADMIRAL BOWLES. C. W- De Knight Tells Senate Body He Was to Have Been Paid $4,000 for Canal Toll Lobby. Washington. March 13.—That he contracted with former Read Admiral Bowles, president of the Fore River Shipbuilding company, for SI,OOO and a contingent fee of $4,000 to work for toll exemptions for American coastwise ships in the Panama canal act, was charged by Clarence W. De Knight before the senate lobby committee. ' . Read Admiral Francis T Bowles Is the president of the Fore River Shipbuilding ,cornpany at Quincy, Mass., which is one of the largest companies of its kind in the world He was born in 1858 and was educated at Annapolis, afterward taking a postgraduate degree in the Royal Naval college at Greenwich, England. He was chief constructor of the United States navy from 1901 to 1903. “Did your contract call for a contingency whereby the bill was to include a provision that the government was to contract for ships in case the toll exemption was granted?” asked Senator Keed, “No, I don’t think so,” j said De Knight. "I don’t exactly remember the contingency. I was to get $4,000 If the bill went through a certain way. Anyhow, I know that Admiral Bowles’ company did not build the ships. I never threatened to sue. The matter was dropped there, and I am still retained by the company In connection with some claim cases.” The committee demanded that De Knight produce his contract with Bowles, which the witness said he would do later. Boston, March 13.—Rear Admiral Bowles, president of the Fore River Shipbuilding company, denied that he had employed De Knight to work for toll exemptions.