Show I CORTElYOU TESTIFIES IN V LEWIS CASE Issued Personally the Much Discussed F Fraud ud Order i Against Lewis it ins WASHINGTON Feb 9 Geo George George fe B B. Cortel Cortelyon on told the house committee committee- o on expenditures of the postoffice department department depart depart- ment melt of his Ilis action in iu issuing fraud ord orders orders or or- d ders rs a against E E GLeis G Lewis of St St. Louis Loui Louisin in 1905 and d 1907 1901 while be was postmaster postmaster post master general A publishing company compan owned by Lewis Lems and rid also the United States Bank Ban of f St. St Louis were affected by the ord or or or- d ders drs rs Frank Madden who ho was third assistant p postmaster laster general under Mr Cortelyou is t tn n now flaw w col counsel n el for L Lewis wis V Mr Cortelyou said Madden had refused refused re re- fused t to issue fraud orders a against Le Lewis s and that he had issued d them per per- V Mr Cortelyou denied that any any- ex extraneous ex influences I had any tiling to tod todo todo d do with his action in the tho Lewis Lewis' case His attention was ivas vas called by Third Thin Assistant Postmaster r General Merritt erritt t to testimony y taken in the investigation of the case cae suggesting th that t former United States State Senator or Platt and aud th the cx cx- cx n y d destruction ti n n of the Lewis company's bank and n nd th that t it was waB through Platt Platts Platt's s 's i influence that Mr J had b ben been n made postmaster general J. J V Did former onn l' l Se Senator Platt or an any express ss company ot or express trust trust f a asked k d Mr tr Britt BrUt either influence you jou on onor or attempt i lx ii influence y you u in your your action ac ac- ac tion Lion in in this case easel Not in in inan an any way way whatever er Mr ou replied u Mr tr rr Platt never appeared in In th the case at an any time timp to kno knowledge Jedi Them was no rio such influence introduced that T 1 ever heard beard of oft of Reading from the record Mr 11 Britt V r reviewed testimony of or Madden 1 in which inferences were made that the express companies had sought to break breakup up UI the Lewis bank because it lid did a business bustnes which h interfered int with mono money ord order r business and that Senator Sinator Platt had Mr Cortelyou appointed ap appointed pointed to attack the bank and d destroy it AH All such uch inferences Mr Cortelyou emphatically ic ll denied That anything thing entered the case e except the evidence before bi him t through regular channels he ho also aha denied d U There never w is anything I before mo mc or in iD my m- mind to cause me mc meto meto to an order prejudicial to the IJ Lewis company J I acted in iii this cause calise I because it was the dut duty before me |