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Show CORTELYOU ON WITNESS STAND Wash!ngton. Feb. 9. George B Cor-telvoit Cor-telvoit told the house committee on expenditures in the postofflce department depart-ment today of his action In Issuing fraud ordors against E. G. Lewis of St Louis In 1905 and 1907 while he was postmaster gonernl A publishing company owned by Lewis and alpo the United States bank of St Louis were affected by the orders or-ders Frank Madden, who was third assistant postmaster general under Mx. Cortelyou, Is now counsel for Lowls. i Mr. CortelyoTi Bald Madden had refused re-fused to issuo fraud orders against Lewis and that he had Issued them personally i Mr. Cortoljou denied that anj "ex. traneous Influences" had anything to do with his action In the Lewis case His attention was called b Th.rd Assistant Postmaster Goneral Britt to testimony taken in the inestlgation of the case, suggesting that former Unitod States Senator Piatt and tha express company Interests had sought the destruction of tho LowJs .company's .com-pany's bank and that It was through Piatt's 'influence that Mr. Corteljou had 'hceu made postmaster general., "Did former Senator Piatt or any oNpross company or express trust," asked Mr. Britt, either Influence or attempt to Influence- you In your action ac-tion In this case ' "Not in any way whatever," Mr. Cortelyou replied. "Mr. Piatt never appeared In tho case at any time to my knowledge There was no Biich. Influence Introduced that I ever heard of." Reading from tho record Mr Britt loviowod testimony of Madden In which Inferences wore made that tho .express companies had sought to break up the Lewis bank because St did a mail banking business which Interfered Inter-fered with tho money order business and that Senator Piatt had Mr. Cortelyou Cor-telyou appointed to attack the bank and destroy It All suoh inferences Mr. Cortelyou explicitly denied. , "There novor was anything before me or In my mind to cause ine to Issue Is-sue an order prejudicial to tho Lewis company," said Mr. Cortelyou "I acted In this caso because It wa6 the duty beforo me " oo |