New Britain herald., 1928-10-23
WON'T TALK IN
 TRADE HEARING
Feasin Again Declines to An-
 sWer Commissions Questions

Washing gton. Oct. g R-Ralph B. Feagin. a vice president of the Elec- tric Bond and Share Company. to- day again declined to testify or pro- duce documents in the federal trade commissions power investigation.
 A. E. Smith. comptroller and as- sistant secretary of the company. also refused to produce the operat- ing expense ledgers, although he had been directed specifically to bring them to the hearing today by Com missioner McCulloch.
 Queries Smith
 Healy asked Smith whether he knew that in March, 1927. there was payment of $359.O0O to s. z. Mitchell. president of the company. which was charged to the general reserve account.
 Was there voucher for this amount?" asked Healy, ''and what Was the purpose of that payment"
 The witness declined to answer.
 Well" said Healy. If you know and don't tell what it was for. it won't be our fault If it does not ap- pear here what it was for" Counsel for the company informed the commission that this position would be maintained until 1t had been judicially determined whether the organization was required to submit the information sought con- corning company disbursements.
 John r. MacLane. the counsel, at the outset informed Commissioner McCulloch. presiding. that the com pany has made no disbursements to influence or control elections of president. vice president or members of the United States senate, and therefore has no vouchers or records with respect thereto" he added that witnesses who have searched the records were present to verify this statement.
 Won't Reply .
 "As to any other matters" he continued. i've must respectfully decline to submit witnesses for ex. animation or to produce records or papers until the fundamental con stitutional and legal questions pre- St nted at the hearing on October II have been adjudicated."
 At that time witnesses declined tc give certain answers.
 Commissioner McCulloch request ed MacLane not to interfere witf the examination of Feagin. saying that the witness would have the op portunity to decline to answer ques tions asked by Robert F.. Healy commission counsel. if he 50 desired The witness then refused to answer many questions put by Healy. de spite directions to do so by the com missioner.
 Feagin's refusals were duplicated later by Eugene P. Summerson secretary of the Electric Bond ant Share company: Benjamin H. Brew ster, auditor: and c. E. Mcbride, company accountant.
 Summerson took his stand at tn outset, declining to testify concern ing stock which might be. held b him in the company or position which he might hold in other utili ty organizations. Both Brewster am Mcbride did testify concerninI searches made by them of the com pany records which they said show cd that no contributions had beel made to influence political elections The refused testimony with re spect to the business affairs of tn company.
 l Upon appearance of each witness Healy repeated his inquiry as L whether the company had mad "any disbursements on account 0 influencing public opinion concern ing municipal ownerships of meth ods of generating or distributin electric power"
 In every instance, the witness sal they were acting on advice Of coun sel in refusing such information.
 Commissioner McCulloch accede to a request by Healy that all C the witnesses be held at the d's posal of the commission for furthe appearances, in event a court oroe .. might be obtained requiring them | testify on the business affairs the company.
 Arnold On stand
 John K Arnold, special aeer for the commission testified tha he had at one time had in his poi .. session many documents or th Electric Bond and Share compan which referred 10 payments mad for fights against municipal owner ship.
 He said these had been returne to Feagin last July, upon reque : and that the company official the promised the documents would returned after they had been checl ed up. Despite this, he added, Fes