Evening star., 1933-12-03
Committee Expected to Make
No Recommendations
of Huey Long.
CONCLUSIVE TESTIMONY
ON PATRONAGE SCANTY
Records Kept Open to Receive Ad.
dltlonal Statements and Affidavits.
Senator Denies Fraud.
BY the Associated Press.

~ lne ASSOCIATED Press.
NEW ORLEANS. December AT
the closing today Of the New Orleans
hearings Of the Senate committee in
vestigation of the election Of Senator
Jonn II. Oyerton, the subcommittee
indicated that it would not recommend
the unseating of Senator Overton on
the basis OF the present record.
1t was made clear that the COM
nlttee has no intentions Of making any
recommendations regarding Senator
Huey P. Long, whose political organiza-
ton supported Senator Overton and
who has been the center Of much of
the testimony taken by the committee.
lew minutes before the final gayel
was struck on the hearings today. Chair
man Tom Connally, Democrat, of Texas.
pointed out that the chief function of
tne committee was to inquire into cam
palgn expenditures, contributions and
tne use OF patronage to obtain votes.
During the February hearings and the
last two weeks hearings here, a great
oulk OF testimony has been obtained,
put the committee has indicated that
1t feels that little Of conclusive nature
mas been put into the record bearing
on funds and patronage.
Record Kept Open.
But the committee will keep the rec
ora open to receive alY 6WOTl STATS
ments and afidavits that any persons
may wish to make. The fun committee
also may recall Senator Overton 10
testify after the committee returns to
final report to the Senate at the Jan
uary session.
Senator Ebert Thomas, Democrat of
utah, who presided during the last part
OF the New Orleans hearings, said the
subcommittee would report to the full
committee OF nVe, who IN turn would
report to the Senate
Senator Overton took the stand as
the last witness and said he had no
knowledge Of any election fraud. cor
ruption or irregularities and he had not
sanctioned any. He said he did not
authorize the use Of dummy candidates
| and his largest majorities came from
parishes where dummies were not used
In the committees questioning into
/ charges that State employees were levied
| percentages of their salaries for CAM
paign contributions, many witnesses
said they contributed to the welfare
fund and to the President Roosevelt
campaign deficit.
Challenges Witnesses.
Senator Overton said funds collected
from State employees were not used in
his campaign and challenged the pro-
duction Of single reputable witness to
so testify.
Two minutes before the hearings were
due to close today. Edward Estalotte.
New Orleans attorney, said he was there
in answer to Senator Overton's chal-
lenge. but the committee requested him
to file an affidavit as time did not per-
NIT his testimony.
Mrs. Hilda Phelps Hammond. chair
man Of the Women's Committee OF
Louisiana, also requested permission to
file statement on the part of her COM
mittee saying that the validity of SEN
ator Overton'S election was the question
before the committee and not the un-
seating of Senator Overton. She was
told to file the statement
The same reply was given Shirley
Wimberly, representative Of the Francis
Williams political faction, when he
sought to make a statement during thu
last minute.
Denies Factional Probe.
The hearing closed after Senator Con-
nally had said:
| Il want to make it clear that we are
here as representatives Of the United
states Senate and not any one political
faction"
No action was taken by the subcom-
mittee against John G. Holland, the
committees Investigator, who charged
the committee in several outbursts dur
ing the hearings with "whitewashing'
ana Chairman Connally with being
yellow"
The subcommittee explained that his
case would be laid before the full COM
mittee for appropriate action. Holland
continued to function as the commit
tees investigator to the very last of the
New Orleans hearings. He sat next to
Chairman Connally at the counsel table
and suggested questions for the wit
nesses.