The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-29

T, ing the depression period, the COM
| mittee was advised in report sub
mitted to Senator Lewis Schwellen-
bach, democrat, Washington, and
prepared by Stewart c. Ross spe-
cial assistant to the New York state
Legislative utilities investigation.
In addition to profits Of $2,S05,-
los from his private companies,
the record showed, Hopson receiv-
ed about $4,000 in salaries in
| 1882 and 1898.
| The Hopson evidence was pre-
sented while Estes waited to APP
| pear.
His name was drawn into the
inquiry last week during testimony
concerning efforts of the Texas
Light and Power Co., to defeat the
Holding Company Legislation.
Estes charged his room was
Thoroughly ransacked" and that a
cancelled check he had planned
to present as evidence was stolen.
Patton Prepares Statement
The Mystery Box" angle Of the
inquiry was sidctracted today, but
only temporarily.
Rep. Nat Patton, D., Tex, said
by one witness to have carried a
small box away from a hotel af-
ter visiting John w. Carpenter,
Texas power official, was prepar-
ing "a detailed audit of his finan-
ces since coming to Washington.
This accounting, Patton said,
would show how he was able to
buy $4,000 bonds during a period
in which his salary was $500.
Patton said that when the audit
was ready, his nephew, Norris
Shook, Houston, Tex, would tes-
tify. Shook was quoted by one wit
ness as saying Hell, those weren't
cigars" in the box Patton received
Patton insisted it contained nickle
cigars.
Where Reports Came From
Ross presented the Hopson fig
ures to the committee.
I'll ask you," Schwellenbach
said, whether this money that
Mr.. Hopson took out of the COM
panies doesn't come from the OPP
Grating subsidiaries through the
sale of gas and electricity to the
public ?"
practically ALL Ross replied.
''This money was taken out by
Mr.. Hopson from the people who
4 bought gas and electricity"
THAT is correct.
Ross testified it was impossible
to obtain a clear picture of the
operation Of the many companies
in the complex A. G. e. system
1--WE can't get at the facts In
New York." he said, explaining the
subsidiaries in the system had sue
cessfully contested the Legislative
committees jurisdiction.
Others To Testify
Also summoned to appear to-da!
were o. e. Wasser, s., j. Magee, c
A. Dougherty, Fred s. Burrows ant
w. Partridge Jr., lesser A. G. ant
L. executives.
U. e. Beach. head of the secur
tiles department of A. G. E. at Erie
Pa. named Wasser as the man t
whom he talked before orderinl
destruction of records relating t.
the campaign against the utilit.
bill.
Likewise ready to testify to-da.
was Carl Estees, Longview, Tex
newspaper publisher, who made ;
radio address in opposition to tn
utility bill. Estees, who threatened
in Texas to punch the nose of Sen
ator Hugo l.. Black, chairman o
the investigating committee, sal,
he would deny he had been pait
for the radio talk.
The "cigar box which Represen
tative Nat Patton, democrat, Texas
carried from the hotel room o
John w. Carpenter, Texas Powe
Company head, was pushed int
the background temporarily.
None Wants 1t Dropped
Neither the committee nor Pat
ten appeared willing to drop tn
mystery box angle. Patton said tn
box contained cigars. He said h
had sent to Texas for records t,
show he purchased $4,000 worth o
bonds out of $500 salary.
The parallel house lobby inves
tigation assorted seized records
preparatory to resuming hearing
tomorrow. Records taken from
the Office of Bernard B. Robinson
Chicago Cecurties executive. will
furnish the "best headlines thu
far in the investigation" William
H. Collins. counsel for the hous,
group, said.
The house Investigators hoped t.
learn how power lobbyists spen
nearly one million and a quarte
dollars in bringing pressure on con
gressmen to defeat the death sen
tence" clause. Expenditures II
Washington will be scrutinized es
pecially 1t was said.
May Break Deadlock
In the third phase of the utilit,
battle the administration was re-
ported prepared to ask for new
house conferes to break confer.
ence deadlock over the utility bill.
The present house conferees have
refused to meet with the senat,
managers unless Benjamin Coher
and Dozier Devand. administration
experts. are excluded from the con
ference. Selection of more favor
able house conferees presumabl.
would permit the two groups to &c
together.
| IN. A. fm.l