Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-25
CIGARS OR BOOKS
IN MYSTERY BOX,
PROBERS ARE TOLD
Utilities Firm Head Says
Son Took Such Packages
to Patton.
INVESTMENT OFFICIAL
DESCRIBES SPENDING
Says 100000 Was Used in Fight
on Holding and 7. V. A.
Measures.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Questioned by Senate lobby investi-
gators as to whether he recalled giving
any one a box just before the House
vote on the utilities bill, John w. Car
penter, president of the Texas Power
& Light Co., said today his eldest son,
John, had given a box of cigars to
Representative Patton, Democrat, of
Texas.
He added that the mysterious, news
paper wrapped package which figured
in previous testimony may have been
books on live stock.
Meanwhile the House Rules Com
mittee investigating lobbying for and
against the utilities bill received teSti-
mony from Hugh S. Magill, president
of the American Federation of Utili-
ties Investors, that the organization
spent $4,000 in the last six months
in the interest of the millions OF in
vestors it represents"
Spent to Beat T. v. A.
OF this amount. he said, $4,000
SPCAAI d6oAAlSk OAlC otAAAeACc Jill aAAA
part of the remainder against the
Tennessee Valley amendments
When he resumed the stand before
the Senate committee, Carpenter said:
Il didn't give anybody a box of
cigars, but my son said yesterday he
gave Mr.. Patton a box of cigars"
He added that his son had told him
yesterday about giving a box of cigars
to Patton because he had invited him
to go fishing.
At another time. Carpenter said,
Patton brought two books on live
stock to the hotel for Carpenters son
and took them out again wrapped in
newspapers.
Carpenter said his son gave the box
of cigars to Patton a couple of days
before the Sunday before the House
vote.
During Carpenters testimony, his
attorney, Joe A. Worsham, was sud-
denly ushered into the committee
room, and Chairman Black asked
Carpenter to leave while the lawyer
was questioned.
Worsham told the committee
roughly the same story as related by
Carpenter. He said he and Carpenter
discussed the cigar box incident yes
terday and he decided TO see Patton
about it.
How did you connect Patton with
that box of cigars?" asked Senator
Minton, Democrat, of Indiana.
Because he had been in the room"
But Mr.. Dies, Democrat, of Texas
had also been in the ROOM" Minton
said.
In Room Frequently.
Worsham said he judged Patton
might know about the incident be-
cause he had been in the room a
number of times.
There were some minor diScrepan-
cies in the stories told by Carpenter
and Worsham. Carpenter said he did
not know Worsham was going to see
Patton. Worsham, on the other hand,
said he had told Carpenter where he
was going.
Worsham said he decided to see
Patton because it most likely was
room on the Sunday before the House
vote was taken.
He said he told Patton about Car
penter's testimony and sought to get
Patton'S aid in refreshing the power
heads memory.
He told me he wasn't in Carpen-
ter's room that Sunday" Worsham
declared. He told me he and his
family went to Annapolis that Sun
day to see a movie actor"
Worsham told a similar story about
Patton taking the books to Car
penter's hotel and taking them out
wrapped in newspapers.
He also told about the same story
of Carpenters boy giving the cigar
box to the Congressman.
Earlier Carpenter had testified that
his concern had paid $2,452 over
five-year period to Peter Molyneaux,
editor of the Texas Weekly, including
$1,000 for advertising, advice and as
sistance"
Carpenter told the committee yes
terday he had paid Molyneaux 1892
recently for radio activities in opposi-
ton to the administration holding
company bill.
The other items listed today included
$760 for subscriptions to the magazine
and 5000 for advertising He said
$1,000 was paid for advertising, ad-
vice and assistance" in the year ending
June 80, 1881, and $500 the next year.
Mr. Molyneaux is good authority
regarding advertising and assisted the
advertising department." the power
head explained.
Did he ever print that he was
being paid by the Texas Power & Light
(See LOBBY. Page 81