The Washington times., 1935-07-26
PATTON TELLS
= PR0BERS OF
CIGAR GIFT
Gave Lobbyists Son
Two Books, Says
House Member
international News Service


mittee a homely and amusing de
Tense Of his friend, John w. Car
penter, president of the Texas
Power and Light Company.
Carpenter has been before the
lobby committee for three days. He
frankly said he. was doing all in
his power to defeat the pending
utility bill.
Books In Package
Moreover, evidence before thu
committee has disclosed that Car
penter's son, John, jr., gave Pat
ton a box of cigars. Also, the
mystery of a package wrapped II
newspaper" in which the commit
tee was deeply interested wa:
solved when Carpenters assistant
and vice president of the Texas
Power and Light Company, Joe A
Worsham, testified that this wa;
a package of books which Patton
presented to Carpenters son.
The name of Patton has cropped
up dozens of times in the hearing
and today cousin Nat" came
voluntarily to the committee
room. He asked to be sworn, ano
waived all immunity. He said:
'In view of the fact that
these aspersiOns have been cast,
1 felt it a duty to my State
and incidentally to your State,
Mr.. Chairman BLACK, Of Ala
bama), because 1 married a
pretty little country girl from
the great State of Alabama, to
make q statement.
II met the distinguished Mr..
John Carpenter when 1 was in
the State Legislature.
MET HIM HERE
~ first saw Mr.. Carpenter
here on March 13 Of this year.
The telephone bell rang. 1t was
Mr.. Carpenter on the rhOne.
"'Cousin Nat" said Johnnie
always called me Cousin Nat
Cousin Nat he says, L want
to come down to your hotel and
see you a few minutes
IL hurried up to the May
flower. I saw John for about
10 minutes, and 1 don't think
the subject of the utility bill
was mentioned"
He Opp0SED RITZ.
The bill was brought up on the
way out of the hotel, however
said Patton. He continued:
"JOhn said he had heard good
reports about me with regard
to the utility bill. / asked him
what he meant, and he said
that he had heard that / was
opposed to the death sentence.
/ told him 1 certainly was"
Here the Texas Representative
turned his back to the committe'
and faced a room full Of Specta
tors. He spread his arms wild
apart and shouted:
81 am against everything that
is destructive. This country will
never return to prosperity until
the farmers start farming, and
the workers start working, and
the people who used to 60 start
going again.
BOX GIFT EXPLAINED
''- want to explain this box
thing, and the cigars.
"AbOut the cigars. / was in
Mr.. Carpenters room. His son.
John, was all elated about a
fishing trip his father had
promised him. / had told him
about the good fishing in the
bay.
"'Have a cigar he said to
me. Take two or three-mOther
wants them used up as fast as
possible. Here, take the box.
Father won't mind; do you,
dad?'
"Then he turned to his
father, and his father said,
Certainly
"AbOut the other package.
The boy was in my office and
saw two books ON cattle. He
was very interested in cattle.
He asked me where he could
buy them. I said 1 would get
him some.
"Next time I went to the
hotel 1 had them with me. I
told John, Here they are,' and
then said, I'll have my secre-
tary mail them to you So he
wrapped them up in a news
paper, and took them along"
Bought Baby Bonds
Further questioning developed
that Patton has bought four bah!
bonds since January, for which h
pair $3.50. They were bought OF
March 8, April 4, May 8 and Ma,
10. He said he paid for them will
checks on the sergeant-atarmS o
the House. He added:
That's about all I've saved
since 1 been up here, too"
Patton frankly said that he ha'
written what he called form lei
tiers" telling constituents that h
did not know how he would vot
on the utility bill, at the same tim
he was telling Carpenter that h
was opposed to it.
Un&oS WorLare Dian Nu%inor