Evening star., 1935-07-23
UTILITY LOBBYING
LAID TODEAD MAN
IN SENATE PROBE
"Signer" of Anti-HoIding
Company Bill Telegram
Declared Deceased.
YORK RAILWAY CONCERN
SPONSORED MESSAGES
Declared to Have Furnished
Names Of Employees as Senders.
A. G. E. Subsidiary Mentioned.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Quay c. Haller, York, Pa. represen-
tative of the Associated Gas & Elec-
trio Co. testified before the Senate
Lobby Committee today that the
names for 700 anti-utility bill tele-
grams from that city had been fur
nished him by E. A Barnitz, vice pres
ident of the York Railway Co., from
a list of its employees.
Earlier. testimony had been received
that a representative of the Metropoli-
tan Edison Co., had paid for anti
utility bill kilograms at York, signed"
among others by one person now dead
and another not living in the city.
Few Signed by Senders.
Hailer conceded under questioning
that only about 300 of l, 300 kilograms
sent to members Of Congress from
York had actually been signed by the
Selders.
He said he asked Barnitz to get
"an expression from his employees on
the bill and Barnitz passed the
word on"
Tie employees. he said, were notified
their names would be- used for the
messages unless they told their bosses
they would object
The testimony about the dead man
was given by Luther A. Cole
man. Postal Telegraph manager at
York for % years, after Chairman
Black of the committee had said per-
sons from all over the United States"
had denied sending anti-utility bill
kilograms to which their names had
been attached.
Black said the matter might be re-
ferred to the Communications Com
mission because it will be impossible
for this committee to go into every
case, even those received up to date"
Company Sent kilograms.
Coleman said 766 kilograms oppos-
ing the utility bill were sent from
York and all but five had been paid
for by the Metropolitan Edison Co.
subsidiary of the Associated Gas &
Electric Co.
He was asked if he recognized any
cASANAS Va SA4O AiCoodbCo.
He called off several names. in
cluding Charles E. Small, whom
he said had been dead about two
years" Small, he said. formerly was
connected with the Farmers Fire
Insurance Co.
Coleman also said he knew another
signer, a meter reader for the electric
company, and a Miss Clara Boil, a
retired insurance company employe.
Another telegram was signed by
Read Machinery Co., who, he said.
had been living in Baltimore four or
five years.
Irwin Stewart, chairman Of the
Communication Commissions tele-
graph division. told reporters his
Office would be glad to try to comply
if any request is made for an investi-
cation of sending kilograms to which
fake names have been signed.
If such an investigation were made,
the commission undoubtedly would
leave to the States involved the ques-
ton of prosecution of any cases Of
law violation that might be uncovered.
There is nothing II. the act per-
mitting it to institute criminal pro-
ceedingS itself.
Investigation Made.
When hearings we've resumed to-
day, Chairman Black read a letter
from a Western Union Official say
ing the company was investigating
about 1000 instances at Warren, Pa,
to determine how many persons
actually signed ieleg, ans opposing
the utilities bill.
Previous testimony had been that
an Associated Gas en!rloye dictated
several hundred kilograms, using
names from the ciLy directory. Many
of them went 10 Representative Dris-
coll, Democrat. OF Pennsylvania.
Black said an inquiry showed about
half of $50 persons interviewed had
said they were against the bill and
half were for it.
so Mr.. Heron was about so per
cent wrong" said Senator Minton,
Democrat, of Indiana. He referred to
r. p. Heron, bond salesman of an
Associated company subsidiary, who
had testified he knew the persons
(See LOBBYING, Page l0)