The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-18

| investigators from the $4,000 ap-
preparation. Federal department OF
justice officials have agreed to Co
operate" he said.
Heron Destroyed Them
Washington, July 18.-CUP)-R,
P. Heron, young Warren, Pa, util-
tiles representative, revealed to the
senate lobby committee today that
he destroyed" all records relating
to more than 1000 kilograms he
dispatched to congress protesting
against the Wheeler Rayburn util-
tiles bill.
Herron's statement came a few
hours after the utility revealed that
it had spent 100000 fighting the
utilities bill. This sum was in ad-
dition to $201,0OO spent by a
committee of utility executives in
another campaign for total Of
more than $1,O0o,00O.
Heron of Warren, Pa, was
called before the senate commit
tee in an effort to clarity the situa-
ton regarding some 1900 tele-
grams sent from Warren to Rep.
d. J. Driscoll, D., Pa, and signed
rectory.
Power Co. Paid Price
Originals of the. kilograms, wit
nesses have testified, were burned.
Heron said he sent about $50
messages by Western Union and
ESQ by Postal Telegraph.
who paid for the kilograms %
asked Chairman Hugo l.. Black, D.,
Ala.
THE Associated Gas and Elec-
trio Company" Heron replied.
He said he received a personal
check" from E. w. O'Brien, the
firms representative at Erie, Pa.
why did he give you a person.
al check?" Black asked.
Heron said he didn't know. but
added:
There was no use in broadcast
ing our activities in this thing"
Destroyed by Orders
The records were destroyed, Her.
ron revealed, at the order of
security sales representatives Of
the Associated Gas & Electric Co.,
at Ithaca, N. Y.
Heron, bond salesman for the
Associated Gas & Electric Co.,
which spent 100000 fighting the
utilities bill, said he destroyed the
record relating to my legislation
work" because he thought he
should get it out of the way be-
fnra tho oonUroSviopo1 utilities in
vestigation got underway.
IF you have anything left, it's a
mistake, isn't it?" Sen. Lewis B
Schwellenbach, D., Wash, asked.
Yes, SIR" the handsome young
man replied.
Not discriminatory
He denied that any of the docu-
ments were in any way ''incrim-
inatory." He said the A. G. E. paid
for the kilograms, signed by names
taken from a city directory.
IT used the city directory in this
way" Heron said. IT knew many
people in Warren and by looking
at their names I could tell who
would be. for the bill and who
against it."
Heron said all the messages
either bore an actual signature or
typewriter names for which au-
thorizations had been received.
why was it that so many of the
names begin with A, B, and c, and
none down in the RS and S's?'
asked Black.
Perhaps his acquaintance II
Warren is limited to the first part
of the alphabet" interposed
Schwellenbach
The disclosure of the destruction
of records came as the lobby COM
mittee sought to clear up all de-
tails of the dispatching of hum
dreds of kilograms opposing the
Wheeler Rayburn bill from Lar
rem, Pa, to Rep. D. J. DriscoH. D.,
Pa, and other congressman. The
instructions to destroy records
were revealed by questions of
Chairman Hugo Black, D., Ala.
Heron said that the Erie man
ager, E. w. O'Brien, had passed
the instructions to him and that
O'Brien. earlier, had received sim
liar advice from Ithaca.
Agreed with O'Brien
II didn't see any reason for
burning the papers but Mr.. o.
Brien said that he had destroyed
or got rid of his files and I agreed
to do the same" Heron said.
"You understand that word as
instructions, didn't your" asked
Black.
YES" Heron replied.
Heron said that E. U. Beach, A..
G. e. investment manager, had
given the same orders to O'Brien.
THE substance was that we were
through with this telegram bust
ness and might as we'll get rid Of
the records" Heron said.
He emphasized that the only
records he had burned related to
the Geographic campaign and that