Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-11-15
Mccarthy Says
Meyers Made
Corrupt Offer
Restutes Position on
Generals Proposal
For Job, Bond Loon
Dill ETIh
BULLETIN

deputy chief of the Air Force,
fatty denied today that Maj.
Gen. Bennett E. Meyers ever
bought aviation stock for him.
Gen. Meyers testified previous
ly that he once bought 1000
shares of Republic Aircraft
stock for him. After Gen.
Eaker left the stand, Howard
Hughes denied he ever offered
Gen. Meyers 100000 to have a
New York City ban lifted from
the Hughes picture, 1.-THE Out
law" as Gen. Meyers has
stated.
Neil S. Mccarthy, former at
torney for Howard Hughes, told
a Senate War Investigating
Subcommittee today that testi-
mony at the current inquiry has
convinced him that Maj. Gen.
Bennett E. Meyers made a Cor
rupt proposition" in asking for a
loan in an effort to "shake down"
Mr.. Hughes in 1914.
The Los Angeles lawyer made that
assertion after testifying that Gen.
Meyers, then Air Force deputy chief
of procurement, asked the aircraft
builder in 1914 for a $4,000 down
payment" on requested job with
the Hughes Tool Co.
Mr.. Mccarthy said Mr.. Hughes
told him Gen. Meyers asked for a
three-year contract for d job and
offered to leave the Army at once
to start work for the Hughes Or
ganization.
Later Asked 100000.
This reported job request and a
later request by Gen. Meyers for a
100000 loan from Mr.. Hughes TO
buy Government bonds were reject
ed, Mr.. Mccarthy testified. He said
both he and Mr.. Hughes thought at
the time that it would have been
wrong" to give such a job or loan.
AS the hearing got underway and
Mr.. Mccarthy arose to take the wit
ness stand, he accidentally knocked
Gen. Meyers wife, a former Holly
wood actress, from her chair. He
halted and helped her back into the
seat, blushing furiously.
After Mr.. Mccarthy repeated most
of the testimony about Gen. Meyers
he had given previously at executive
session of the subcommittee, Chair
man Ferguson interrupted to ask:
Don't you think that it was a
corrupt proposition when an Air
Force procurement Second-in-com-
mand officer asked loan for bond
deal on which he would get all the
profits, while the WEI contractor
would take all the risk? Doesn't
that in itself indicate it was an at
tempt at extortion?"
Senator" Mr. Mccarthy replied,
you're trying to make me do your
lob and give a judgment of whether
there was corruption. At the time
I did not believe Gen. Meyers
thought the offer was wrong or cor
rupt.
1T think now, in view of the lies he
has told on the stand at these hear
ings, that it was corrupt"
Says He Didn't "Offer a Dime"
Mr.. Mccarthy, a gray = haired
ruddy faced and quick speaking
man, said he thought Gen. Meyers
was pretty stupid" to attempt to
Justify himself at these hearings by
accusing him and Mr.. Hughes OF
having offered the job as well as a
S25O,0OO loan for the bond specula-
tive venture.
Il didn't offer to lend him dime,
Mr.. Mccarthy said.
Mr.. Mccarthy also denied Mey-
ers statement that, at the time they
met in Washington in 1914, he de-
manded that the general try to pre-
vent ban being put on horse racing
in California.
The witness said he owned some
race horses at the time, but has
never had any financial interest IN
a connection with race tracks.
In describing Gen. Meyers job re-