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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 1974)
Page 4 THE BATTALION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1974 hHlUAY, NUVtMDCn Recordings seem to verify charges SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Two tape recordings exist which appar ently corroborate allegations against Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. of falsified vouchers and political slush funds, the Associated Press learned Thursday. Sources told the AP that the tapes were produced by James Ashley, former Bell executive, and contain conversations he had with two top Bell executives. Meanwhile, Bell officials denied allegations made by Ashley and the family ofT.O. Gravitt, another Bell executive who committed suicide during a corporate investigation. “In addition to confirming the bulk of what the late Gravitt wrote down, it (the tapes) discusses fal sified vouchers, and methods al legedly used by the telephone com pany to slip money to political cam paigns,” sources told the Associated Press. "For instance, there is one sequ ence about an architect for a new Bell building inflating his bill to the company with this prior under standing: the difference between what he had coming and what Bell paid him would go back to the com pany for political use. “Another sequence had to do with a couple of law firms deliber ately padding their bills in the same way for kickbacks to Bell and subse quent channeling into political kit ties,” the source said. In a statement from Southwest ern Bell’s St. Louis headquarters, company president Zane Barnes denied Bell has engaged in tele phone wiretapping, has maintained political slush funds or that the company is considered by politi cians to be a major source of cam paign money. “One of the charges against the company is that Southwestern Bell keeps two sets of books in order to inflate its revenue needs and obtain favorable decisions in rate cases. This is simply not true,” Barnes said. The company has not disclosed why it fired Ashley but it does say ‘many of the charges he has levelled against the company were the very ones for which he was dismissed. ” The company said Gravitt was in volved in “some areas of questiona ble activities.” These were not specified. The Gravitt family, and Ashley, claim the two men became targets of Bell’s probe because they refused to cooperate with what the suit said are unfair rate hikepractices and other alleged misadventures. Closed session set for Council meeting Watergate jury hears more tapes AJLLEN Oldsmobile Cadillac SALES - SERVICE “Where satisfaction is standard equipment" 2401 Texas Ave. 823-8002 Embrey’s Jewelry We Specialize In Affgrie Ringrs. Diamonds Set— Sizing:— Reoxidizing:— All types watch/jewelry Repair Aggie Charge Accounts 9-5:30 846-5816 fupfnamba Eddie Dominguez '66 Joe Arciniega ’ Greq Price If you want the real thing, not frozen or canned ... We call It "Mexican Food Supreme.” Dallas location; 3071 Northwest Hwy. 352-8570 WASHINGTON (AP) — A deeply worried Richard M. Nixon was told in April 1973 that John W. Dean’s disclosures might lead to his impeachment “on the ground that you committed a crime.” Nixon reacted by working out a story to protect himself. "I have got to put the wagons up around the President,” Nixon was heard telling top aide H.R. Halde- man on a tape recording of April 25, 1973, played Thursday for the Watergate cover-up trial jury. Ironically, what seemed to con cern Nixon most was that Dean might have taped a conversation a month earlier, on March 21, when they discussed the blackmail money demands being made on the White House by convicted Watergate burglar E. Howard Hunt Jr. "I just wonder if the son-of-a- bitch had a recorder on him,” Nixon said. “I didn’t notice any, but I wasn’t looking.” The playing of four recordings, none made public previously, ended the government’s use of tapes as its chief witness against Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, John N. Mitchell, Robert C. Mar- dian and Kenneth W. Parkinson- —all charged with conspiring to cover up White House involvement in the Watergate affair. Nixon is an unindicted co conspirator in the case but Presi dent Ford’s pardon makes him im mune from criminal penalty. Dean, who had been the President’s counsel throughout the Watergate turmoil, had gone to pro secutors early in April to spill the whole story. Part of that story was that Nixon had said in the March 21 conversa tion that there would be no problem in raising a million dollars to keep the Watergate defendants quiet. In the first of three April 25 con versations played for the jury Ehr- lichman told Nixon, “I think it’s en tirely conceivable that if Dean is to tally out of control and if matters are not handled adroitly that you could get a resolution of impeachment in the Senate.” Nixon said: “That’s right.” Ehrlichman continued: “On the ground that you committed a crime and that there is no other legal pro cess available to the United States people other than impeachment. Otherwise, you have immunity from prosecution.” “Right,” said Nixon. Ehrlichman said, “You get down to a point where you’ve got John Dean prancing in there and saying the President said this and the Pres ident said that ... I think the only way that I know to make a judgment on this is for you to listen to your tapes and see what actually was said then, or maybe for Boh Haldeman to do it or somebody. See what was said in there and then analyze how big threat it is.” Ehrlichman has said all along that he did not know about the clandes tine White House system that re corded everything said in Nixon’s presence in his offices. He has said he learned about it at the same time that Alexander But terfield revealed the system’s exis tence at the Senate Watergate hear ings on July 16, 1973. But Ehrlichman’s lawyer said Thursday that his client had been told Nixon had taped some of the conversations with Dean only, in cluding March 21. Nixon sent Haldeman to listen to that tape, and the recording ol Haldeman’s report hack to Nixon was played for the jury. “Well, I say though that . . . we can get the money, Nixon said. “Okay, hut you didn’t do it,’ Haldeman replied. “You’re drawing Dean out on what he’s talking about here.” Nixon: “You have to know exactly what he has.” Haldeman: “And the conclusion, in fact, was don’t do it. You can’t do it.” Nixon, with a sigh responded, “It’s not a good story, best we can President and r the Hunt de- Haldeman said, “You’re trying to see how far it goes . . . you do that all the time but that doesn’t mean that your statement is . . .” The rest of the words are unintelligible. “I said a million dollars,’ Nixon responds. “With a million dollars . . . clemency . . . that’s an in criminating thing. His word against the President’s.” Together the Haldeman go ov mand again. “You said. We could get the money, we can get it in cash. I know where it could he gotten hut the question is who can handle it,’ Haldeman related. Haldeman recalled for Nixon that he had said that Dean’s major prob lem was to control Hunt “because he knows so much . . . you said you’ve got to keep the cap on the bottle that much . . . either or let it oooocoa Corvxz. on over -for € 'tuheS And 8 at -free drjnK basement. , Cofenouse iVtt coffeehouse: waVc. riot eurt* ravty iof t grand opening, but to rAfckc ■a Uttte more c«mw4ab\c kJhtlc ywure Us+€*nng -tp csuntvY and -fcWc-kjpe. iwusvc, we’ll gi'ie y»w Yffuve 4vir\K FREE is located in RM 12.8 at +h«- fASC eutsM*- behind 4he pest cffvo* b' Steir 1 When? is &-YL .1 dee. V6U +h®nel all blow right now.” Nixon’s response at that point was: “That’s not a bad line for me at that point, is it? Political or is it gonna come down.” Haldeman: “I don’t think so. You’re smoking him out on what he thinks the alternatives are.” Nixon: “Yeah.” Haldeman: “You’re pumping him.” Nixon: “Yeah.” Haldeman told Nixon that he had told Dean that he was not sure cle mency could be delivered for the Watergate defendants, particularly not before the 1974 elections. “Dean said it may further involve you,” Haldeman told Nixon and added, "You said yes and it would be—then it’s wrong.” Nixon responded: “That’s not bad.” Haldeman again stresses that the clemency never happened and that Nixon would not be vulnerable on the point and Haldeman suggests that the Nixon statement, “We’ve got to keep the cap on the bottle, we’ve got to take care of Hunt” would raise many questions. “You may be pushing him there to find out whether he has set up a system of delivery and all that, which he didn’t,” Haldeman warns. And Nixon responds, “What I’m really setting up there, putting the best light on a bad situation, is basic, basically. I’m saying ‘well, get the money but we should try to cut it off and so forth but how do you do it.” By then Nixon has come around to the idea that the cover story should be that he was trying to draw out Dean, “trying to get the facts, the truth.” “You’re probing,” Haldeman ag rees . . . you were trying to smoke out whether Dean knew how to handle money.” A few hours after the March 21 conversation, Hunt received an en velope with $75,000. Two days later Hunt, who had pleaded guilty in the Watergate affair, was given a provi sional sentence of more than 35 years, later reduced to 2Vfe to 8 years. Toward the end of the conversa tion Nixon still wasn’t clear on what he had said no to in the March 21 conversation. "I said that’s wrong, didn’t I, wrong on clemency . . .,” he said to Haldeman. "No, the chief of stall replied, “you said getting the money was wrong.” That phrasing caused both Nixon, in the last months of his presidency and Haldeman a great deal of trou ble. In public statements Nixon de fended the quotation by saying he was referring Ixith to clemency and money for Hunt. In one news con ference he said “1 know what I meant.” College Station City Attorney Neeley Lewis will make a recom mendation to the City Council con cerning pending litigation from the owners of the Monaco Apartments in executive session at Monday night’s council meeting. The Monaco owners have filed notice of intent to sue the city fol lowing flooding of the apartments in September. The flooding was caused by heavy rains and the re sulting overflow of Wolf Pen Creek. Individuals must file notice of in tent to sue a city 60 days before the suit can be initiated. In other business, the council will hear a report of the status of the city under the Community Develop ment Act. City Planner Bill Koehlermadd similar presentation to thePlai»t and Zoning Commission Mondai Koehler said the city will receivei maximum of $71,000 next yen under the act. The council will hear a repoit from a committee set uptodeveloj a brochure on the city. Fundsfn the brochure will come from it* hotel-motel tax revenue. The council will set adatet* their regular December meelinj The usual date falls during tit Christmas holidays. The council will also considd making Nov. 29 a holiday for* employes because it is thedayaij Thanksgiving. Having Radiator Troubles? Let us FLO-TEST it! We specialize in "Factory Method" radiator cleaning, repairing and recoring. Our Inland Flo-Test Machine will quickly de termine if your trouble is in the radiator. We repair heater cores also. WORK GUARANTEED Dr. A Vis kvill re tu [or the se risits. Spilhai devisior Juct sem lerospaci itudents. s a tour jusinesst jean of tl ninistrat A pi<» jeeanogr 101 S. Texas CONNOR’S RADIATOR SHOP Owned by Glenn Connor —Class ol '7 1 822-2684-82MU! In fact, on April 25, Haldeman told Nixon that in his listening to the tape, "I don’t think you felt that clemency was wrong. I think you felt you had some justification for clemency on Hunt.” Again the President and Halde man talked about the March 21 con versation and Nixon said, “I have got to put the wagons around the President on this particular conver sation. ” Haldeman told Nixon he did not think Dean had recorded the con versation. BEER BUST Bonfire Night—Any Beer on Tap: $1.25 A PITCHER Lone Star—Schlitz—Michelob Budweiser 311 University 846*171! By L S Did yc orecogn Many jy their i Iggiespi ire the n dates. woe rom a w Jtudent wa tegular H0-A1 iVOO-H spelling |iave nid “I real i check ii :ar by li The t ie I ime to i V Actual Size $ 6.50 Pendant Key Ring Watch Fob Cast Brass with Black Background SIMP ’50 P. 0. Box 2864 S H S U Station Huntsville, Texas 77340 1-713-295-7493 Also available at MSC Gift Shop SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MAJORS: Here’s what you’ve been asking for—a palm-sized portable calculator that offers both scientific notation and memory! ! { Writin 12 K CorVUS 411. 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