will just take this one on for us?" said Hughes—or the WXPost man whose signature has not been denied by his law- yers to be his. HughesPayout "How can we expect to re- alize our potential as a re- sort if we are scaring people away with bomb tests?" Hughes said in another let- To Politicians ter. Angry at the Atomic En- ergy Commission, which ul- timately carried out the tests, called Boxcars, Hughes Is Svrfacing suggested to Maheu that "somebody should start ne- gotiating with the AEC just "He cared nothing about candidates or issues—unless they like buying a hotel" hadSome effect on . • $50,000 in currency also "And if they did he figured he could buy his way to went to Humphrey during fai:or 'Everybody has -a price,' he always said. And he was the 1968 campaign. Maheu going to offer that price—to a, city councilman or the Presi- dent of the United States." testified that he delivered —Noah Dietrich. "Howard: The Amazing Mr. Hughes" the cash to the Vice Presi- dent in the candidate's lim- At a meeting in 1967 with Raymond M.. Holliday, then ousine outside ' chief executive of the Hughes Tool Co., "I showed Mr.. Holli- Century Plaza Hotel, where day a handwritten memorandum from llfr. Hughes where Mr. Humphrey had just deliv- Hughes was asking me to matte a million-dollar payoff to a ered a campaign speech. President of the United States. Mr. Holliday fainted, dropped • $100,000, in currency the yettoM sheet of paper on the floor and requested of me "earmarked" for President whether or not his fingerprints could be taken off the piece Nixon, was delivered in two of paper." equal installments in 1969 —Robert A. Maheu, under oath, July 4, 19'73 and 1970 to C. G. (Bebe) Re- By Morton Mintz bozo, one of Mr. Nixon's Washington Post Staff Writer closest friends. Maheu said LOS ANGELES—He is the world's most famous re- Rebozo had been "chosen by Mr. Nixon" to receive the cluse, holing up in the Bahamas or the Desert Inn in cash. -Las Vegas or Nicaragua, or, at the moment, a London The first delivery was hotel. He is fanatically secretive, too, about his finan- made in Key Biscayne by cial affairs, which are substantial, Howard Robert Richard G. Danner, who runs the Sands Hotel, a Hughes being a billionaire. Hughes-owned gambling ca- sino on the Las Vegas strip. Danner also made the deliv- But now information about • $50,000 in checks went to Hughes, as political financier, assorted Nixon-Agnew com- ery in 1970 — so long after about his bagmen, about his mittees about three weeks the prpsidential election underground that Maheu admitted to con- rivers of cam- before the 1968 election. "I cern paign contributions, about the want you to go to see Nixon about posSible origins of much of that money as my special confidential "eventual embarrassment." in his gambling casinos—all emissary," the letter-writer Danner, who is expected of this is gushing to the sur- presumed to be Hughes told to fill out the story in a de- face. _ position due to be filed this Maheu in March, 1968. week, made three trips to The principal founts of the "I feel there is a really va- Washington in 1970 to see information are two of his lid possibility of a Republi- Attorney General John N: former most trusted aides, See HUGHES, A6, Col. 1 Mitchell. His mission was Robert A. Maheu and Noah "to convey a request of Mr. Dietrich. ' Hughes," Maheu said. Maheu, ran Hughes' Ne- The request was that vada- Operations, a pur- Mitchell overrule the Jus- ported $300 million diverse HUGHES, From Al tice Department's Antitrust enterprise said to be the Division, which was trying state's single largest em- can victory this year," the to prevent Hughes from ac- ployer. Dietrich was Howard letter continued. "If that quiring the Dunes; Casino- Hughes' chief executive offi- could be realized under our Hotel on the Las Vegas cer for 32 years. sponsorship and supervision strip. The Maheu information— every inch of the way, then Hughes was already a his deposition in a pending we would be ready to follow dominant power on the lawsuit with other evidence, with Laxalt as our next can- strip, where he owned the such as a series of handwrit- didate." Paul Laxalt was the Silver Slipper Casino and ten letters to Maheu appar- governor of Nevada. five casino-hotels, the De- ently from Hughes—deeply • $50,000 in checks went to involves men who hold pub- Humphrey within a few sert Inn (where he lived a lic office at this mbmthit: days of the contribution to secluded life in the ninth- President Nixon; Sen. Hu- Mr. Nixon. The money was floor penthouse), and the bert H. Humphrey, who in passed through former Ne- Castaways, Frontier, Land- his earlier incarnation as vada Gov. Grant Sawyer, mark and Sands Hotels. In Vice President was. Mr. Nix- who wrote checks on his addition, he had other major on's opponent in the 1968 own account to various interests in Nevada. presidential election; nu- Humphrey committees. Maheu said he told merous legislators on Capi- In the same letter in Thomas G. Bell, a Hughes tol Hill, and several dozen which he designated Maheu lawyer in Las Vegas who state and local officials in as his "emissary" to Mr. was a • conduit for political California and Nevada. Nixon, Hughes named Hum- cash in the state, "that cer- The office of Watergate phrey as the "one man" tain political obligations had Special Prosecutor Archibald 1 who, through President to• be met as the result" of Cox in Washington recently Johnson, could delay one of Danner's trips to see gave an aura of immediacy feared underground nuclear Mitchell. to the Maheu papers by re- test near the Hughes resort Columnist Jack Anderson questing copies of some of in southern} Nevada. said last Tuesday that Dan- them from the U.S. District "Why don't we get word ner has told investigators Court in Los Angeles. to him on a basis of secrecy far the Senate Watergate Here are brief highlights that is really, really reliable committee that Mitchell, —some have eluded public that we will give him imme- claimed by/ Danner to have notice, while others have diately full unlimited sup- been unaware of the $100,- drawn piecemeal attention: port for his campaign to en- 000 given to Rebozo, cleared ter the White House if he the Dunes acquisition in Au- gust or September of 1970.

This was several weeks after Danner had delivered the second $50,000—in $100 bills —to Rebozo in San Cle- mente. However, the Dunes acquisition fell through. • $25,000 in cash was de- livered by Maheu in 1968 to Lawrence F. O'Brien, then chairman of the Democratic 0 National Committee, soon after the burial of Sen. Rob- ert F. Kennedy. Maheu said the money had been pledged to Kennedy's Campaign for the Democratic presidential 5 nomination. Because the Kennedy campaign was left with unpaid bills, "I felt it would be the proper thing to meet our commitment," Maheu said. He went to O'Brien, he said, "pursuant to instructions of Pierre Sal- inger," a Kennedy family friend. . ot, • Richard A. Ellis, a cer- tified public accountant re- tained by Maheu, confirmed under oath that the total of , $125,000 in cash given to ,Nixon, Humphrey and Ken- aq nedy in 1968 and 1969 flowed from Hughes' "personal account" in Los Angeles through Maheu's unincorporated investigative and public relations firm, Robert A. Maheu Associates. Hughes' secretary, Nadine Henley, administered the "personal account," also identified as "Hughes Prod- ;.ti uctions." The $50,000 in cash given to Mr. Nixon in 1970, how- ever, came from the Silver Slipper gambling casino. El- lis, in a deposition sup- ported by a 62-page finan- cial summary, said the "total cash received" by Ma- heu from the Hughes "personal account" between Jan. 1, 1965, and April 30, 1970, exceeded $300,000. This 7, was in addition to the cash gifts to Nixon, Humphrey and Kennedy, which, Ellis said, Maheu kept secret from him. Maheu said that Hughes imposed the se- crecy. The candidates who shared the $300,000 were designat- ed in phone calls to Maheu from "a fellow. by the name of Bart gvans" at Hughes Aircraft near Los Angeles, Ellis said. Evans "'would state that there was a din- ner or a political function" to which "he felt there should be a certain amount of moneys contributed," El- lis testified, "and checks would be issued as a result." The recipients included Democrats Alan Cranston ($65,000) and John V. Tun- ney ($3,200), who are now California's senators; GOP Sen. George Murphy ($2,000), defeated by Tunney in 1969; Democratic Sens. Birch Bayh (Indiana), $1,300; the contributions as non=de- well, a captive entity in ev- yer, Morton R. Galane of Fran Moss (Utah) $1,000, ductible items in order to ery way." Las Vegas, told him firmly Howard W. Cannon avoid possible tax implica- Later in 1970, Hughes moved secretly to the Baha- that "my instruction to you (Nevada), $2,000 and Joseph tions, Maheu said. as a lawyer" is to answer "in Montoya (New Mexico), The beneficiaries of the mas. But'in March, 1972, he $1,000, and GOP Sens. John $385,000 included the cur- fled by night in a chartered complete detail." Tower (Texas), 35,000, Ed- rent governor, Democrat yacht to escape deportation. With that, Maheu began a ward B r o o k e (Massachu- Mike O'Callaghan. He got Maheu, a grocer's son and two-day unfolding of his setts), $1,000 and Hugh $25,000, after he had shown former FBI agent, was fired story of how, starting in the Scott, the Minority Leader, "a prayer of winning," Ma- as chief of Hughes' Nevada early 1960s, he dispensed $500. heu said. Hughes had been Operations in December, hundreds of thousand of dol- Hughes' bipartisan ap- determined to defeat O'Cal- 1970. lars to politicians, always, proach ranged up and down laghan and had contributed "He's a no-good, dishonest he said, on specific instruc- the ranks. He gave to Cali- earlier only to the GOP's Ed son, of a bitch and he stole tions from Howard Hughes. fornia GOP Gov. Ronald.• Fike, who got $45,000. me blind," a man identify- One person to whom Ma- Reagan and to former Dem- Other beneficiaries in- ing himself as Hughes said heu said he relayed Hughes' ocratic Gov. Pat Brown, to cluded Lt. Gov. Harry Reid, in a telephone news confer- instructions was Frank W. Republican and Democratic $10,000, Nevada Supreme ence in January, 1972. (Bill) Gay, a former Hughes congressmen, to Los Ange- Court Justices Cameron Maheu struck back a Tool Co. official who is now les Mayor Thomas Bradley Batcher, $5,000, and E. J. month later with a $17.5 mil- executive vice president of and to the man Bradley de- (Al) Gunderson, $7,000, At- lion defamation suit. The de- Summa. feated, Sam Yorty. He also torney General Robert List, fendant is Summa Corp., At a meeting in mid-1970, gave $2,000 in 1970 to Pete $9,500, and State Cornptrol- successor to Hughes Tool Maheu said, "I told Mr. Gay Pitchess for the sheriff's ler_Wilson McGowan, $2,000. Co., ' and, like it, wholly that I was very much con- race in Los Angeles Twenty-seven legislative owned by Hughes. Summa cerned about the attempts Maheu said he one told• candidates got about $56,000. then filed counter-claims that Howard Hughes made Tom Bell,l the Hughes law- Substantial sums — fre- against Maheu for $4.6 mil- in asking me to make big yer, of "the desire of How- quently in currency — also lion. Tentatively, the case payoffs to Presidents of the ard Hughes to own all the went to candidates of both will go to trail in U.S. Dis- United States, which I cate- officials in Nevada . . .. He parties for numerous other trict Court on Oct. 23. gorically refused • to do"; to wanted every politician, at offices; including district Maheu, despite the high "own" Presidents, and to whatesier level, beholden to judgeships and commission- stakes and the bitterness, choose the successors. him." ershipsof Clark County, re- was reluctant to discuss .Maheu said he told Gay From time to time, Maheu gent posts at the University Hughes' campaign financ- that some of the Hughes - testified, Bell "would inform of Nevada, district attorney, ing. It was a lawyer for contributions were "far in me that he had, pursuant to city commissioner of Las Hughes, Howard M. Jaffee of excess of what they ought to Mr. Hughes' instructions, Vegas, and even justice of New York, who broached be." Gay expressed concern covered •all the bases in Las the peace. the subject while taking Ma- about Hughes' desire -"to ex- Vegas, Cofinty of Clark In 1967 or 1968, Maheu re- heu's deposition on July 4. ercise or attempt to exercise and the State of Nevada." called, Hughes directed him "I have religiously pro, that much power, particu- Maheu said the Silver in writing to contribute, "I tected Howard Hughes and larly since he was involved Slipper was the source of believe, $50,000," to Nevada's the Hughes Tool Co. relative in so much national defense Nevada contributions, which senior senator, Democrat Alan to political contributions," work," Maheu testified. were distributed mainly by Bible. Maheu told Jaffe. "If you Noah Dietrich, who was Bell; Hughes' security chief When the state's junior want to push the political fired by Hughes in 1957, is Jack H. Hooper, who in- senator, Howard Cannon, world of Howard Hughes," suing Summa, as well as voked the Fifth Amendment sought re-election in 1970, Maheu warned, "I will put Hughes. personally, for $51 against self-incrimination in Maheu said, the contribu- the ... consequences square- million. His suit also resultS a deposition proceeding, and tion "authorized" for him "at ly on your shoulders." from remarks made by the the late, Mr Force Gen. Ed- least initially, w a s for Jaffe persisted, possibly in disembodied voice in the tel- ward Nigro, who had been $70,000." hopes of fishing out evi- ephone press conference in Maheu's chief deputy. That Hughes did not re- dence that Maheu siphoned January, 1972. - Bell, in a deposition, strict himself 'to the United off political money for him- , Dietrich did 'not share Ma- named 82 Nevada politicians States is indicated by a tape self. Moreover, Maheu's law- heu's reticence about cam- who, in 1969, in preparation recording in court files of a • for the 1970 elections, to- phone call in early 1970, gether got $385,000—mostly purportedly from Hughes to in currency—from the Maheu. The subject was a "proprietor's drawing ac- possible move by Hughes count" at the Silver Slipper. from Las Vegas to the Baha- Hughes was personally mas. the sole proprietor of the ca- "If I make this move," the sino. As such, he could le- voice believed to be that of gally contribute. The ban in Hughes said, "I would ex- the federal criminal code is pect you to wrap up that on corporate contributions. government down there to Hughes was careful to list the point where it will be — paign contributions. Indeed, tions without violating fed- he volunteered an effusive eral law by routing them account, first in his book, through a South American published last year by Faw- subsidiary — a charge Pan cett Gold Medal, and then in Am has denied. interviews with this re- The law does not distin- porter last week and in De- guish between foreign and cember, 1972. The striking domestic corporations. B u t, thing is that the undocu- Dietrich said, lawyers for mented recollections of the Hughes said the foreign as- 85-year-old Dietrich comple- pect of the law had not been ment and are consistent tested. Hughes told him to with the testimony obtained "go ahead," Dietrich said. under oath in the Maheu Hughes Tool Co. had a case. subsidiary in Canada. Diet- Dietrich said in his book, rich said that he structured for example: "During the it so that its profits would late 1940s and throughout be adjusted to produce what- the 1950s, Howard's political ever campaign contributions contributions ran between Frank Waters said he need- $100,000 and $400,000 per ed. year. He financed Los Ange- "It was • a curious opera- les councilmen and county• tion," Dietrich said. "Money supervisors, tax assessors, from the use of Hughes' sheriffs, state senators and drills in Canada •flowed to assemblymen, district attor- the Bank of America branch neys, governors, congress- the Bank of America branch men and senators, judges in West Hollywood and yes, and Vice Presidents and thence to politicians' coffers Presidents, too." from Sacramento to Wash- In the interviews, Dietrich ington." named Frank J. Waters, a Another Hughes lawyer, Los Angeles lawyer, as a the late Neil McCarthy, also long-time former conduit for .was a conduit for political millions of dollars of contributions, Dietrich said. Hughes' Political money. Under an arrangement Diet- Waters could not be rich termed "screwball," Mc- reached last week. He was Carthy was compensated for reported to be in the Soviet contributions he made in Union. Earlier, however, he Hughes' behalf with in- refused to talk to a reporter. creases in legal fees from Dietrich's records were Hughes' interests. locked up in his office when Dietrich recalls in his he was fired, and he says he book an incident in 1944, has never been able to re- when Vice President Harry trieve them. But he has a Truman was carrying much sharp, retentive memory. of the burden of campaign- In "Howard: The Amazing ing for President Roosevelt, Mr. Hughes," Dietrich told who was ailing. of political contributions "On a visit to Los Ange- flowing, at various stages of les, he was visited at the their careers, to President Biltmore Hotel by Howard Nixon and the late Presi- Hughes and his attorney, Neil McCarthy," Dietrich dents Johnson and Truman, ■ to a former Democratic na- said. tional. chairman in connec- 'Howard waited in the tion with a criminal prosecu- outer room while McCarthy tion, and to numerous other conferred with Truman, wished him luck in the cam- politicians. paign' and handed him a Except for names, places cash contribution of $12,500 and dates, many of the epi- in an envelope," Dietrich sodes described by Dietrich said. have almost nothing to dis- "During their chat, How- tinguish them from those ard burst into the room and described by Maheu. said bluntly, 'I want you to To take a case in point, know, Mr. Truman, that is Hughes in Dietrich's time my money Mr. McCarthy is used Carl Byoir. and Associ- giving you." ates, the huge public rela- Later, Hughes wanted to tions firm, as a conduit, for exert pressure on the Civil political funds just as in Aeronautics Board in behalf Maheu's time' he used the of • , Maheu firm. The Byoir firm which he then owned, Diet- has declined to comment. rich said. The executive Dietrich, a Republican, managed to get an invita- said Lyndon Johnson, as a tion on President Truman's "young upstart congress- yacht for a cruise down the man" running for the Sen- Potomac. The time came ate'in Texas, asked him for when he told Mr. Truman of the free use of billboards his purpose and reminded throughout the ,Atate that him of the $12,500 contrib- were leased by the Hughes- ution Hughes had made. owned Gulf Brewing Co. Dietrich said the execu- Dietrich refused, saying the tive told him later that billboards were needed to "Truman blew his top, and promote Grand Prize Beer. the executive was lucky not Johnson was one of nu- to have been forced to swim merous politicians who got ashore." $5,000 a year, on a regular More than a quarter-cen- basis, through Frank Waters, tury later, Howard Hughes Dietrich said. was still contributing to He recalled an episode aft- Presidents, from Las Vegas er World War II in which . or the Bahamas, or London, , then chairman but on a grander scale. For of Pan American World Air- Richard Nixon's re-election ways, told Hughes that he campaign last year, Hughes made corporate contribu- gave a recorded $150,000.