Claudius H. Huston
Encyclopedia
Claudius Hart Huston was a politician from the U.S. state
of Tennessee
.
Huston, a Republican from Chattanooga
and a delegate to the 1924 Republican National Convention
was chairman of the Transcontinental Oil Company, director of the International Germanic Trust Company of New York
, and later chairman of the Republican National Committee
.
Huston had also headed the Tennessee River Improvement Association, which maintained a Washington D.C. lobby to oppose government operation of a $150,000,000 power plant, built during World War I
to make nitrates for gunpowder
. The association favored acceptance of some private bid for the plant's use and Huston sent more than $156,000 to his office in Washington D.C. within a four year period. In 1928, he greatly helped write the Muscle Shoals
plank in bipartisan platforms. His association lobbied for the Muscle Shoals bid of the American Cyanamid
Co., under which Union Carbide
Co. would get a share of surplus Muscle Shoals power.
In 1929, Huston had a stock account under a different name with Blyth & Bonner, a brokerage firm in Manhattan. After realizing he was $19,381 short, he solicited $22,000 from the head of Union Carbide, Fred H. Haggerson to keep his Muscle Shoals lobby alive and then put the money into his stock account. That June he obtained $14,100 from Haggerson which also went to Blyth & Bonner, as margin for the purchase of $46,000 worth of stocks. From that purchase, he was able to secure a profit of $526, which he later claimed in court was unpaid interest on money he advanced to the Tennessee River Improvement Association. Two months after he received the second contribution, he paid the association the full $36,100, in installments. This resulted in the investigation of Huston’s activities, which prompted many Republicans to demand his resignation as the party’s chairman.
His daughter Alice married Fulton Lewis
, a famous television and radio broadcaster.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Huston, a Republican from Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
and a delegate to the 1924 Republican National Convention
1924 Republican National Convention
The 1924 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in Cleveland, Ohio at the Public Auditorium from June 10 to June 12. For this convention the method of allocating delegates changed in order to reduce the overrepresentation of the South...
was chairman of the Transcontinental Oil Company, director of the International Germanic Trust Company of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and later chairman of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
.
Huston had also headed the Tennessee River Improvement Association, which maintained a Washington D.C. lobby to oppose government operation of a $150,000,000 power plant, built during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to make nitrates for gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
. The association favored acceptance of some private bid for the plant's use and Huston sent more than $156,000 to his office in Washington D.C. within a four year period. In 1928, he greatly helped write the Muscle Shoals
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Muscle Shoals is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. As of 2007, the United States Census Bureau estimated the population of the city to be 12,846. The city is included in The Shoals MSA. It is famous for its contributions to American popular music.-Geography:Muscle Shoals is located...
plank in bipartisan platforms. His association lobbied for the Muscle Shoals bid of the American Cyanamid
American Cyanamid
American Cyanamid was a large, diversified, American chemical manufacturer, founded by Frank Washburn in 1907. It was the only United States firm manufacturing the polio vaccine of the Sabin type....
Co., under which Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
Co. would get a share of surplus Muscle Shoals power.
In 1929, Huston had a stock account under a different name with Blyth & Bonner, a brokerage firm in Manhattan. After realizing he was $19,381 short, he solicited $22,000 from the head of Union Carbide, Fred H. Haggerson to keep his Muscle Shoals lobby alive and then put the money into his stock account. That June he obtained $14,100 from Haggerson which also went to Blyth & Bonner, as margin for the purchase of $46,000 worth of stocks. From that purchase, he was able to secure a profit of $526, which he later claimed in court was unpaid interest on money he advanced to the Tennessee River Improvement Association. Two months after he received the second contribution, he paid the association the full $36,100, in installments. This resulted in the investigation of Huston’s activities, which prompted many Republicans to demand his resignation as the party’s chairman.
His daughter Alice married Fulton Lewis
Fulton Lewis
Fulton Lewis, Jr. was a prominent conservative American radio broadcaster from the 1930s to the 1960s.-Early life and career:...
, a famous television and radio broadcaster.