Salt Lake Tribune | 1915-12-07 | Page 7 | Says Prosecution Ruined the Railway

,s SAYS PRflfflll HID THE RAILWAY Charles S Mellen Tells of Efforts to Prevent Inquiry Into New Haven Affairs PRESIDENT PERSUADED ""Lawyer Ledyard the Instru ment Used to Bring Influence Influ-ence to Bear NEW 10ri D 0 The foderal proseeut on of the Ie? ork New Haven i, Hartford Ea lroal comiauj and its directors accompl hed the practical mm of that rail oal in the op n oa of C harles S Mellen as expressed on cross eiaminatio today at I the tr al of the eleven formei d rectors of the road on the charge of cm inal Tiolation of the Sherman law It nas from fear he said that th i noull be the res It of the inqu rj into the Ncft Haej aftairs uegun in 191 by the federal rand jurj in New ork that he got Lew s Cass Lcdjard to see Pre dent Taft and the then attorney general Oeorge V WicVershan and in tluce them at ltast to 1 m t the nqu ry to the so-called Grand Trunk deal the lle0ed suppress on of the Grand Trunk s proposed New Lngland exten sions This was done cont nued Mr Mellen but it n eant indictment and my deBtrnct on and the rest they ac complished later Came at Critical Time The former New Haven pres dent ex pla ned that at the t me the New Ha en s fi nancial affairs vere n a cr t cal s tnation The reason for th s was he sa d that on account of the conn" ct ng laws of the New England states the toad vas virtually unable to refund its obligations except through short term notes and a large amount of this floating indebtedness had accumu lated i These financ al quest ons were vhat it des red to present to the people at ash ngton he testified. The lin t ing of the scope of the nvestigat on was for the benefit of the New Ha en I was sure that Mr Swacker s probe would do what it d d do practically ru n the VNew York New Haven & Hai ford for . a t me or apenod of ears p to the I time of my indictment th persecut on V or whate e o want to all t wo ha 1 ulva s ja 1 livid ds an I h d 1 a dao lit a p us Tl i tPHtl y va iid I ced by Lhailos 1 Llo t of co sel lor the lefense afte la M taw c er for the go or ment I a 1 lie t d f o tl v tness as de e agal st the I fenda t Le 1 a 1 ulo e t at Iolja I 1 ad s ocesafullj se 1 1 is nfl euce w t the i s lent a 1 tl o attorney goner 1 to p e ent the g an I j ) inq r fro k,o ng to the cha ge of o 01.0I the san 0 ha ge upon wh h the defenlauts are no v I e ut tr ed The lefeula ts atto nej tl en pro ceelel to el t f on tl e w t ess t a t raon) ntended to g 0 tie Gran 1 Trunk deal tself the cl a acte of 0 cence Mr Melle pi t rel the Gra d Tr nk s act it es exten I ts 1 nes nto New 1 upland not as ha g been lei g ed fo the 1 nose of legt ate con vet t on w th tl e New Have I t a a threat to for e the hand of tl e New Ha en connect on w tl the latter s traffic relat ons w th the Caualan Pa fi the Crant Tr nl Br al Agreement With C P Mr Moll Is lose t that tie New Ha en had al 0 t 1 03 ente ed to a t afh arrange ent th the Oanad an Pac fie whoreb al of t e No v 11a en s terr tor was 0 e e 1 1 to th t oad througl t on w th he Boston V; Ma ne at Newport t Tl C nal an Pac fic also obta nod b tl s ar ange n ent a eheai er 1 ffe ent al to Nqw " orl C t than any of tl e otl er tr nk 1 nes At all t es sa 1 Mr Mellen we were real togvothet adlrnl the sane al antage b t 11a s (the pres lent of tie Craul Tru k) wanted more