The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-11-21
GRAND JURY INQUIRY
Of RAILROAD DEAL Off
New Haven and Grand Trunk
Officials Had Been Sum-
mOnpd TO Testify.
WICKERSHAM CALLS HALT
Has Copy Of 81 Year Traffic
Agreement and IL May
BE FlawlcsS.

Federal Grand Jury investigation or
the proposed Grand Trunk New Haven
railroad alliance in New England was
to have been started in this city to-day.
1t was suspended Yesterday by order OF
Attorney General Wickersham. His eN-
PLANTATION is that he wished TO permit
complete examination by the Gov
ernment of information supplied by the
railroad commissioners OF Massachu-
setts and Rhode Island and also by the
two roads involved.
A Washington despatch says:
Between the lines Of the official
statement given out appears an ad'nis-
sion on the part OF the Attorn"y-Gen-
eral OF weakness in his case and 1t ID
believed that that was the chief con-
slderation tina, led to the suspension and
the search for additional evidence.
The Government. through its agents
here and in New Haven and Boston. had
gone so far as to Issue subppnas call
Ing upon officers and directors of the
New Haven road TO testify before thc
Grand. Jury. Some of the subpUnas
came from Washington. one OF the
subppnaed directors was j. Pierpont
Morgan, who expressed Willingness to
testify at the convenience of United
States District Attorney Wise. Timothy
F. Byrnes, vice-president, and Alexander
II. Cochrane. a director. were among
the others called as witnesses.
The Grand Jury that was 20 have
~ a.
charged yesterday afternoon.
Attorney General Wickersham made a
statement in Washington last night IN
which he said:
The A,torney-General had directed a
Grand Jury inquiry In New York into
the alleged agreement between the New
York, New Haven and Hartford RAN
road Company and the Grand Trunk
Railway Company before the visit 10
| him of the Rhode Island and Massachu'
setts officials. He had also written &c
President Melien of the New Haven an
| President Chamberlin OF the Crane
Trunk asking for an explanation
These gentlemen have offered fun acces'
I TO their records.
/ 1T was felt that full and carefC
! examination of the matters offered by
the railroads and OF the statement
made by the Rhode Island and Massa
/ chusetts officials and OF the sources o
! Information suggested by them Shoulr
! first he made. and for this reason AM
for this reason alone the Grand jury
! inquiry was suspended for the time
/ being"
In Boston yesterday President Meller
of the New Haven caused this 10 be
said:
MIR. Me!,en has signed what IL In
effect proposition To Mr.. Chamber
lin for a twenty-fiv year traffic agree
ment, but 1t has not been accepted by
Mr. Chamberlin 'and Mr.. Mellen is
without knowledge as to what action
Mr.. Chamberln will take"
SO far as is known Mr.. Mellen anc
Mr.. Chamberlln have not conferred
since Thursday OF last week. Mr.
Chamberlin. who came TO this city from
Montreal last week. still has rooms a
the Waldorf. but II was said at tn,
hotel last night that he had returned
to Montreal for a short stay. Mr.. Mel
len said yesterday:
Since the Department OK Justice a
Washington appears TO have taken VI
the subject It would hardly be fair 10
me to attempt 10 put forward my
side Of the case In tho newspapers"
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20-President Mel
len of the New Haven has sent q cop.
OF the agreement to the officers OF tn
Department OF Justice and has prom
ised to cooperate with the Government
officials IN making the inquiry. Slm!a
!. assurances. II Is said. have been re
ceived from Grand Trunk officials.
Several of the railroad commissioner
who were active in making a forna
complaint against the two railroads ar
not 80 sure tonight that the Depart
: ment OF Justice will be able TO sffor
them any relief. One OF them went 8
far az to declare that President Melle
OF the New Haven and President Cham
berlin OF the Grand Trunk are pruden
business men and Informed themselve
OF the legal status OF the agreement wit
relation to the antitrust law befor
they proceeded with the negotiations.