The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-30

der the old management before the In
terstate Commerce Commission at its
bearing to-day brought the Wigwam In
Fourteenth street prominently TO the
fore.
| Oakleigh Thorne Of New York city.
who acquired the westchcster and
Port Chester trolleys for the New
Haven, testified that there were folks
in Tammany Hall who favored both
companies IN the matter OF franchises.
and his letters showed that when any
thing went through both sides had ito
be taken care Of"
II developed that some Of the insiders
Of Tammany were stockholders in the
Port Chester and Westchester COM
panies and that Mr.. Thorne in acqulr-
ing the properties had to take care OF
this stock on the basis OF one share OF
New Haven for every two shares OF
Wefchester.
New Haven stock then was selling at
high figure and only about Sl.0O00O
had been expended on the Westminster
system. 80 the Tammany people appar..
emily made good profit. The only
Tammany man mentioned by Mr.
Thorne was the late Big Tim sullivan
$4,000. 900 for Two Lines.
Mr.. Thorne paid about $S,OOO,OOO for
these two properties. In the case OF
the Westchester only about Sl,WOO00
had been invested in actual construc
ton work. while the property Of the
Port Chester consisted chiefly Of n fran
chise.
Mr.. Thorne passed the properties on
to the Millbrook Company. holding
concern organized for the purpose. and
the latter company handed them on
to the New Haven.
In the course Of the transfer from
Mr.. Thorne to the Millbrook Company
81. O32 900 Is unaccounted for. The to-
tai on the books Of the Mllbrook Com
pany Is short this amount from the
total funds advanced to Thorne for the
payment OF the property.
/, Mr.. Thorne could not explain to-day
what had been done with this sI.O32.
books showing these transactions back
in 1912. and he could not recall them.
The days testimony showed further
that another set Of books has been
burned which might throw light on
, the losses by the New Haven Railroad
IN the acquiring Of It's trolley lines.
, Cornelius =. Sweetland Of ProN
= dencc. II. l.. president Of the Provi-
dencc Banking Company, testified that
Inadvertently the books belonging 10
the Rhode Island Securities Company.
I through which the New Haven ac-
I quired its Rhode Island trolleys. had
i, been destroyed These books were
$ burned In 1913. when the banking
= company moved its offices
= Counsel Folk Sarcastic.
THAT is" said Mr.. Folk. counsel
. for the commission. after the Inter
. state Commerce Commissions action
n In the New Haven case had been made
= publict"
Il II don't know" replied the witness.
e Former officials OF the Billiard com
y pany Of New Haven. through which
the New Haven. according to charges
= Of the commission. apparently lost
- millions OF dollars, acknowledged on
the stand today that they were merely
dummies; that they knew nothing
about the business of the company. and
Il that their stock holdings IN II were
pnid with money advanced by law
" yer in the city OF New Haven.
y These are the officials who declined
VI to testify n short time ago and wht
l. appeared to-day after the commission
IN had threatened them with crimina
~ proceedings. II was apparent that thu
n commission intends to try to show tina
o. the Billiard company was merely dis
4, glis0sfOr officials. directors aud othcr'
ps Interested In the old management %
ie the railroad.
IN Tells of Talk with Mcllcn.
IN BEGINNING his testimony Mr.. Thorn
nj said he had met President Mellan % tn
VI Ncw Haven and had suggested takinl
over the Westminster and Port Chcste
~. properties. and Mr., Melicn informed hin
NJ. direct io said that Ia recollection
10 was that this WAS In June or July. 1906
>, In this connection MT Folk introduces
w. tho following letter from Thorne to Mellen
H. New YORK, October Is. 1906.
to Mr.. G. 8. MsiIea. $50 Whttney avenue,
Nc,O Hdrsn, Conn.
NV DEAR Mir. MELLEN; First | wish
to state to YOU that | am debating
this letter and the enclosed moiIo-
"A, randum to nT personal steuogrnpher
" IN whom ! have every confidence. and
that there Is absolutely no risk OF any
or one learning tho contents OF either.
,cs The situation to-day IL that nego-
,,l tiations with the Now York. West
n, chester and Boston are postponed
he until "Wednesday, ! made them a
M. proposition to purchase sil. 900. 900
ey OF their underwriting. provided they
he would give mo practically all of tho
I'm stock. This they accepted, but they
of now have eupendcred a clause In the
contract to tho effect that must buy
A the contract companies stock
Ia. naturally want the contract com
.nl nantes stock but do not want to pay
,on cost for same, a. ! brltrys In "A little