The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-11
WITNESSES BALK
At QUERIES PUT
BY COMMISSION
They Refuse Point Blank
to Deliver Up Any
Information.
FOLK WILL SEEK
TO COMPEL THEM
Probe Into Tangled Affairs of
New Haven and It's Subsidi-
aries, Ordered by Senate,
Comes to Standstill When
Wall of Utter Silence
Is Encountered.

Washington, April Io.--vuin efforts
Merc made by the Interstate Commerce
TO obtain details OF financial transac-
,ions between the New York. New
Haven and Hartford tailroad ana its
iion COMPANY. and the so-callcd Bill
litrd company" through which millions
/ oi dollars are alleged 10 have been
improperly diverted from tho New
Haven.
Witness after witness refused point
OF the Billiard Company or to produce
I any OF the books. records or agree
lacnts, said to be IN existence, con
ce:ning It's financial transactions.
Will Institute Proceedings.
Joseph W. Folk. chief counsel for
the commission, announced that ho
you'd institute proceedings In manda
mus TO compel the rcc.,lcitrant Wit
nesses TO reply to questions put to them
ana To produce The books. records and
/ contracts called for by the subpoenas
| ings were postponed until April -?
- had beer expected Liat Charles
:; :; Meilen. former president of the New
Haven. and John l.. billiard. of the Bill
! iafu company. would testii" at to-
uiE nearing. which was conducted by
the commission by direction of tn, SEN
~. with q view to disclosing whether
me financial transactions Of the New
iMyen. under Mr.. M.llcn's management,
,,eSai ana whether any. sums improper
~ diverted from the New Haven could
he recovered Because the foundation
FOR their testimony could not lie LAID
without the records, they were not
called upon 10 testify.
Just what the Billiard Company is was
hot disclosed at To days hearing. Nu
witness, except Samuel Atorrhousc OF
New haven. would admit that he had
any competition with the company, al
though the presumed president treas
urcr and some stockholders were on tn,
witness stand. They declined. by ad
vice OF counsel" to auswc, any dues.
. .,n tn fF nj +,
lard Company II was maintained h.,
Their Their counsel that neither the com
mission nor Congress had the power tc
require them to give the Information
( sought.
! Cleans Ont the Vault.
Mi Morchousc. who said he was the
attorney for the Billiard Company. was
the only exception TO TIE rule. He adj
'nitted that lie was the coinpanys at
torney; that I'm looking after the
vompany,s business he had taken from
, slo,ico.oo0 Of securities which had
been kept there 10y the Billiard Com
pany-in fact. that he had cleaned III,
contracts between the New Haven and
the Billard Company, and declined posi-
lively 10 tell anything else concerning
/ Intiinations from counsel for the wit.
ncsscs are that the matter may not b.
settled without protractcd legal bat
! tie.
/ Walker d. Hines. who appeared as
counsel Tor the present mana cement
Of the New Haven. assured th. com
mission that he desired IN every way
! to cooperate with the commission and
TO facilitate its inquiry. lie said tho
present manag cmcut of the New Iiavci
had made an effort TO obtain tn. books
and records desired by the commission
but had not been successful.
Harvey V. Whipple. presiden, OF the
Merchants National Bank, Of New
liavcn. Conn. the first witness. re.
lations with the Billiard Company II.
! said he was not now Il stockholder ir
that company. but had been up 10 las
I fall.
< series OF questions was put te
/ Whipple intended TO develop evidence
OF financial relations between the Bill
lard Company and the New Haven. ol
the Billiard Company ana the New Eng
land Navigation Company. He declined
in every instance, to answer.
! TO samuel Hemingway. president o
the Second National Bank of New
! Haven, a similar line of questions Wa:
put. He also declined 10 answer.
[ Ry direction Of Commissioner Nc
! Chord. the record OF the proceeding:
, is TO snow that the witnesses refused
to answer essential questions in tn,
, ftcc Of q ruling 10y the commission tina
/ the questions bc answered. and tha
| despite tlic order witnesses pcrsiste,
! In their refusal.