Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-07-22
Long Continued Efforts to
Reach Solution of Difficult
ties Without Litigation
Come TO Naught,
CRIMINAL ASPECTS TO
BE LAID BEFORE JURY
Suit viii Be Filed in District
Court in New York at 0nCei
Gregory TO Be in Charge of
Civil Action,
.s.,e..l nlsr.ren 70 MORNING .ouss..l

SPECIAL uisPArcn MORNING JOURNAL
Washington, July '21-The long
continued effort to untangle the New
Haven railroad without litigation,
came to an end tonight when Presi.
dent Wilson in letter to Attorney
General McReynolds directed the
institution OF a Sherman law suit to
dissolve the system and ordered that
the criminal aspects Of the case be
laid before federal grand jury.
The presidents approval of the
course mapped out by the depart
ment of Justice means that the civil
suit viii be filed against the New
Haven in the United States court at
New York at once. The attorney gem
eral also Immediately will direct
United States District Attorney Mar
shal at New York to summon a grand
jury and the task of laying evidence
before that body Of which to ask for
criminal indictments against officers
and directors Of the New Haven un-
der the Melen management will be
begun as soon as possible
r. w Gregory, the special assistant
i'm charge Of the New Haven case
VIII have full charge Of the civil
suit and before the grand jury will
pert from the Interstate Commerce
commission who helped him in the
preparation of the evidence. How
many indictments will be sought was
not divulged tonight, but it was
plainly indicated In correspondence
made public that the attorney gem
eral expects to ask for a bill against
Charles : Mellen. former president
Of the New t'aven
Question ol xmnunity
The most significant fact in con
nection with the proceedings was
said to be q statement which Mr..
McReynolds gave out several months
ago when the Interstate Commerce
commission began its New Haven
inquiry. In that statement, the at
torney general warned the commits
sion to consider whether immunity
might be given certain men il made
10 testify as to their actions as direc-
tors OF the road The names he men
toned were. Charles s. Mellen Will
liam Rockefeller, George McCullOoch
Miller, Charles f. Baker, Edwin Mil
ner, Lewis Cass Ledyard. George F.
Baker and Edward D. Robbins.
In addition to directing the suit,
the president in his letter to Mr..
McReynolds declared that the deci-
sion of the New Haven directors not
to keep their agreement to dissolve
peacefully has caused him the
greatest surprise and regret. and
that their failure, upon so slight a
pretext, was 'inexplcahle and en-
tiiely without justification The de-
rartments course he said, was just
reasonable and efficient and should
have resulted in avoiding suit
Accompanying the presidents let
ter the department made public COR
respondence between the attorney
and the president and the attorney
general and President Husts of the
New Haven. One of the most inter-
estlng phases of the correspondence
was contained in the attorney gener-
ais letters to President Wilson in
which there is decided rebute for
lhe Interstate Commerce commission
Tor its action in subpoenaing Mellen
ana perhaps others llagrantlv cul-
pabe' with the possible result of
embarrassing the department by
claim Of immunity in return for their
testimony
In this connection, the attorney
general makes the statement that
criminal prosecutions have been al
ways IN mind and that there has
never been the slightest hope that
parties guilty of criminal violations
OF the law would escape"
Claim Agreement Was Violated
1t has been an open secret for
weeks that the department has what
u believes is evidence that Mr.. Mel
zen gave testimony to the commission
cohtradictins evidence in the possess
SION OF the attorney general and 1t is
possible that if any claim of inn
muhltN is raised that IT will be fought
on this issue
me letter from the attorney gem
e,ai TO President Hustis made it very
riear that the department takes the
position that the New Haven direc-
.ofs did not live up to their agree
sleht OF last March for peaceful
u.llssolutlon in their refusal to sell
enelf boston a. Maine stock under
eohuiuons imposed by Massachusetts, l
Snu nu put the blame for what may fol-
,Tn ,Uw on the heads of these directors.
US case was discussed today at the
ret "'iiet meeting and the depart
"OitS course approNpd