The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-05-04
Rehearsed at Washington
Tell of New Haven
Deals
A LETTER FROM
Mr.. MELLEN
John L. Billiard Expected to
Take Stand This
Week

/ Washington, May AFTER brief
session Saturday OF inquiry into the fl
nancing of the Billiard company and the
numerous financial operations OF the
Metropolitan Steamship company, the
interstate commerce commission adj
| iourned its investigation of the New
York, New Haven 4 Hartford railroad
until Wednesday
1t is expected that John t. Billiard,
one OF the moving spirits OF the concern
whose dealings with the New Haven
have been the subject of considerable
questioning, will take the stand next
week.
When the hearings We're opened Sat
urday before Commissioner Charles G.
McChord efforts were made to trace the
stock of the Billiard company sold by
Harry V. Whipple, president OF the
Merchants National Bank OF New
Haven, and last treasurer of the Billiard
company.
William Butler Tyler of PIainfeld
n. j., testified that he had purchased 20
shares of stock from Whipple for jerks,
Gwyne & Co., New York stock brokers.
He paid Whipple $1,000 for it, and the
transaction was cleared through the firm
of Hallgarten s. Co. of New York.
Arthur C. Gywnne, junior partner of
the firm for which the stock was pur-
chased, said the transaction was put
through the firm of HaIlgarten & Co of
New York.
Arthur c. Gywnne, junior partner of
the firm for which the stock was pur-
chased, said the transaction was put
through on a Geographic request from
their Montreal office for a client in that
city.
Walter F. Reid of Waterford, Me-, the
next witness, told of conversations
with former President MelIen as to the
reorganization of the Metropolitan
Steamship company.
Were you interested in this COM
panyg" he was asked.
Il had friends who were, and | was
acting for them"
Mr.. Reid told of calling on Mr.. Mellen
in October, 1909, to find out if Mellen
would continue the negotiations that
had been started some time before. Mr.
Reed said that Mellen told him he was
to have 81 100000 of stock of the re-
organized Metropolitan, for which he
was to pay nothing, but that Reed was
to withdraw his three fast freight
steamers put on between New York and
Boston to compete with the Yale and
the Harvard.
Mr.. Melen, the witness said, also told
him it was agreed Mellen should have
three directors and that the Reed in
terests would designate four.
Later, it was testified, Mellen objected
to Morse being elected, as he was then
in prison, and stated that j. Pierpont
had demanded Morse's elimina-
ton, Reid then told of going TO Augusta,
Me-, where he sold the old Metropolitan |
at receivers sale. The Metropolitan
Steamship lines of Maine was then or
gained This was commonly known as
Steamship company No. %. !
Following the formation of this com
pany, Reid testified, Mr. Mellen said his !
own name must be withheld from the |
directorate Reed told of seeing Morse |
in the Tombs in New York and said /
then called on Mellen again and the lat |
ter. he slater. seemed to have lost in
terest in the matter.
"What became of Metropolitan Steam
ship company No. 22?" Reid was asked.
1T died 'a-born-in."
Mr.. Reid said the company's successor
was the Metropolitan Steamship COM
pany of New Jersey. which he averred
was formed by F. ID. Robbins, vice presi-
lent and general counsel of the New
Haven; John l. Billiard and Samuel
Grover c. Richards of
Portland. Ne. il was testified, was
dummy" treasurer and had signed
,hecks for 100000 in the organization
a threat by Charles S. Mellen TO