Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-20

l could not see why he did not act
from the highest dictates of public
duty in what he said to me-"
Justification will be the reply of
William Rockefeller and the high
powers in New Haven to the amazing
story of Mellen, dealing with the
Westminster amalgamation put
through at a cost to the stockholders
of s35, 900 600. Mellen's criticism will
be repudiated and his Judgment at
tackled if the other directors. of the
system are called TO testify at the In
terstate Commerce Commission in
quiry now in progress.
Although only twenty-six miles of
railroad We're secured for the millions
il was set forth that this road is a
six track, high powered line, extend
ing from the Harlem river to the Con
necticut State line and certain event
ually to be worth many times the
initial cost. Penetrating Bronx Dor
ough Of New York as it does, it will
eventually prove, these directors will
urge, one of the best purchases ever
made by a railroad. That this is the
intention of Mr. Rockefeller and the
men who were associated with him
in the taking over of the two pro
posed railway systems, grouped under
the heading, "Westehester county OPP
erations," was learned today They
have been carefully following by
means of high-priced attorneys every
word of Melen's story. They will in
sist that nothing criminal has been
divulged.
Defend High Purchase Price.
The question of the Westchester,
they say, was whether too much was
paid. On this point they say Mellen
is alone in his criticism. Meanwhile,
although Morgan is dead, Rockefeller
and most of the members of the board
, of directors who authorized the deal
are alive. If the Interstate Commerce
| Commission inquiry proves that the
deal was fraudulent or Illegal they are
! individually liable. Rockefeller is to
be examined as soon as Mellen's story
is complete, and subpoenas have been
issued for the other directors and
for the high-priced attorneys who adj
vised the deal The commission ex-
poets to develop from Francis Lynde
Stetson, who was the chief attorney
in the early days of the Westchester
deal how far he was influenced in his
advice by suggestions from Morgan
and Rockefeller. Other lawyers will
be called and asked why they advised
certain deals.
Mellen resumed the stand today to
throw further light on the merger of
the Boston and Maine with the New
Haven. The fact that he d'sclaims
responsibility fer the twenty-year
contract which the American Express
Company put through with the B. and
+ NJ just before the merger and which
the New Hampshire Railroad Com
mission claims has cost the stock
! holders of the New Haven 100000
annually ever since, brought the en-
tire transaction into bold relief.
MeIIen Relieved of Worry.
Mellen very frankly insists that
while he would not have made any
such contract he was very glad it
existed when he took over the road
for the New Haven, as it saved him
much worry Counsellor Folk today
devoted his energies to developing re-
sponsibility for this deal. He also
i oelved deeply into the sale of the B.
and NJ. stock to the Billiard Company
/ and its subsequent purchase by The
New Haven, trying to show that this
sale was not bona fide transaction
Fut in this he. was baked at all times
by Mellen, who defended the deal and
emphatically asserted that 1t was "al-
ways on the level.