New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-20
ROOSEVELT WARNED
HIM, SAYS MELLEN
Continued from page 4
Anybody's imagination can run riot when
It gets into 100000 or. 100000"
Thorne Wrote Of 18th Street..


A letter from Mr.. Thorne to Mr.. MeIln,
dated February is. 1906, identified by Mr.
Mellen. said:
II have had several interviews with the
city authorities, and although some things
may have to be done there I can assure
you | will get what want provided
own both franchises. AS 1t is at the pres
ent time, there are people In 18th st who
are strongly in favor OF Westchester and
others in favor of Portchester. and 1t
would be extremely difficult for either OF
the roads 10 get through anything. be-
cause they naturally have the opposition
of the other. and the fact is that when
anything goes through both sides ought to
be taken care of. but by eliminating those
| can greatly facilitate the matter and
reduce the cost"
What did you understand him TO
mean" Mr.. Polk asked. when he said
AS il is at the present time there are
people in 14h St who are very strongly In
favor of Westchester and others In favor
Of Portchester, and it would be extremely
difficult for either of those to get through
anything?'
II developed at this point that l.. ).
Miller. president of the New York, West
chester g. Boston Railroad, had written
a letter to Mr. Melen protesting that
there was an overpayment to Mr.. Thorne
of more than 100000 This, Mr.. Mellen
said he believed to be in excess OF what
he was entitled to. In addition to this
overpayment Mr. Mellen also testified
that Mr.. Thorne and Marsden c. Perry
received s275,000 to cancel a contract.
Stetson Attorney for All.
''Thorne and Perry" said Mellen. had
the right under their contract to COM
plete the Westchester property and to re-
ceive ~ per cent upon the total cost OF
their disbursements in that connection.
They were deprived of the right to COM
plete 1t by the taking over of their con-
tract. Under the terms of the contract
with them they were relegated to J. p.
Morgan for any claim they might have
for being deprived OF expected profits.
Some time after the contract was can
celled they made claim. It was sub
United 10 Mr. Morgan. Before II was
passed upon by him. or. so far as know,
before he ever read the papers. a settle
ment was made on the recommendation
of Mr.. Stetson by which they were paid
s275OOO."
Mr.. Stetson. il was disclosed. was the
attorney for the New Haven. Morgan &
co. and Thorne and Perry in the West
chester deal. When Mr.. Thorne obtained
the additional $4,000, ex-Judge O'Brien
was his counsel. IN explaining tho con-
nection of Mr.. S:etson, Mr.. Mellen said
that his first interest was TO look after
the New Haven road. Mr.. Stetson, he
said. had advised the settlement OF Mr..
Thorne's claim for $4,000.
Mr. Melen said he had directed that a
contract he given to the New York Con-
tracing Company. He said he did not
know what individuals were interested In
this company, except what he had seen In
the newspapers.
"I have understood" he said. that
there were Gaffney and Murphy and Col
llns-I cannot remember the names-quite
a number Of people In New York"
Mr.. Mellen said that Gardner Lane, OF
Lee, Higginson & Co. first suggested the
taking over of the Boston & Maine. Mr..
Lane had told him that the American Ex-
press Company was going TO sell It's Bos-
ton &, Maine stock. Mr.. Mellen said
'T Investigated IL on my own hook. and
] thought Mr.. Lane was right and that
there was likely to be a sale expressly OF
the American Express Company's stock,
which was a large block, and so largo
that other blocks would likely graTtate
to II and 20 with 1t, so that | felt that
the American Express Company's sale
meant a sale Of the control Of the Boston
& Maine road"