New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-04
Latter Dominating Figure,
Elton and Skinner, New
Haven Directors, Testify.
FINANCIER CALLED
ALMIGHTY OF FINANCE
Deposed President TOO Am0''
tious, Lost His Head'-Kept
Westminster Deal Secret.
From The Tribune Bureau

Washington. June 3.-James - El'Oi''
u,o,orhurv and William Skinner, or
HoIvoke. two New Haven directors w.
dav failed TO throw light on the mys-
terious Billiard transaction lnVoiVi"e
the purchase and sale or Boston 3"
Maine stock by the New Haven IN the
RESUMPTION Of the investigation OIL 'He
New Haven Railroad.
Elton contradicted Mellens tesViiion'
as 10 what Billiard was to receive ZIG
understood the New Haven ROAD WIS ~
receive all the profits, less reasoh'D'0
commission from Billiard, and that inc
,,,tnutes NJ the New Haven board or
directors meeting of OCTOBER o. i'0''
specifying this were correct.
Mellen testified these minutes "ei0
incorrect and had been adopted 10
mako Billiard give up part OF the s%'-
$4,000 which, he asserted oeioheeu ~
him.
skinner testified that he arrived from
abroad only in time to attend 'he me- No.
,ro NJ the directors on october o. loV''
when IL was NOltu dii VI '~
longed to the New Haven.
Elton who is seventy-six years oiu'
was a picturesque witness he "u
nitted he had told his son ne ia"
lived seventy-six years to become d
member OF the damned TOOL fanny
He considered Mellen the doniha'ihe
figure on the board. Mr.. Morgan he
said. had often helped to carry inc
hoard but those were cases when there
WAS opposition. The directors usually
acouiesced with what Mr.. Morgan pro-
posed. After Mr.. Morgan left some Oh
tho directors would mutter ana say
things they would not say when ne was
there.
Elton thought Melen was the moving
snirit i'm most of the New Haven trans
actions. Mr. Mellen was too AMBITIOUS
and carried the directors off their rect
Mellen Lost His Head.
"Mr. Mellen frequently lost his head'
Elton said. because he let his am
bition run away with him..
Things were different under the pres
ent management, as Mr.. Elliott TOOK
the board into his confidence and asked
it's advice. The directors now were not
ofraid tn voice their sentiments.
Regarding the expenditure OF the
S11 600 900 in the Westchester transac-
ton. Elton said that when Mellen ana
Morgan said it was a proper thing 10
do he thought it was all right. Things
went so fast that he couldn't keep up.
"They were errors Of the head and
not of the heart" he declared. / De-
lieye that Mr.. Morgan was Interested
heart and soul in the New Haven.
Replying to questions asked by Will
lam Nelson Cromwell. counsel FOR
number of New Haven directors, Elton
admitted that Mellen was chairman Oh
a snecial committee which handled the
Westchester negotiations and that he
relied on Mellen. This committee sub
mitted minutes TO the directors from
time to time.
The ACQUISITION Of the Westchester
railroad was one policy. The terminal
charges at the Grand Central station
were becoming so heavy that as 1ai
back as 1890 there had been discussion
Of how 10 eliminate them. Elton was
guided in his vote first by information
submitted by Mellen, by his confidence
in Mellen and by the prospective value
of the project. He believed the New
Haven was paying too much for the
Westchester properties and would not
vote for it now.
He testified that at meetings of the
directors the question frequently came
ND as 20 whether or not they were VIC
lating the Sherman law in acquiring
properties. Mr.. Robbins, their genera
counsel, invariably told them thai