New Britain herald., 1914-04-10
NEW HAVEN INQUIRY
 IS OPENED AcA|I
Witnesses Refuse to Answer Que|
 tions Concerning Billiard Company. MANDANUS PROCEEDINGS TO STAR

MANDAMUS PROCttDlkCS IO SlAR| Judge Stoddard Claims That Senad
 Resolution Has Conc Far Beyon|
 the Powers of Congress in OrdeI
 ing Investigation.
 Washington, April 1O.--Mandamq proceedings to compel the productioI of books and papers to disclod financial dealings between the Nei Haven railroad and the Billiard cont pany will be started immediately hI the interstate commerce commissio1 \ Further Inquiry Begun.
 Further inquiry into the financid affairs of the New Haven railroaI was begun by the interstate con1 merce commission today after severd weeks. of Investigation into the book of the company. The inquiry, unde the direction of Commissioner Md Chord, is being made in compliand with a senate resolution directing tf1 commission to develop all facts rd garding the New Ravens bankirl connections, the purchase Of its sulI sidiary properties, the money paid i'd them and the emoluments for conj missions paid for negotiating the varl ous transactions
 Commissioner McChord announce| that the principal matter to be corj sidered at present was the relation of the Billiard company to the finar| cial operations of the New Havel Walker D. Hines, counsel for th present management of the New Hal en, said at the opening that it was tn policy of Chairman Elliott and tn present management to cooperate q every way with the commission an| furnish all information.
 Whipple First Witness.
 Harry V. whipple. president of tn Merchants National Bank of Ne} Haven, the first witness, refused Il testify as to his business relatior} with the Sillard company. He sail he was not now a stockholder in thsj company but had been up to last fall
 TO whom did you sell your stocI in the Billiard company ?"asthe ws1 asked
 T must decline to answer tha question because regard it as an i'd vasion of my personal rights repIie| whipple.
 Judge Stoddard, counsel for th| New Haven, explained Mr. whipple1 declination to reply.
 Right Is Challenged.
 We challenge the right and th| Jurisdiction of the commission" sail he, ito inquiry into any act of thl Billiard company. Our conclusion that such an inquiry would be bt1 yond the scope of the commission authority. Acting upon that com clusion We have decided to declin| to answer questions relating to sucI matters"
 Were there any relations betweel the Billiard company and the Ne9 Haven during your incumbency a| treasurer of the Billiard company ?1 Mir. Whipple was asked.
 The witness again declined to an| swer by advice of counsel.
 Suppose. suggested Chief Counse| Folk of the commission. that it cal be shown that the Billiard compan3 owes the New Haven Railroad man] millions of dollars, do you think tha) it would be desirable to conceal thi| fact, in view of the desire of thl senate for the information 2"
 Stoddard Is Aroused.
 .'I think" interrupted Judge Stod dard, that the senate resolution hal gone far beyond the powers either o| this commission or of congress- Neither the commission nor congres| has any power to investigate the rel lations, if any, of the Billiard com| pany and tho New Haven Railroad
 Whipple Still silent.
 A series of questions was put tI Whipple. intended to develop ovi| dence of financial relations betwee1 tho Billiard company and the NeY Haven or the Billiard company and the New England Navigation com| pany. He declined in every instancI to answer. He refused to say wheth) CT there had been a transaction bel tween the Billiard company and tn, New England Navigation company in| $21, 100000, or not; whethe1 the New Haven. through its subsi| diary, the New England Navigatio1 company, did not advance to John I' Billiard million dollars on his foul promissory notes. or whether BillarS was indebted to the New Englan< Navigation company for two millioI dollars. N-
 The counsel for the commissioi said MT. whipple had been directet by subpoena to bring books. docu ments and contracts of the Biliar< company.
 fire you prepared he inquired "to produce those books ana uocu ments?'
 .I am not" whippie responded and declined to say whether his re fusal was or was not because ths hacks were too bulky.