The Washington herald., 1914-11-03
new HAVEN Men
STAND INDICTED
Rockefeller and 20 Others
conspired in Railway Af-
fairs, Say Jurors,
MELLEN GETS IMMUNITY
Compelled Sale Of Competing Lines.
Jurymen State Baker and Ledyard
Allowed to Go on 5000 Bond.

New York, Nov. R.-cFfmInal indlct-
ments charging that they combined
and Ooaspired to monopolIze com
merce in the transportation business
we're returned today by . Federal
grand Jury against william @. Rookie
felIer, Lewis Cass Ledyard. Theodore
n, Yail, George +. Baker, John Billiard
and sixteen other men famous In the
industrial and financial world.
The indictments are the result of
the Federal investigation into the New
York. New Haven. and Hartford Rail-
road. One hundred and sixty corpora
tions are named, in the indictments
Judge Foster immediately issued
bench warrants for the defendants. In
addition TO those already mentioned.
the men indicted ares
George MaeCulloch Miller, Charles
p. Brocker. William Skinner, d. New
ton Barney Robert W. Taft, James s.
Elton. James 8. Hemingway, Charles
N. Pratt, A. Heaton Robertson, Fred
erick +. Brewster, Henry K. McHarg.
Edward d. Robbins. Alexander Coch-
rane, Thomas De witt Cuyler, Edward
Miligan. and Francis T. Maxwell.
Forced Others to Sell Out.
The manner in which the alleged illegal
combine was brought about Is thus set
forward in the indictments:
Said conspirators. taking advantages Of
the fact that the New York, New Haven
and Hartford Railroad has the only rail-
road Of any Importance leading from
New York City, Brooklyn. and Jersey
city easterly into the States Of connecti-
cut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts,. ver-
mont Maine, and New Hampshire, and.
treating the New Haven as q neuclus,
common carriers and their properties and
facilities under the influence, manage
ment, and domination and ownership Of
them as they would be able to reach.
from time to time"
The period OF time covered In the In
dictments, over which the alleged ille-
sal combine existed. extends from July
2. 1890, to the day of the findings and
the presentation Of these indictments" I"
In other words the indictments cover q
period Of more than twenty-four years.
MeIIen Secures ImmunIty.
Shorn Of complicated and technical
language, the indictments charge this;
That the financiers In control Of the New |
Haven system compelled competing lines |
to sell out Where the competing lines |
objected the advantages of the New |
Haven were brought into the balance and |
tne competltorS were computed 70 sell
Or 20 to the wall.
The grand jury probe was directed
against the men who served In the di- !,
rectorate Of the New Haven system dur
ing the regime OF Charles 8. MeIlsn, for
mer presidnt His testifying before the |
Interstate Commerce Commission learn
ed him immunity. The grand jury was
in session for nearly a month, going |
into every phase Of the New Haven sit
uation.
The first Of the warrants to be served
were for George F. Baker. the banker
and associate Of the late ]. Pierpont Nor
gan; Charles N. Pratt and Lewis Cass
Ledyard. corporation lawyer. The three
entered pleas of mot guilty" and were
released in the sum Of 5000 each.
Counsel for William Rockefeller de-
clared his client was Ill, but that ar
would be made to have him
admitted to bail.