The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-22
E. H. DILLON & co.
WILSON REGRETFuLLY ORDERS.
 BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL
 SUITS AGAINST N. H. DIRECTORS
No Hope Immunity Any Of Witnesses Is Held in McReynoIds Letter to Presfden-NeW York Grand Jury will Consider Evidence

case be laid before a grand jury.
 With my regard sincerely yours,
 .rw6oDRow WILSON.
 'gro the Hon. J. c. McReyno1ds.
 Attorney General"
 The letter of the attorney general to the President follows:
 'sDeparttnent of Justice s'Washington, D. C.,
 @Ju1y 31, 1914 '@The President. the White House: Dear MT. President: Some days since reported to you that the board of directors Of the New Haven rail- road had advised me that they would not carry into effect the apNeoved ptoposals made by them last winter for bringing the affairs Of that com pany. into harmony with the federal statutes.
 Following your direction wrote to the president of the company on July g expressing your views and my own in opposition to the position assumed by the board. A copy of that letter is attached hereto.
 Saturday last received a. request to confer with committee composed of members of the board on yester- day-hondAy. They came here and we discussed the situation. empha- sized the position df the government, as OtI11ueQ III my ASIC9T or Jf1dY 5, ana energeticaI1y called attention to the results which would necessarily fol- low adherence to the, position taken by them. They refused. however, to admit any obligation ito conform to the Massachusetts enactment, and firmly declined to carry into effect their own proposals flor an adjust nent.
 During the past year you have been constantly in touch with my ac- tions in respect of the New Haven road; and you have been good enough seems, however, not inappropriate again to remind you of some aspects of the general situation.
 Prior to S1908 the attention Of the department of justice was called to the unlawful combinations and mon op0Ees in which the New Haven rail- road was the principal party; and in May of that year a proceeding under the Sherman law was instituted wherein the government sought to correct certain of the existing evils. This suit was dismissed June 26 19094 strengthen it's hold upon the carriers of New England.
 By the time your administra ton began the New Haven and the Bos- ton & Maine railroads had been re- duced to the unfortunate condition
 
 securities, widely distributed among small investors, had shr1nken enor-. mously in values. and the -commerce and industries of all New England were under a severe strain
 Directly after assuming this office, heinz convinced that the situation de- nanded thorough investigation by capable counsel, I retained Mr. IT. W. Gregory we'll known to you, and whose ability, industry, and integrity are un- inpeaehabIe. In due time he reported the result of his researches, and in structed him to prepare for filing at the earliest possible moment a pro | ceeding in equity to prevent further violations Of the law. Before this could be accomplished the railroad company selected a new chief officer, and he earnestly asked to enter upon negotiatiofs with me looking toward am adjustment without the necessity of suit. You have been familiar with the outcome; and, as the terms of the plan agreed on were published they ! became generally Known.
 1. Because of the important conse- uuences involved directly to New Eng I land and immediately to the rest Of the Union, it seemed most important. first, to accomplish. if possible, a 1 restoration Of lawful conditions in the transp ortation facilities of that sec ton with the least possible further 01SLr0SS CO 1InpOVSf1Sn0Q 1nV0SIOrS ana unsettled industries; and have acted accordingly.
 The criminal aspects of the case have been kept constantly in mind i; many data bearing thereon were col Iected months ago, and care has been l exercised to permit nothing which might interfere with proper prosecu- tions at the appropriate time. We i have not held out the slightest hope that parties guilty of criminal viola tions of the law would escape.
 t'In April and May last, there being 1 indication that the Interstate Com merce Commission by examining them, might immunize certain central l figures in the. unlawful arrangement, it was asked carefully to consider the effect of such action. Nevertheless MelIen and perhaps other flaerantly culpaible were put upon the stand, and any criminal prosecution hereafter , instituted probably will be ernbar- rassed by claim of immunity inter l posed in their behalf.
 With the utmost patience and an intense desire to enforce the law in l such way as to bring no unnecessary Il hardship upon New England or the 1 unfortunate holders of the railroad securities, we have sought to compel a restoration of lawful conditionss but, as believe. without proper