The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-20
WAS STRONG Man
And as Honorable as Any He
Ever Knew
Declares Mellen Testifying Re.
garding John L. Billiard.
MADE PROFIT OF 81, 100000
Out of His Dealings With the
New Haven Company.
Always Something Doing In
Massachusetts, Legislature.

Washington, May zU-OetdlS So'
cerning the relations Of the New YORK.
New Haven & Hartford railroad ana
the Billiard company, through winch
the latter. or John L. Billiard. mace d
profit Of $2.7OO.OO0. were given to the
interstate commerce commission To-Day
by Charles S. Mellen, former president
of the New Haven. Stress was lalo
upon the relations Of the New raven
and the Billiard company. Mr.. Mellen
maintained that all the records OF
those transa actions were in the hands
of the commission and spoke for them
selves.
Mr.. Mellen declared that Billiard was
"a strong and honorable man-as non
orable a man as / ever knew" but he
related incidents of his transactions
with the New Haven with evident
gusto. Toward the close OF the morn
ing session the purchase OF the Worces-
ter, Nashua G. Rochester railway py the
Boston & Maine was discussed. 1t de-
veloped that 1t was brought about
by the late ]. Pierpont Morgan, Mr.
Mel1en testifying that Mr.. Morgan nan
died the details of that purchase. The
road cost the Boston & Maine nearly
s3,00O,0OO. Mr.. Mellen. while he con-
sidered the property valuable, frankly
50 d he had not approved OF the pur-
chase of the property.
Mr.. Mellen arrived early. tccompan-
led by his counsel. ]. w. II. Grim. He
showed no signs of fatigue from his
prolonged effort yesterday. Chief Coun-
sci Folk said that it was the expecta-
ton that Mr. Mellen would be on the
stand throughout the day and perhaps
longer.
Much Ground to Go Over.
I'VE have not yet gone into the
matter of the acquisition by the New
Haven of the Rhode Island and Con-
necticut Trolley lines. We should be
glad to have some information con-
cerning those transactions" he said.
Mr.. Mellen has assured the commits
sion that every paper in his possession.
bearing upon financial transactions OF
the New Haven, during his incum-
bency as president has been placed at
Its disposal. @' - Ssal'
1t was 1925 when Mr.. Mellen took
the stand. He was not quite SO pale
as on yesterday. Commissioners Nc
Chord and Daniels were at the COM
mission table.
when was loan of $500, 900 made
to Haskell of the Boston Herald ?" be-
gan Mr.. Folk.
Two years or more before notes Of
Haskell were sold to Mr.. Billiard" Mr..
Mellen replied. Asked to explain the
transaction he said:
IT had known Mr.. Haskell some
years and laid the case before the
finance committee and they agreed
to the loan."
Was the fact that he was owner
of the Boston Herald an inducement
to make the loan?" Mr.. Folk asked.
Not Bad Inducement.
1T was certainly not bad induce
ment.'
What was pending in the Massa-
chusetts legislature at the time of the
loan to Haskell?"
There was always something pend
ing in the Massachusetts legislature" /"
Did you have anything to do with
the reorganization of the Boston Her.
aid? ?" asked Mr.. Folk.
AT the request of Mr.. Hemingway
I attended a meeting at which the re-
organization of the Herald was con-
sidered. 1 paid no special attention
to the matter. I was there as an OBJ
ings. I met at times, Mr.. Choate and
Mr.. O'Brien, the editors of the paper.
In the course of year I attended
perhaps three meetings of the board
of the paper. l never was in the
Boston Herald office. The meetings
club. / did nothing at those meetings
except observe the proceedings"
Mr.. Folk turned to the Boston rail-
road holding company bill. which
Governor Draper advocated. to bring
stock of Boston and Maine under
control of the state of Massachusetts
Mr.. Mellen testified that notice of the
bill had been sent him by Mr.
Choate or Mr.. Byrnes."
'That is Timothy E. Byrnes. vice
president New Haven and publicity
man. asked Folk.
mo man can be in the railroad
business nowadays and not get pub
licity: sometimes he gets too much. u
Registered Legislative Agent.
''Did you retain Mr.. Choate tc
draft this bill?'
"Mr. Choate was our registered
legislative agent. The main trouble
over the railroad situation in New
England was the trolley question
Everybody seemed opposed to the
railroad ownership OF trolleys. I fell
that an enlightened public opinion
would favor railroad ownership o.
trolleys.'
Did you spend 100000 in en-.
tightening public sentiment"
'I know Of nothing Of that kind
Mr. Mellen said he knew little O.
the details of the work of Vice Presi
dent Byrnes.
Were a large number of newspa
pers carried on the payroll of tn,
New Haven?'
'I never heard of a large number
OF newspapers on our payroll. / new
er heard of some papers until I saw
them mentioned in the testimony O
Vice President ByrneS.
did you know the Boston Repub
lie published advertisements and thel
sent the bill to the New Haven?"
Eyes read Mr.. Byrnes' testi
mony along that line"
did the fact that Mayor Fitzger
aid was the owner of the publication
have anything to do with this?"
"It certainly was not an obstacle.
The Billiard Deal.
C1~yarnor Fn1k read tho vninntoe n
a meeting Of the directors of the New
Haven held in October, 1909, at whicl
a report OF the contract with John L