The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-22
Long Continued Effort to Avoid Litigation Ends
 in Failure
PRESIDENT DIRECTS
 DISSOLUTION SUIT
Says That Is Only Course Govern ment Can pursue-Sends Letter to Attorney General Directing
 That He File Suit

Washington, July 1.-The long oontin- ned effort to untangle the New Haven railroad without litigation came Co an end tonight. when President Wilson in letter to Attorney General McReynolds directed the institution of sherman law suit to dissolve the system and ordered that the criminal aspects of the case" be laid before federal grand jury
 The Presidents approval of the course mapped out by the department of jns- tice means that the civil suits will be filed against the New Haven in the United States court at New York at once. The attorney general also will immediately direct United States Dis tract Attorney Marshall al New York to summon a grand jury and the task of laying evidence berore that body on which to ask for criminal indictments against officers and directors of the New Haven under the Mellen management will be begun as soon as possible.
 Expect Several Indictments
 How many indictments will be sought was not divulged tonight but it was plainly indicated in correspondence made public that the attorney general ex- poets to ask for a bill against Charles & Mellen, former president of the New Haven. The most significant fact in connection with the indictments was said to be statement which Mr McReynolds gave out several months ago when the interestate commerce commission began its New Haven inquiry In that state- ment the attorney general warned the commission 10 consider whether immun- it., might be given eeolRin men if made to testify as to their actions as directors of the roads. The names he mentioned were
 Charles s. Mellen. William Rockefeller, George Maculloch Miller, Charles r. Btooker. Edwin Miner Lewis Cass Led yarl, George F Baker and Edward D. Robbins
 1 ln addition to directing suit. the Presi- deut ia his letter to Mir. MeReSnoids 6e- l clatseA that the decision of the New Haven directors not tu keep their agree mcut to dissolve peacefully had caused him the deepest surprise and regret, and that their failure upon SO slight d l pretext, was iuexplicable and entirely without Justification" The departments ! course, he said was just, reasonable and | efficient and should have resulted in avoiding suit.
 According to the Presidents letter. the department made public correspondence between the Attorney General and the President and the Attorney General and President Hnstis, of the New Haven.
 Interesting Phase One of the most interesting phases of the correspondence was contained in the Attorney Generals letter to President Wilson. in which there is n decided re- bulse for the interstate commerce com mission for its action in subpoenaing Mellen and .perhaps others flagrantly culpabe." with the possible result of em- barrassing the department by a claim ot immunity for their testimony. In this connection the Attorney General makes the statement that criminal prosecutions have always been in mind and that there has never been the slightest hope that parties guilty Of criminal violations of the law would eseapen
 The letter from the Attorney General to President Ilustis made 1t clear that the department takes the position that tine New Haven directors did not live up tc their agreement of last March for q peaceful dissolution in their refusal to sell their Boston and Maine stock. under conditions imposed by Massachusetts, and put the blame for what may follow on the heads of these directors
 The case was discussed today at the cabinet meeting and the departments course approved.
 The Presidents letter 10 the Attorney General follows, in part
 T have your letter of today enclosing a copy of your letter of July 9. to Mir J II. Hustis. president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad com pany. which together disclose the failure of the directors of the company to com ply with the terms of the settlement proposed by them and accepted by us in the matter of their railroad holdings Their final decision in this matter
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