Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-07-24
UNCLE SAM FILES SUIT AGAINST NEW HAVEN R. R, Brief Charges Monopoly Controls 90 Per Cent of
 Traffic. PROSECUTION OF
 THE DIRECTORS Suit for Dissolution of Combine Not Connected With Criminal Pro. ceedingS Against Directors
 as Individuals.

New York, July 23.-Civil suit to force the separation of the New York New Haven & Hartford Railroad com pany from it's subsidiary rail, trolley and steamship lines under the Sher- man antitrust act, was filed in fed eral court here today by Attorney General McReynolds.
 The suit begun today has no actual connection with the criminal indic1- ments which the attorney general will ask federal grand jury to return against the New Haven officers and directors concerned in the upbuildins of the alleged unlawful combination in restraint of trade. The criminal proceedings will be conducted inde- pendently of the civil suit.
 T. w. Gregory, special assistant to the attorney-general, who wrote and filed the brief, and F. M. Swacker, an expert from the interstate commerce commission, who has worked many months on thecase, are expected to lay the evidence before the grand jury here on which indictments will be asked. It was understood here today that these officials feel that they have sufficient evidence to make out a prima facie case against many New Haven officers and directors, and if this view is correct indictments may be returned within a few weeks.
 Such action will mark the beginning of what may prove to be the most i'm portant criminal proceedings ever un- dertaken under the Sherman anti trust act in twenty-four years it has been on the statute books.
 Many Are Charges.
 To the civil suit the New Haven may not offer any great defense, but gov ernment officials expect the attempt to convict directors and officers will lead to a great legal battle.
 The brief charges the New Haven with an unlawful monopoly which con- trols more than 90 per cent of the rail roads and trolley traffic of all New England and more than S5 per cent of the steamship transportation of that region. The court is asked to restore competition by ordering the separa- tion of the New Haven from the Bos- ton & Maine railroad. from its sound and outside steamship lines and from it's trolley system in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
 The brief suggests that if the court deems best it appoint receiver to take over the property and bring it in harmony with the law. The govern ment alleges that the New Haven be- gan steps toward monopoization of New England transportation in 1893 and that it's domination over five states is now almost uncontested.
 The brief carries with it an exhibit however, purporting to be a copy of an agreeemnt to have been made at the fate J. P. Morgan's New York home between representatives of the Boston & Maine and New Haven on March 6, 1893, by which these two roads divided New England between themselves.
 Affects All of U. s.
 Under the agreement the New Hav en was to aid the Boston & Maine to acquire transportation lines north of a certain line and the Boston & Maine was to aid the New Haven in the same end south of that line. The New Haven, the bill declares, resorted to many elusive methods to cover its tracks in perfecting it's combinationt it acquired properties, got stock con- trol, impoverished competitors and bought them in and resorted to many illegal practices to attain it's end.
 New England manufactures, the bill says, about $3,0OO000,00O worth of products annually, and there is con heavy movement to and from that section of raw materials and finished products, so that a trans portation monopoly there is of vast interest to every section of the United States.