The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-05-09
To Testify on Wednesday at
the New Haven In
vestigation
MELLEN AND BYRNES
ALSO TO TESTIFY
Dummy" Director Acted
When Billiard Pulled
the Strings

Washington, May 9.--The Interstate
commerce commission has summoned to
Washington William Rockefeller and
other members of the board of directors
of the New Haven railroad, who on Oct.
s, 1909, attended a meeting of the board
and approved contract with John l..
Billiard in connection with the purchase
and sale by the latter of l09,948 shares
Of stock of the Boston & Maine road.
According to Billiards testimony Thurs
day, he personally got the profit OF
So 100000 on that deal
William Rockefeller, Lewis Cass Led
yard, George F. Baker and George w. G.
Miller have been summoned to testify on
Wednesday next.
Former President Mellen of the road
will be called later to tell of transac-
tons between the railroad and the Bill
lard company.
It is probable that Timothy +.
Byrnes, one time assistant to former
President Mellen, will testify on Mon
day. Z. d. Robbins, chief counsel of the
New Haven, who has been prominently
identified in the testimony with the af-
fairs of the Billiard testimony, is ex-
pected to take the stand Tuesday.
Solicitor Joseph w. Folk showed on
Thursday from minutes Of the board
that the New Haven was to get the
profit with reasonable compensation
to Billiard.
Billiard declared that ii President Mel
len was responsible for the writing of
the minutes he was guilty of false state
ments
When the hearing opened yesterday,
Carl Gartner OF counsel for the inter
state commerce commission presided in
the absence of Commissioner McChord.
1t was announced that the hearing would
adjourn at noon until next Monday.
Charles F. Linsley of Meriden, Conn.,,
yesterdays first witness, testified that
he was given five shares of stock in tie
Billiard company and was elected d.
rector.
"You were just dummy, then" ques-
toned Solicitor Folk, "and acted when
someone pulled the stringf"
EYES," answered Linsley.
"Well, who pulled the string on your
Folk asked.
why, Mr.. Billiard was the answer.
Mr.. Linsley said several meetings of
the directors were held, at some of which
L. ID. Robbins, chief counsel OF the New
Haven and attorney for Mr.. Billiard, was
present. Mr.. Linsley assumed that Bill
lard desired to place some of his affairs
in the Billiard company SO that they
might be safeguarded.
"Do you know that he put into the
Billiard company only those things which
related to the New Haven?" asked Dir.
Tok.
"No, do net" was the reply
Birdsay E. Case of Hartford, Conn.,,
testified that he was presented one share
of stock by some unidentified person and
elected treasurer of the Metropolitan
Steamship company of Maine, with per-
mission to sign checks for any amount.
Later he said he was elected trustee of
the Metropolitan Steamship company of
New Jersey. In that capacity he re-
ceived over 100000 in deposits and
checks. Part of this money, about
$3.50 900, he said, was used in equipping
the Yale and the Harvard for their trip
around the Horn to the Pacific coast.
He said he never questioned the source
Of the funds.
The last witness yesterday was A. c.
Hansen, an examiner for the commits
sion, who said that in 1911 the average
net investment of the New Haven in
sleeping and parlor cars, after deductmg
three per cent. for depreciation, was
So 200 900, and that the net returns were
1901 ,I30 In 1912 the figures we're 49,
$50 ,49l and Se27,276. On January J.,
1913 he said the New Haven entered into
contract with the Pullman company
to operate sleeping and parlor cars, and
gave figures and other data which he de-
clared showed there would be loss OF
$500 900 annually to the New Haven.
At this point, the inquiry was ad-
journed until 10 o'clock Monday morn