The Washington herald., 1914-05-15

New Haven and Hartford. Naturally
I was gratined. and thanked him. j
thought IT was the reward OF good
service
Q. Was IL?
A. I think 90.
Had Acquired Leased Lines.
Y. When you took charge of the New
Haven Railroad as president what was
the policy Of the board of directors In
reference to extension OF the investments
Of the road in securities of other roads
A. / found that they had been acquir-
ing for years large amounts of the Sc
curities of their leased lines, apparently
with an ultimate view to their merging
or union with the main line or parent
company. They had control of several
trolley companies and several steamship
companies.
Q. Did that policy continue during your
term?
A. II did
Q. With whom did YOU deal regarding
the delivery Of this Sl.2oo,0oo worth of
stock CT the westchester?
A. Well. he Is dead.
Q. Who was he?
A. Inspector Thomas J. Byrnes, of
New York City.
Q. Was he then inspector of police IN
New York?
A. think not. I am very sure not.
Mr.. Mellen went on to say that these
due bills for the Westchester line were
his own personal obligation. He had
settled with the New Haven Railroad
for the shares and he was responsible
to the holders Of the due bills. He said
son1s of the due bills are still outstand-
Ing and he carried a memorandum with
him In case somebody should ask him to
redeem one Of the due bills some day
when he was in New York.
Dse RllIs Oststandins.
Q. Where are those due bills nowz
A. God only knows.
@. You paid one this year, however?
A. I did. on March Z. 1s14
Q. Under what circumstances did you
BAY that one?
A. A man presented II to me and told
ne he wanted cash. and paid him so. 80
n bills.
Q. State what took place at that inter-
'iew? Did you know the man?
A. No.
Q. What did he look like?
A. Well, thought he was somebody
rom the East Side, by the looks Of his
lose.
~ uiu ne say
A. He said he had my due bill. said:
Let me see it,
Q. What was the name he gave, do
'ou know?
A. He did not give any name, and I
Vas not anxious to know it.
Commissioner McChord: Why, Mr..
deilen. were you going to pay this stran-
er $1,000? -
A. He had a due bill, Mr.. Commits
ioner. in my own personal handwriting,
5hich was easily recognized.
Commissioner McChord: Yes, but did
ou know he was the person legally en-
tiled to collect II?
A. Yes, I knew It. because Il was due
bearer and had no occasion to ask
I'm any questions. and I should have
o occasion to ask any one else any ques-
ons. II ary man in this room has one
I those due bills he will get the cash |
DR. 1t before / leave town tonight.
A Pointed Question.
Q. What were you to get for these OBJ
cations?
A. In the orisina transaction for
Ihich this due bill was issued, I got
hree times az many New York, West
hester and Boston shares as I agreed to |
oliver OF New Haven shares.
Y. You were to get this franchise /
mended in thirteen different particu-
lrs?
A. We did.
Q. You did not consider the westches-
r stock worth anything. then?
A. thought 1t was worth about 10
snts q pound.
q. And so you had your due bills out
deliver stock or its equivalent in cash,
,r stock you considered worth 10 cents
pound?
A. No. governor, you mistake. had
o due bills out Of C. s. Mellen's that
did not have the wherewithal from the
ew Haven Railroad to redeem those due
lis with. !.
Q. OF course the New Haven stood
ack of them?
A. No. I gave my personal obligation
I'd there has never been q default yet
the New Haven through anything the
ew Haven has given me.
Mr.. Mellen said he had redeemed all
Id about 3l50.0Oo Of these due bills In
lsh and there are still outstanding
0, 900 Of them.