The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-20
was President Roosevelt.' :

was President Roosevelt
 MT. Folk read a letter MT Mellen wrote to Henry W. Whitney in which lie said that he had cared for the Washington situation; that he had ''plowed the ground and T think every chance for trouble has been carefully eliminated"
 Mir Mellen told of efforts made by the late E. II. Hartman to get the stock of the Boston and Maine before it was acquired for the New Haven. He said he had held discussions with Hartman and that but one price, S20o a share had eyer been mentioned.
 You speak in letter of saving New England from Hartman. Why was thatY'
 ''I was using Hartman as d bogie I wanted 10 get the Boston and Maine stock If we had not gotten it, 1t would have gone to Hartman
 '.He was a sort of accelerator them, suggested MT. Folk:
 "I like that word. l think l will adopt it." said MT. Mellen.
 Taking up Billiard company affairs, MT. Folk asked:
 ..Did you suggest forming the Billiard eompany?"
 NO"
 'Who organized the con,sany 2"
 MT. Billiard and his associa tes.''
 Did E. D. Robbins have anything to do with forming the company
 '1 have no doubt he had something to do with it.'
 "NVho granted the charter?
 ''The Connecticut legislature.
 .'All this is covered in the minutes of the board of directors. which fully rati- fled and confirmed my action in the trans- action.p
 MT. Folk called MT. Mellens attention to report made to the board of directors concerning the Billiard transaction in Il. tl had made profit of s1,659.oo0 out of the Billiard deal.
 That is wholly erroneous" declared MT. Mellen. 'In all human probability it was mistake of the secretary of the board. It manifestly Is not accurate. There was some confusion in the records at that time. but in June 19l1 the entire Billiard transaction was gone over by the New Haven board and the subject cleared up. My actions and those of others having connection with the trans- actions were ratified and confirmed in every particular"
 While Billiard held the 109,94S shares of Boston and Maine stock, you sold him stock of the New Haven?f
 Yes"
 ''Who paid for the stock of the Billiard company"
 MT. Billard.
 How do you know?"
 Well, I don't suppose he stole the stock" Mr Mellen said he never understood Billiard borrowed any money to put into the Billiard company. MT. Billiard never got anything from the New Haven up to the time l quit, besides the money he made from the Bos- ton and Maine stock transaction said the witness. HOW did the Billiard company get Her aid bonds?' 'They got them in the reorganization of the Boston Herald" You will recall a certain sealed en- velope' which has been mentioned" con- tinued MT. Mellen. Well that envelope contained certain notes of MT. Haskell, ~ho owned one third of the Boston Herald I persuaded, or induced MT. Billiard, to purchase the contents of that envelope for $303,0o0, or $302 900, forget which. and he has held them since that time as a part of the assets of the Billiard company. He has had to pay assessments upon them and I suppose they stand him. more than the original price he paid me for them" How did you acquire the Haskell notes?" asked Mir. Folk. "The New England Navigation com pany had loaned him money. had known him a long time. and when he wanted to borrow some money the finance com mittee of our board decided to make the loan"
 Were you engaged in the banking busi- ness at that timer"
 "The navigation company had a perfect right to make this loan'' Why did you want to loan Haskell $300, 900? Was it because he was owner of the Boston Herald?" That was no disadvantage" replied Mfr Mellen.
 Wasn't it the real reason?" urged MT. Folk
 Well, you are intimating that" re- sponded MT. Mellen. An adjournment was taken at this point until tomorrow.