Norwich bulletin., 1914-05-07
Dummy Treasurer
 Signed Big Check
WITHOUT KNOWING OR ASKING
 WHAT THEY WERE FOR.
2,CALLED FOR 5000, 900
Remarkable Lapse of Memory Prsvsffs Among Men Who Handled Finances of Billiard Company.

Washington, May 6-Some or tne ln~ side details of the organization of the Metropolitan Steamship Company Of New Jersey were revealed today when the Interstate Commerce Commission resumed it's inquiry into tn affairs or the New Haven railroad and its sub sidiaries.
 Grover c. Richards of Portland, Me- told how he acted as dummy treas urer for the company when 1t was formed He testified to going to New York at the request of Warren ID. Chase, of Hartford, Conn, and there two checks totalling s3,0oo,0o0, without knowing what they were for and without asking. This was on March g. 1910 and Richards said he in New York about two weeks. receiving $e a day and his ex- penses and signing various paperA brance.
 James D. Brown, an examiner for the commissioners, told of entries on the books of the New Haven between July 1, 1912 and December 1 1913, of payments for work in connection with legislation" special legal service and 
 Warren b Chase corroboratins some of the statements made by Richards. described himself as business man that he had been active in the organ- ization of various companies.
 He said he formed the Metropolitan Steamship Company at the request ox E. Robbins, attorney for the New Hav- en road, but explained that 1t was Q matter in which MT. Robbins was in terested personally and that it did not concern the New Haven
 Some of the questions put by Chief Counsel Folk for>th commission, MT Chase refused to answer on the ground that to do SO would be to violate con- lA al ro1o hnf 1o 1r1A client Later he partially receded from this stand and replied to some of the queries. His answer frequently was T don't recall" He said that what ever Richards did was at his (Chase's) instance. He did not remember, he act as treasurer. He was closely questioned as to where the s3,Qoo.o 900 came from, but averred he was unable to recollect. zT
 Samuel Hemingway, president Of the Second National Bank of New Haven. and former treasurer of the Billiard Company, who was on the stand last week, was recalled and asked about a S69, ,000 check mentioned by Richards as having been signed by him. but could throw no light on the matten> A question put to him which at first was objected to by Homer Cummings his attorney, brought forth the state ment that the Billiard Company was in- terested in a large New England news- paper to the extent of $40e,00o.
 MT. Hemingway told of the purchase by the Billiard Company of bonds of the Eastern Steamship Company for $1,700,000. These, he said, were bought from former Governor Hill ef Maine
 Verbal Agreement With Meiten- --
 The arrangements, Mir. Hemingway thought, were made by Mir. Robbins. but his memory again was indistfnct, He then told how, as the result ef a verbal agreement with former Prest- dent Mellen, the Billiard Company bought 13,007 shares of New Haven stock from the New England NaEisa- ton Company for s2,o00,0 ,0eo.
 We took the shares at f53n said Hemingway, 'and gave MT. Billiards demand note for them"
 Mr. Mellen's idea was te work the stock on the market and advance the price and also reduce the navigation company's holdings. There was c verbal understanding that we were tA sell hack at the same price. SoaA down, and when it reached 125sb we sold back to the Navigation Company at 153."
 "So this transaction was to boost New Haven stock on the market ?~ asked MT, Folk.
 T est, II Wal
 If the stock had gone up to f7k say what would the Billiard Company have done with the surplus.
 "Oh, I think this would have been given to the New Haven road" re- piled Mir. Hemingway.
 The witness said he could Bet Fe- member being in the bank of Man. hattan in connection with the aReaA1- Zation of the Metropolitan Steamship Company and had no recollection df the S3,00e,e06 checks. MT. RichaFdz was then asked to stand up and Mn Hemingway was asked if he recalled seeing him at the bank He said he could net
 He fits the description of enc ef them"
 Did you have anything to dc with the formation of the Metropoiftan Company" Hemingway was asked.
 Not that I can recall"
 g He remembered that the Billiard Company borrowed S1,500, 900 from the Farmers Loan and Trust Company an dthen loaned it to another ee1nlans, but had forgotten the name of the lat- meeting, he said. attended by himself. Billiard, Robbins and a representative of the Company in question
 Mir. Folk showed the witness check for g coo. GOO made out to the BiliaxA Company and endorsed by HemfngwaJa. It was dated March 1,1e11. and W21 Company.
 What was this for?"
 Tt looks as if it might have been for loan, hut I cannot Eemembsr anything about it." r4-
 You write checks for E. eco eee and can't recoliect what they are for
 Tt seems to be so in this casan aR- swered MT Hemingway as a laugh went around the room.
 Mir. Chase testified that he organized the New England Securities Company for Mir. Robbins and the ChilrnaFk Company for himself.
 The latter, he said holds f4 300 shares for the Metropolitan Cempaay which, he added, were not bought with money of the New Haven or any sub sfdfary,
 ME Chase will be rscaIlsd to the