Arizona republican., 1914-05-23
MORGAN KNEW
GRAND TRUNK
DEAL--h hELlEN
Touching Phase of |. c. c.
Hearing Comes When the
Financier Tells How Dead
Money King Took Part in
Railroad Negotiations
ASSOCIATED PRESS DrspArcHI

WASHINGTON, Nav pa dram
attic climax marked the close of the
sensational testimony of Charles
Mellen, former president of :he New
York. New Haven and Hartford rail-
road before the interstate commerce
commission. With evidence OF deep
emotion Mellen asserted that the late
]. p Morgan was cognlzant OF the
Grand Trunk negotiations, on when
he (Mellen) had been criminaly IN
dicted for violation of the Sherman
antitrust act. and that he took the
indictment that belonged to him
(Morgan)" as he believed it would
have killed the aged financier if he
had been indicted Mellen spoke
with intense feeling as he recited
his efforts to shield the elder Nor
gan. This turned quickly to show
of resentment, however, as he told
how President j. Pierpont Morgan
had suggested "a change in the
presidency of the New Haven at
which suggestion Mellen said with
emphasis:
that | had been suffering under the
humiliation of an undeserved in
dictment in order to protect his
father
A crowded court room listened
with intense interest as the closing
recital was given.
Taking up the Grand Trunk tran
saction, on which Mellen's indict-
ment was returned by the grand jury
at New York, Joseph Folk, chief
! counsel for the commission, asked:
did Mr.. Morgan have anything to
i do with this negotiation for an eX-
change of Ontario and Western with
the Grand Trunk?"
! He took very active part"
what part, can you tell, if you
know" asked Folk
81 do not know that Morgan knew
there were negotiations on until he
came into my office, when | had
an appointment with Smithers and
Chamberlain. He told them what he
thought they ought to do in order
| to have peace between the New
Haven and the Grand Trunk inter-
ests. He told of previous negotia =
tions which he said extended over a
period of twenty years that is the
term he used; I suppose it is a
general term). and that he had
bought a steamship line of them on
the understanding that he was TO
have the New London and Northern
for the New Haven road, and that
they never had carried out their
agreement This negotiation. he said
was with Smithers' predecessor, Sir
! Charles Rivers Wilson and he
thought it great mistake; and that
they had not kept faith with him
He was quite emphatic in thinking
Ithey had not kept faith with him
He told them they should give ur
the New London and Northern; he
did not care for anything further
as that would be the only thing ir
his judgment that would ever result
in permanent peace between the two
properties. Then he retird from the
ROOM
Morgan retired and left Mr.. Cham
berlain and Mr.. Smithers and myself
to continue the conference. / told then
that he would continue the conference
on the basis that they should give NJ
further attention to the question o
surrendering the New London Northern
road; they might do as they pleased
with it; l did not care.
81 was asked to put my views IL
the form of proposition or contrac
which | did; it was submitted to then
and within a week the grand jury pro.
ceedings commenced in New York an,
| was indicted"
did you write a letter to the distric
Continued on Page Five.)