The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-05
The Damn Fool Family.

Mr. JAMES r. Elton Of Waterbury,
Conn, has made an interesting contri.
button to the impresslonistic picture
that Is being drawn In Washington OF
the Mcllen management of the New
Haven Railroad. Mr. ELTON is entitled
to the unique distinction OF having
reached the age of Ave and seventy
before he became n member OF "the
damn fool family" In this respect,
at least, he Jagged far behind the or
binary mortal.
II must he said 10 the high credit "
Mr.. ELTON that when he gives his own
testimony he is not willing to put him
self In Mr.. MELLEN's class by blaming
all OF his own acts upon n dead man.
The testimony runs as follows:
'Mr. FoLK-was the New Haven not
operated as an adjunct to Wall Street. a.
a speculative enterprise?
Mr. ELroN-No. | believe Mr.. Nor
CAMS heart and soul were in the New
Haven, and do not think Wall Street
had anything to do with II.
Mr.. FoLK-What IL the difference be.
tween the present conduct OF affairs AZ
compared with tho former method?
Mr.. ELToN-Well, the directors have
learned a great deal. They are not taking
one mans word. Then the head OF the
road IL very different man. Mr.. MEL
LENS ambition ran away with him. Mr..
ELLioTr Is much more deliberate man
than Mr.. MELLEN. He doesn't go with
such a rush. lie doesn't carry members
OF the board off their feet
Mr.. ELToN's testimony brought out
one fact which we think has not here
tofore found its way into the public
press. Mr.. OAKLEIGH THoRNE testi-
fed very distinctly that his dealings
for the sale OF the Westchester prop
erty to the New Haven were with Mr..
MEILEN and not with Mr.. MORGAN.
The guileless Mr.. MrrLEN. however,
testified as follows as to the manner
in which the Westchester project was
taken up:
"Mr. FoLK-You had no idea the board
would consider II favorablyr
"Mr. MELrEN-Why. no. I never thought
OF such thing.
mr.. FoLK-You brought It before your
board when?
mir. MELLlN-I could not tell you: Il
was some time. should say. in the early
summer. or some time In the summer OF
1906.
"Mr. FoLx-what took place at that
meeting?
mir. MELLES-Mr. MORGAN moved that
a committee be appointed with power to
handle tho matter.
Mr.. FoLK-Were you surprised at that
motion?
mfr. MELLEN-why. I thought It indi-
Gated n disposition to do what I had not
anticipated would be done thought 1t
indicated q disposition to look into It. and
I never had had enough confidence In the
scheme to even take time. you understand.
10 investigate II. As was natural when
man in a board, a deliberative body.
makes q motion. he lie put on tho COM
mittee."
How wildly the picture stands out
Mr.. MELLEN, with no confidence In the
scheme, submits 1t to his board. The
forceful Mr.. MORGAN surprises Mr..
MELLEN by moving that special COM
mittee be appointed. Mr.. MELLEN ap.
points the committee, and although a
member of the committee he thereafter
knows nothing about the matter One
detail only Of the picture was lacking.
and that has been furnished by Mr..
CRoMwELL's cross-examination Of Mr..
ELTON. Mr.. MORGAN was not present
at the meeting Of September 90. 1905,
at which Mr.. MEILEN appointed the
special Westchester committee. Mr..
MoRGAN's mighty influence in this in
stance was exercised by telepathy.
We commend this simple detail to the
thoughtful study OF the large family
into which Mr.. Elton received such a
belated Initiation.