The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-07-25
The new HAVEN CASE.
LONG EFFORT FOR SETTLEMENT
WITHOUT LITIGATION PROVES
N FAILURE.
President Directs Attorney General to
Bring Civil Suit for Dissolution and
Lay Facts Before Grand Jury for
investigation OF Criminal Aspects"

'h"cstiSatloh Ol criminal Aspects"
Washington July 21.-The long
continued effort to untangle the New
Haven railroad without litigation
came to an end tonight, when Presi-
dent Wilson in a letter to Attorney
General McReynolds directed the in
stitution of Sherman law suit to
dissolve EN- and ordered that
the "crD tspects of the case" be
laid be = federal grand jury.
The =. dents approval of the
couy > /ped out by the department
of : /means that the civil suit
v > filed against the New Haven
= United States court at New
/at once. The attorney general
3 Immediately will direct United
Ates District Attorney Marshall at
<ew York TO summon a grand jury.
and the task of laying evidence be-
fore that body on which to ask for
criminal indictments against officers
and directors Of the New Haven un-
der the Mellen management will be
begun as soon as possible.
How many indictments will be
sought was not divulged tonight but
it was plainly indicated in corre-
spondcnce made public that the attor-
ney general expects to ask for a bill
against Charles S. Mellen, former
president of tho New Haven. The
most significant fact in connection
with the proceedings was said to be a
statement which Mr.. McReynolds gave
out several months ago when the in
terstate commerce commission began
it's New Haven inquiry. In the state
ment the attorney general warn
might be given certain men if made to
testify as to their actions as directors
Of the road. The names he mention
ed were: Charles s. Mellen, William
Rockefeller, George Mccullough Mil
Ter, Charles F. Brooker. Edwin Miller,
Lewis Cass Lcdyard, George f. Baker
and Edward r. Robins.
In addition to directing a suit, the
president in his letter to Mr. McRey-
nolds declared that the decision Of
the New Haven directors not to keep
their agreement to dissolve peacefully
had caused him the deepest surprise
and regret" and that their failure
upon so slight Il pretext" was in
exrlicable and entirely without justi-
fication."
The departments course, he said,
was just, reasonable and efficient, and
should have resulted in avoiding a
suit.
Accompanying the presidents let
ter, the department made public COR
respondence between the attorney
general and the president and the at
of the New Haven.
One Of the most interesting phases
of the correspondence was contained
in the attorney generals letter to
President Wilson, in which there is
a decided rebukc for the interstate
commerce commission for its action
in subpOenaing Mellen land perhaps
others of the greatly culpable" with
the possibility of embarrassing the
department by a claim Of immunity
in return for their testimony. In
this connection the attorney general
makes the statement that criminal
have been always in mind
and that there has never been "the
slightest hope that parties guilty of
criminal violations of the law would
escape"
The letter from the attorney gen.
eral to President Eustis made it clear
that the department takes the posi-
ton that the New Haven directors
did not live up to their agreement of
last March for n peaceful dissolu-
tion in their refusal to sell their Bos-
ton & Maine stock. under conditions
imposed by Massachusetts, and put
the blame for what may follow on
the heads Of these directors.
The case was discussed today at
the cabinet melting and the depart
mrnts course approved.