Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-02

4
No"
| Quote Melen's Testimony
]. w. H. Grim, personal counsel for
! Former President Mellen, quoted from
| Mr.. Mellen's previous testimony at
the hearing in Boston to the effect
that in 1904, before there was any law
against political campaigns by corpo-
rations, he had, out of his own funds
and with no personal advantage to
himself, contributed approximately
| 100000 to the national Republican
committee and several state commit
| tees. Later the directors of the New
Haven had reimbursed him for these
expenditures out of the unexpected
profits realized from the sale of the
treasury stock of the New Haven.
Did Mr.. Mellen ever furnish item
lied statements of these transactions"
THE auditing committee made
report to the directors in which it
stated it had gone over Mr.. Mellen's
accounts and found them to be cor
rect"
Samuel Hemingway and James B.
Brady will be called later in the day.
Hemingway and Billiard Co.
At the afternoon session, Mr. Hem
ingway took the stand. He described
his connection with the Billiard Co.,
of which he was treasurer until last
fall. F. d. Robbins, he said, was in
strumental in organizing the company.
The company was a holding concern
with an original capital of $4,000, later
increased to 100000. The books, he
said, were under his supervision. He
did not remember getting $2,0000O0
from the New Haven for gold notes
of the Billiard CO. The books and keys
to the vault where the Billiard Co. Sc
curities were kept in the office of the
treasurer of the New Haven Road, he
said. he turned over to his successor
as treasurer of the Billiard Co., Fl. V.
Whipple
Resignation as Treasurer
Mr.. Hemingway said he resigned as
treasurer at the suggestion of Mr..
Billiard or Mr.. Robbins.
When he retired, he testified, the
company had SIC, 100000 notes out
standing.
What were the assets of the COM
pany at that time?" asked Mr.. Folk.
81 do not know of any except the
debentures of the New England In
vestment Securities Co.. answered
Mr. Hemingway.
Mr. Folk endeavored to show that
these debentures were exchanged for
the Billiard Co. notes. but Mr.. Heming-
way would not say SO. The notes and
the debentures were equal in value, he
said.
New Haven Bank Loans
He said the Second National Bank
of New Haven of which he is presi-
dent, some times had deposits of as
much as 100000 from the Billiard Co.,
and made loans TO that concern.
Mr. Hemingway said he became
director of the Boston and Maine
Railroad in 1908 when Billiard became
a stockholder in the road and resign
ed about the time he retired as treas
urer of the Billiard Co.
so you were dummy for Mr.. Bill
lard?"
Yes, if you want to put it that
way"
what was the Billiard Co. created
for?"
"I do not know. except it was to
take over the debentures.''
You know there was a law in Mas
sachusetts forbidding the New Haven
from owning trolley lines in western
Massachusetts. Nok was not the Bill
lard Co formed to evade that law?'
ut might have been for that pur-
pose"
No Contributions to Politics
The Billiard Co. made no contribu-
tions to political parties, the witness
said.
Mr.. Folk asked Mr. Hemingway if
he had drawn a check for 100000
in connection with the Metropolitan
Steamship Co.
Z do not remember it." was the re-
ply.
He said he did not recall any deal
ings with the steamship company.
Further questions along this line
were objected to by Homer S. Cum
mings, attorney for John L. Billiard,
who maintained that Mr.. Hemingway
and the other officials of the Billiard
Co., who declined to answer questions
put to them several weeks ago, were
within their rights.
Philip ]. Doherty of counsel for the
commission then asked the witness If
he had attended meeting IN New
York at which matters regarding get
ting control of steamers or wharves
for the New Haven road were dis
cussed.
Mr.. Hemingway replied that he
could not recall any such meeting.
Did you not sign 20 gold notes.
numbered from l to 20, for 100000
each?"
Mr.. Hemingway's memory was not
distinct on this point.
Mr.. Doherty then followed line of
questioning tending to show that Oc-
tober 7, 1909, the New England Navi-
cation Co., a subsidiary of the New
Haven, had bought from the Billiard
| Co. the 100000 in gold notes, pay
ing for them in two checks in favor of
John L. Billiard for $1,0o0.0O0 each.
| and drawn on the Mercantile National
Bank of New York and the other on
the Manhattan Co. of New York" He
claimed that it was this $2,000,0000
that Billiard paid into the company to
capitalize 1t.
so really the money that started
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