The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-02-07
'EXCORIATE
new HAVEN
Senators Declare That Off
Gals Should Be
Jailed
If HALF CHARGES
MADE ARE PROVEN
Former Financial Dealings
Bitterly Scored in
Senate

Washington, Feb. THE Senate
while willing to pass the Norris resolu
ton looking to the punishment OF the
New Haven directors concerned in the
Mellen deals and the possible restitution
to the stockholders of money improper
ly expended in the purchase of outside
properties, is plainly embarrassed by
fear that no Federal laws exist under
which prosecutions should be brought
For two hours the Senate discussed
rather than debated the resolution yes
terday and it went over until to-day
without prejudice. Senator Cummins Of
Iowa expressed the belief that the state
courts, If any, must deal with the al
legged offenders in the New Haven cases,
and letter from Judge Prouty, who
conducted the New Haven investigation,
cited the fact that repeatedly during
this inquiry he ran up against com
panies, as he put it, into whose books
he had no authority to look. Senator
Newlands of Nevada, chairman of the
committee on interstate commerce, is
urging that the resolution be divided,
and certain questions relating to per-
sonal guilt and restitution be turned
over to the attorney general.
Senator Norris of Nebraska, in cali
ing up his resolution, moved at once to
strike out the words "wrongfully" and
Eat fictitious values" in the phrase re-
lating to the investments of the funds
of the company in various outside en-
terprises, thus divesting the resolution
of any expression of opinion. Senator
Gallinger informed Senator Norris that
the New England senators did not in
tend to oppose the adoption of the res.
olution, but he inquired why the inter
state commerce commission did not
carry its investigation further He
thought the commission had ample
power and money to continue the in
quiry If il had desired TO do so.
Senator Norris replied that he did not
know why the commission stopped
where it did, but he quoted Judge
Prouty's report to show that New Haven
officials had denied that they had wat
cred their stocks, but that Judge
Prouty had pointed out that SI3,500,000
had been expended for nothing. The
senator, reading from the Prouty report,
VIM ituu Ltcll paul ~
large sum" for drawing contract with
the Millbrook Co, but was prompted
Cummins OF Iowa, who informed him
that the amount was $4,000 The SEN
ator read extensively also from articles
in the New York World, thus getting
additional charges into the Record.
Borah of Idaho remarked that If half
the charges being read were true, "some
sight or ten persons now at large might
be in the penitentiary" He inquired II
The interstate commerce commission did
not stop its investigation for fear OF
hat result. Senator Cummins sug-
yested that he would be little interested
IN an inquiry to ascertain as to whether
The directors of New Haven had
'windled the stockholders unless it con-
some control of rates. The
iowa senator said he would rather busy
himself with proper law to prevent
'uch practices than to wait for an inves-
.igation.
The debate developed that the senators
we're anxious to know whether the de-
,artment of justice was taking steps to
punish wrongdoings. Senator Lodge |
aid that, like the senator from Nebras- !
"a, he had been informed that much OF
me testimony taken by the interstate |
commission had not been A..
made public. He agreed with Senator