New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-20
Witness Repulsed, He De-
clares, When He Asked
About $11,000,000.
FOUND TAMMANY
COULD GET THINGS"
Price of Westchester Staggered
Even ROckefeller-ThOrne and
StetsOn Aids in Deal.
rF,rorn The Tribune Bureau.l

TFTorn The Tribune Bureau.l
Washington, May 19.-The name or
Theodore Roosevelt was brought into
the story of the remarkable financial
transactions OF the New Haven rail-
road by Charles s. Mellen, its former
president who continued his testimony
before the Interstate Commerce Com
mission to-day.
Mr.. Mellen testified that he had laid
the whole question Of the purchase OF
the Boston & Maine before Mr.. Roose-
Welt when he was President at con-
ference at the White House. MT.
Roosevelt, he said, had in general
terms approved the proposed deal. but
with the qualification that he was not
a LAWYER and that the New Haven
would not be absolved from any legei
responsibility 1t might incur by the
transaction.
Mr.. Mellen said that he had talked
over the Boston & Maine situation with
Mr.. Roosevelt at the White House In
the spring of 1907. He said he had
come to Washington several times at
the behest of Mr.. Morgan and that
when he laid his reasons for acquiring
the Boston & Maine before the Presi-
dent Mr.. Roosevelt said they appealed
to him and that he would have done
the same thing in the circumstances.
A letter from H. NJ. Whitney to Mr..
Mellen was read, in which reference
was made to "the little father In wash
ington sticking his fingers in the pie
Mr.. Mellen said this referred TO Mr..
Roosevelt, and acknowledged that he
had written to Whitney saying he had
been TO Washington and that the pain
had been cleared for putting through
the Boston e. Maine deal.
Hartman After Boston & Maine.
Hartman had tried to get hold or
the Boston & Maine, Mr.. Mellen testi-
fed. but the fight between them was
not severe. Mellen said he used Har-
riman rather as bogey man, but that
he believed that Hartman would have
purchased the Boston & Maine stock
If Billiard had not. He said the New
Haven would not have purchased the
large amount of stock 1t did If Messrs.
Olney. Ledyard and Robbins had not
advised that 1t be done. subsequent
legislation made the holding of this
stock by the New Haven impossible,
and the Boston Holding Company was
organized.
Although Mr.. Mellen's testimony to-
day was confined principally to the
purchase Of the Westchester companies
bv the New Haven and the Boston &
Maine transaction. he brought into his
tale. in addition to ex-President Roose-
volt the names Of several men promi-
nent in politics and finance. The ist
included the late j. P. Morgan, Secre-
tarv Lane, Richard Olney, former Sec
rotary of State: Francis Lynde Stetson,
Charles f. Murphy, James f, CARNEY
and William F. Sheehan.
The names of Murphy and CARNEY
were mentioned in connection with
contract for between S2,OOO,OOO and
SO 500, 900 given to the New York Con-
tracing Company. The witness SAID
that no had been told that those in
+ereeted in this company had consider
able influence, and that, as the contract
called for the crossing at grade OF
,orv streets. he felt that II another
oo,,,any obtained the contract there
would be innumerable delays. He had
read he said that Murphy and Carney
a,d a man named Collins were inter-
os,od 4, this company, but that he had
meyer met Murphy and Gafney. He
conducted all of his negotiations
through Collins.
Mr. Mellen said that the purchase Of
,ha Westchester railroads against his
advice had cost the New Haven about
s34 10000, and that this money had
hoen expended practically TO suppress
competition.
When Oakleigh Thorne presented the
nlan for the purchase Of the two West
cbester railroads to the board of di-
rectors Of the New Haven. Mr.. Mellen
said. he appointed the late Mr.. Nor
oop William Rockefeller and George
NJ. Miller as a committee to handle
,he transaction. After fourteen months
ba testified the committee reported TO
tho directors that S11,000,000 had been
exnended. No itemized account was
rendered. and after the meeting several
I'D country directors held an indigna-
,,on meeting I'm his office and demanded
20 know how this money was spent.
Although he had been an ex ofhcio
r,ember of the committee himself, Mr.
Continued on page 4. column