Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-12
Bowles Seeks Money.

Mr. Byrnes. who resumed the stand to-
day, was shown a voucher for the trans
action and was questioned by Chief Coun-
Sci Folk in regard to it. He said he ap
proved the voucher at the personal direc-
ton of President Mellen and that he
learned later that Admiral Bowles had
asked Mr.. Mellen for the money to retain
counsel in the Panama canal legislation
| fight. the New Haven being interested on
account of its Long Island Sound lines
Mr.. Byrnes was on the stand two hours
and again was questioned as to payments
| made through his office to various per
| sons for services to the New Haven and
particularly as to the work of Arthur
| 2. Russell. assistant attorney in the
| Boston office.
| Mr.. Byrnes resented what he called in
situations in the queries as to legisla-
| tive work.
| He also said many slurs had been cast
| in other quarters. and before being ex-
1 cused made a statement in which he said
| that when he took up the New Haven's
| work in Boston he adopted a positive
| rule TO .'cut out anything in the way of
| Illegal expenditures in legislative mat
tiers. This rule, he said, he had strictly
adhered to.
Task of Collecting Vouchers.
The task of collecting and sending to
Washington the mass of vouchers called
for by the commission it was stated to-
day. called for the services of 800 clerks
in the New Ravens main office. and the
papers were brought to Washington from
New Haven in seven trunks on special
car.
Indications today were that the in
quiry being conducted by the commerce
commission soon would run it's course.
This is a case for the criminal courts.
suggested one official of the commission,
mot for civil proceeding. 1t appears
doubtful whether. in a proceeding of this
kind, the real facts can be developed"
1t is known that the Department of
putting on the witness stand former
| President Charles S. Mellen and the
| subpoenaed directors of the New Haven,
| Lewis Cass Ledyard. William Rookie
| Teller. George F. Baker and George NC
| Culloch Miller, and some members of
the commission. it is said. doubt the
feasibility of examining them at this
time
Mellen Now in Capital.
1t is not unlikely. however. that Mr..
Mellen may be called as a witness. al
| though no time for his appearance yet
| has been fixed. He is in the city under
subpoena.
| William B. Lawrence Of Boston one
| of the largest individual shareholders
IN the bOSlOn ana Maine railroad, whose
| holdings are said to have deprecated
\ nearly a million dollars through the
| transactions of the last several years,
also is likely to tell his story to the
commission.
Reveals Publicity Work.
| Steps taken by the New Haven railroad
to mold public opinion in favor of that
line were explained yesterday at the in
vestigation by Mr.. Byrnes. Mr. Byrnes
was in general charge of legisla-
| tive matters as far as necessary,
also publicity. as he expressed It He
told of payments to various newspaper
| men In New England for services rem
dered the company In the way Of arti-
cles for the press and information fur
nished as to the activities OF agencies
working against the New Haven.
| Mr.. Byrnes was closely Intercepted re-
garding the employment Of H. B.
| Knowles. a member Of the Massachu-
sets legislature. during a legislative re-
| cess. while Knowles was a member of a
| committee that had under consideration
the question of whether II was advisable
to allow the New Haven to increase Its
investment in trolley company holdings
in western Massachusetts,.
Quizzed as to Knowles Salary.
1 L
Knowles at this time was being paid at
the rate of 5000 year by the New
Haven, and II Mr.. Byrnes did not know
that the road was interested IN the troll
ley matter. ...."
Personally. did not know Of IT, an
swered Mr.. Byrnes
DO you not know that Knowles sign
ed a report favoring the road?"
Il do not know It. but I have heard
that statement made"
George B. Phippen. agent of the treas
urer OF the New Haven and treasurer
OF the Boston Railroad Holding Com
pany. testified that since April /, 1913
the New Haven each six months had
paid the amount necessary to enable the
holding company to pay dividends or
its preferred stock, the aggregate being
S1,224, SS7 81. About $1,000 annually
went to outside stockholders. Mr.. Phip.
pen said. the remainder going back tc
the New Haven.