New Britain herald., 1914-07-22
PRESIDENT ORDERS
 NEW HAVEN SUIT
Action Against Road VIII Be h. Sthuttd in New York Immediately.

OlllulIu Iu NUN IUIh lIlIlu6uldl6Iy. GREGORY IN CHARGE OF CASE Wilson Says That the Directors De-
 cision Not to Keep Their Agreement
 to Dissolve Peacefully Causes Him
 ''the Deepest Surprise and Regret" ]"
 Washington. July 22.-Prepara- tions for the actual filing of the gov ernment's long delayed suit to dis solve the New Haven railroad system, in accordance with President Wilson's instructions, were being made today by the department of justice. In a letter to Attorney General McRey- holds the president not only directed the New Haven. but ordered that the criminal asiNcts of the case be laid before @ federal grand jury.
 Decision to proceed against the New Haven ended the long continued efforts to solve the case without liti- gation. The president and his cab inet had discussed the case and the course of the department of justice was approved.
 To File Suit Immediately.
 The civil suit was to be filed against the New Haven in the United States court at New York immediately. The attorney general also immediately was to direct the United States dis trict attorney at New York to sum- mon a grand jury and work of laying evidence before 1t on which to ask for criminal indictments against of- f1cers and directors of the New Haven under the management of former President Charles S. Mellen was to be begun at the earliest moment
 T. w. Gregory, special assistant in charge of the case was to have full charge of the civil suit and before the grand jury was to have the aid of +. M. Swecker. an interstate com merce commission expert who assist ed him in preparing the evidence. How many indictments were to be sought had not been divulged early today but correspondence made public plainly indicated that MT. McReynolds expected to ask for bill against Mir. Mellen. The most signi- flcant fact in connection with the proceedings was said to be a state ment made public by MT. McReynolds months ago. when the interstate com merce commission began its New Ha- ven investigation in which he warned the commission to consider whether immunity might be given to certain men if made to testify as to their ac- tions as directors of the road. The names he mentioned were: Charles $. Mellen, William Rockefeller, George Miller, Charles F. Brooker, Edward Milner. Lewis Cass Ledyard. bins. .
 President Wilson Surprised.
 In his letter to MT. McReynolds di- recting suit, the president 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 a pretext." was 'inexplicable and en- tirely without Justification" The de- partment's course, he asserted. was just, reasonable and efficient and should have resulted in avoiding suit.
 A feature of the correspondence made public by the department which President Wilson's letter was Attorney General McReynolds' letter to the president which con- tained a rebuke for the interstate commerce commission in subpoenaing Mellen, "and perhaps others fragrant ly culpable." with the possible result of embarrassing the department by claims of immunity in return for their testimony. In this connection MT. McReynolds stated that criminal pros ecution had already been in mind and that there had ever been the slightest hope that parties guilty Of criminal violations of the law would escape"
 Fight Is Possible.
 It is known that the department has what is believed to be evidence that MT. Mellen gave testimony to the contradicting evidence In the possession of the attorney general and it is possible that if any claim of immunity is raised 1t would be fought on this issue.
 MT McReynolds' letter to Mir. Hustis plainly showed that the de- partment took the position that the New Haven directors had not lived up to their agreement of last March for a peaceful dissolution and their refusal to sell their Boston and Maine stock under conditions imposed by Massachusetts and placed the blame for what might follow upon the Atror