The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-05-14

LID BLOWN OFF
NEW HAVEN SECRETS
CONTINUED from page ~
clerks. Then they would pull an an
velope out OF their pocket They
would take q paper out and say: =
have your due bill here for $4,000 OF
some such sum- Then would look
at It. I would see it was In my own
hand writing. I would ask: Do you
want checkr They would say:
Nothing doing. want cash Then
/ would draw check to Chas. 8. Mel
len for the amount; would send out
and get It cashed. First would ASH
how they wanted it and they would
say in small bills. / would give tnem
the money, tear the due bills IN small
pieces and see that they went down
the sewer. knew none of them but
from their noses would always
make up my mind that they came
from New York's east side
MelIen was asked point blank
whether this money was not used for
the purpose Of brtbing New York ON
cials. He baked at the word bribery
and modified it by saying that It went
to persons with influence.
His next answer showed that he
had no doubt OF the use the monep
was put to.
when Byrnes came to me-" he
said, she was ready to turn over the
stock. but considered the franchise
of the West Chester detective IN
many particulars. I told hdm notning
was doing until the franchises were
amended. I gave him list of what
wanted and also insisted that GER
tain litigation be cleared up. All my
demands were promptly met"
Mellen said that the New York City
of1cials-he thought the board OF es-
innate or the board of aldermen
amended the franchises. He could
not tell how the deal was put through
or whether Police Inspector Byrnes
did business direct with the poaittci-
ans. 81 didn't want to know" he
said. All I was after was results
for the New Haven road and would
have done business with the devil
himself had 1t been necessary.
It is the plan OF the government
when Mellen Is recalled next week, to
fix the responsibility for every single
transaction. Mellen is to be asked
what the directors OF the New Haven
told him in putting over the deals
which are alleged to have resulted IN
shameful steals"
Mellen said the West Chester trans
action was In 1908.
.was there a written agreement?
he was asked.
mo sir; the person I did business
with did not want to put his name IN
writing to anything. You see don't
think the parties behind Mr.. Byrnes
wanted their identity revealed"
Mellen said the West Chester shares
were made out to clerks and endors-
ed In blank. He said he vainly tried
to find ont to whom they were issued.
II was perfectly satisfied that every
effort had been made to conceal the
ownership of stock" Mellen said. Il
am satisfied this stock was originally
issued to contractors and they placed
it where It would do the most good.
"You mean they used it to bribe
politicians"
well, mean they used it to get
influence. OF course don't know all
about It."
what was the West Chester stock
WORTH"
Il would say about ten cents a
pound"
yet you exchanged good New York
stock worth money, for II?
II did. also paid out $3.50, 900
cash on my due bills. There are about
$50. 900 worth Of my due bills outstand-
ing"
At this point Folk asked recess
until Monday morning, but Mellen
protested that ag he wanted to tell
all he, be given until Tuesday. This
was granted.
Mellen for the first time told in de-
tail of all deals Of the New York
Grand Trunk and Canadian Pacific,
effecting New England traffic and de-
MED he or any New Haven directors
had anything to do with freezing"
the Grand Trunk out Of Boston.
On an Anti Plank.
limited Press Leased Wire Service.l
ry