New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-15

In ION when the negotiations began
He admitted that the New YORK, west
/ chester 4 Boston stock was not worm
( I'D cents a pound He said he con-
Quoted all his negotiations through IN
spector Byrnes and that he did not
/ know who Mr.. Byrnes represented
nor did he care. He assumed that
Mr.. Byrnes represented persons OF
political influence.
The notifications of the franchise
were a part Of the trade. he said. ana
he thought that the changes desired
could not have been made without the
consent OF the Board OF Aldermen ana
the Board Of Estimate and Apportion-
| ment.
When Commissioner McChord asked
MIR. Mellen IL he wanted TO reach the
members Of the Board OF Aldermen
and the Board Of Estimate and Appor-
tionment Of New York, which would
have to pass on the changes. Mr. Mel
len replied vehemently:
II wanted to reach a result. MIR.
Commissioner. did not want TO
reach any person. Any fellow-the
devil or anybody else-was entirely
satisfactory TO me IL got what |
needed. I did not deal with anybody
but Mr.. Byrnes. and have absolutely
no personal knowledge of anybody in
the transaction but Mr.. Byrnes
1t was apparent, however. that some
OF the persons OF influence whom Mr..
Byrnes represented did not care to held
New Haven stock. preferring cash.
Mr.. Mellen said he had given due bills
for approximately 100000 which were
to be redeemed in cash. There were
no names on these due bills. They
were made out ITO Bearer
As Mr.. Mellen explained il, when he
met one Of these fellows he asked him
il he wanted New Haven stock or
check. When he declined both he
asked if he preferred cash in large or
small bills.
And" he declared, they invariably
asked for small bills" He could not
remember the names Of any one to
whom he had given due bills. He said
that most Of them were presented after
he had left the company. last August.
One of them he redeemed as late AZ
last March at the Vanderbilt Hotel. II
was for $4,000.
$4,000 Outsta ndine.
4 n IA IN
showing that there were still outstand-
ing about $4,000 in these due bills,
which he said he would pay If pre-
scented. He hoped, however, that they
would not be presented for another
year when they would become invalid
under the statute of limitations.
Those due bills, Mr.. Mellen said, were
all personal obligations, as he had set
tied with the New Haven for the 5000
shares Of stock placed at his disposal.
Mr.. Byrnes and himself, he said, had
never signed receipts In their transac-
lions. He said he trusted Mr.. Byrnes and
he knew that Mr.. Byrnes trusted him.
When asked who owned the 5000 shares
OF New Haven stock he said he did not
know. He had tried to find out. he said.
but the only information he could get
was that il was all in the names OF clerks
employed by the road. He could only re-
member the name OF one OF these. because
OF "A popularity. II was Ralph Hoke
BueIl. who was the holder ~ a large num-
Der OF shares Mr.. Mellen said he kne"
that he is still clerk or an omcer OF
the Westchester g. Boston Railroad. tie
said every time he tried to find out the
real owners OF New Haven stock he ran
up against stone wall.
Mr.. Mellen. after giving his age as
sixty-three. began his testimony somewhat
hppantly, stating his occupation as tna'
Of helping the Interstate Commerce COM
| mission" He had been served with
subpoena duces tecum at his breakfast
table this morning. and when Mr.. FOLK
asked whether he had any papers with
him he produced small. worn black bag
which he turned over. lie said he had ad-
ditional papers which he would be glad To
produce il ne had a reasonable time, 80
that when the hearing adjourned to-day
ne was told TO go to his home at Stock
bridge. Mass, and his office In New Haven
and bring back every paper bearing on
the investigation by 10 o'clock next Tues
day morning,
Mr.. Mellen declared that when he took
hold of the New Haven road the directors
had for years been acquiring large
amounts Of the securities OF its leased
companies with the ultimate intention OF
merger
More Hah Finance.
The ACQUISITION OF the Central New Eng
land Company was the first thing taken
I'd under his direction. II was followed
by the Worcester Connecticut Eastern
Railroad Company. The third acquisition
was the stock OF the Fair Haven Trolley
Company. which controlled the trolieys OF
the city of New Haven. This was pur-
chased, he said. by the New Haven Rail
road Company. which gave 200 OF its 3h
per cent debentures for 100 of the trolley
company's stock In other words. the r air
Haven company received 100000 OF
New Haven stock in payment for $1,000
600 Of Fair Haven stock.
Mr.. Mellen's narrative OF the N.2OO,W
"slush fund" and OF the things that hap-
pened during his connection with the New
Haven up TO that time were told in a
vivid manner. He began by telling OF
his career from the time he began as a
clerk AT S2J a month 10 his becoming
~ he