The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-07-23
Government Today Files Suit
to Force Breaking up of
Huge Rail Monopoly Con-
trolling Vast Tonnage.
WILL NOT INTERFERE
WITH CRIMINAL SUITS
Evidence Believed to Make
Prima Faoie Case Against
Officers and Directors
Ready for the Grand Jury.

New York. July 23.-Civii suit TO
force 'ho separation OF the New
York. New Haven q Hartford Rail-
road company from it's subsidiary
-ail. trolley and steamship lines un-
der the sherman anu-tru-t act, was
filed in the federal court here today
10. Attorney General Mciteynolds.
The suit begun today hos no actual
connection with the criminal tnditt-
ments which the attorney general
viii ask "a federal grand jury tu re-
turn against Nov Haven officers ana
directors concerned iu the upbulld-
Ing OF the alleged unlawful comhi-
nation In restraint Of trade The
criminal proceedings will be con-
ducted independently OF the ciVil
suit and ;he failure or success OF one
| Is not expected 10 affect the other.
4. W Gregory, special assistant TO-
the attorney general, Who wrote ana
uled the brief. and ". swdckcr, an
expert OF The interstate commerce
! commission, who has worked many
months ON the case, are expected 20
\ las the evidence before the grand
Jury here ON which indictments viii
| be asked. II was understood here
| today that these officials lecl thoy
have sufficient evidence 10 make out
a prima facic ease against many New
Haven officers aud directors. and ii
| this Wow Is correct indictments may
be returned within "a few weeks.
Tho brief written uy Mr. Gregory
charges the New Haven with being
an unlawful monopoly, which con-
trols more than 90 per cent OF the
railroads and trolley traffic ot all
New England aud more than So per
cent of the steamship transportation
of that region.
The bricf suggest that n the court
deems best u appoint "a roccNct %
take over the properly and BRING %
In harmony with the law. The brici
carries with Il an exhibit purP9Guns
to bc copy of au agreement be
1 Nv cen representative of tho Ncw
Haven aud the Boston X Maine rail-
road. made ON March C, 1898. hy
which those two roads divided New
| England between themselves. This
| agreement purports to have been
made at the home OF the late J. Pier
pont Morgan in Sew YORK.
Al that time thc Two roads con
cerned were entirely separate.
| Under the agreement the New
Haven was 10 ala tho Boston a
Maine 20 acquire transportation lines
north oi certain line. the Boston x
Maine TO aid the New Haven L. the
same end south OF that line. The
bin does not show my termination
OF this agreement tut years after
wards the New ilaycn--aiter d had
secured the lines south aud after the
Boston a Maine had taken up most
Of those north--in turn took over tho
Boston A Maine and became tho al-
most undisputcd master OF che Geld
from the coast liu, of Connecticut
To- the 81 Lawrence river ana the
Canadian border.
The New Haven, tuc bill declares,
rcsurtod 10 many elusive aud round
about methods 10 cover It's tracks ln
pcffeeting lis tcrminltioni Il acuuir-
ed properties. gut stock control inn
poyorished competitors and bought
them IN and rcsortvd 90 many illoBal
practices 10 attain lt. end.
New England makes. the bill says.
about 81. 600. 100000 worth of prod
ucts annually and there Is conse-
quently heavy movement 10 and
from that section, .u that trans
partation monopoly there IL OF vast
I
ed states.
The government alleges that exist
ing conditions have ia 10 unreason'
able delay In delivering freight; use
: of inferior and unsafe rolling stock
I the lack of proper sisrm systems and
{ safety devices; the drstruction of th'
p autonomy of the units now combined
; In making rates; ths suppression of
o. gumuQtlfiou umuur fNgeD uuifF. the
a diversion OF frclght trafnc "a IA,
New Haven company AN effor td
: increase freight rates and dilatory
4 and arbitrary methods in dealing
/ with patrons.
The brief Is ono of The most com
! paratiye filed hy the government 10
. any similar suit. T0day'H bill asked
q that the New Haven be stripped oi
I is ownership In the New England
railroad. which parallels rs famoui