Norwich bulletin., 1915-10-23

the New York New Haven and Hart |
ford railroad in pursuance OF their |
transportation traffic of New England
were placed before the jury at the
trial of the eleven New Haven direc-
tors today. They were revealed in
minutes of the directors meetings and
various letters which had been writ
ten to or by Charles s. Mellen and
which Mr.. Mellen. as a witness for
the government for the third success
tive day, identified for the jury and
in some INSTANCES efucidated. VII
liam Rockefeller, Charles +. BroOker.
defendants: George MacCuiloch. a de-
defendant not on trial. and Chauncey
n Depew. alleged co-conspirators in
the care, were the only directors re-
corded as present at the meetings who
nre still alive.
Tho meetings were held in the early
nineties and although bare in detail
the minutes were intended by the
government to At into evidence already
given by Mr.. Mellen to show the al
legged efforts Of the New Haven to
dominate at that time the New Eng
land railroad situation.
Agreement with Steamship Lines
Frank l. Swacker. the federal pros-
ecutor. began by introducing. over the
protests of the defense. an agreement
made by the New England Steamship
and Railroad lines in 1851. called the
Sound Lines agreement. never before
made public, whereby the Sound Lines
association agreed to fix rates on traf-
&c and TO impose S3,0o0 penalties for
its infraction- Then through a res
olution in the minutes Of a board Of
directors meeting held. In 1881, year
after the Sherman law was passed. he
showed that the directors had taken
official cognizance OF the agreement
In a threat to cut on its joint traffic
arrangements with the New York and
New England road. which had notified
the association OF its intention TO start
a new water route from Wilson's
Point Conn. to New York. Further
evidence that the New Haven con-
tinued a party to the agreement was
introduced in the form Of a letter writ
ten by the general freight agent OF
the New Haven to Mr Mellen COM
planning that the New York and New
England had cut the rate on wash
boilers ''in direct violation of the
Sound Lines agreement"
Blocked New England Road.
Evidence was next put in to show
that after the New York and New
England had carried out its deter
mination to establish its Wilson's Point
water route, J. p Morgan and Will
| liam Rockefeller bought up the secur-
/ tiles OF the Housatonic raiiSoad by
which the New York and New Eng
/ land connected at Wilson's Point and
| sold them TO the New Haven AT
cost" Blocked from getting into New
York by this route. the New York and
New England made arrangements tC
route it's traffic into New York state
to connect with the New York and
| Northern. the government contends
and today the federal prosecutor put
into the record minutes OF directors
meetings to show how the New Haven
attempted to block this line. too. Al
ready the New Haven had taken steps
to- prevent traffic coming into New
oYrk by this route, as disclosed In
testimony given by Mr.. Mellen yester-
day. through the so-called tri-partite
agreement. whereby the New York
Central acquired control OF New York
and Northern and was TO administer
il so that New England traffic would
be excluded The minutes of the di-
rectors' meeting introduced today ap-
peared TO indicate that the New 1orF
Central did not live up to its agreement
and was publishing through tariff.
into New England. The evidence dis
closed that the New Haven charged
the New York Central with bad faiti
and steps were taken by the New Ha.
ven board to induce the Central q
rectify the matter.
New York and Northern a Composition
I had been informed by c. P. Clark
| president OF the New Haven" said Mr.
ern was not TO be a competitor OF TIT
New Haven. but / found that tariff
had been published which indicated al
intention to become a competitor. anS
I called them TO the attention Of TIT
president"
The minutes showed that conferences
were had with the New York Central
but that they proved unsuccessful
Meantime the New Haven had beei
acquiring other strategic roads in New
England and. with the intention. IN
government contends, Of forcing tn
New York Central TO terms. reduces
PORTS in competition with the Ney
York Centrars connection, the Bostoi
and Albany.
Traffic Agreement With N. Y. csntra
This. Mr.. Mellen explained, fnaIl
led up to a traffic agreement betwee
the New Haven and the New Yor
Central which settled the rate ques
ton. The situation as TO New Yor
and northern New England connectlo
was settled, Il was brought out by tn
acquisition OF the New York and Ne1
England By the New Haven. This wa
authorized on May IL. 1895. accordin
to the directors minutes. when a loa
Of S5.000.000 was voted for the pur
chase of the New York and New Eng
land stock ]. p. Morgan and Williar
Rockefeller were among those VIII
! voted for it There were three vote
against 1t.
did you ever take any steps design
} ed to embarrass the New EnRlan
/ road2" asked Attorney Swacker.
| Il don't know. might have" sal