Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-16
TAKES BLAME
in ACQUIRING
OF TROLLEYS
Charles 5. Melien Assumes Re-
sponsibility for Policy of TAX
ing over New England Lines
by New York. New Haven &
Hartford Railroad
Is TROLLEY LINES PUT
INTO NEW HAVEN SYSTEM

New York NOV. 15.-Charles :. Mel
len. former president Of the New Y ork.
New Haz en- & Hartford Railroad, took
upon himself today the responsibility
for the New Haven policy Of acQuIr-
lEl trolley lines IL New England.
which the government in the trial Of
the II for,ne, directors Of the road
charges was q part Of the New Haven <
alleged plan to rnonopoiIze commerce.
MI MeIlen testified that n 1909 ne
urged upon The hoard the necessity Of
either adopting . comprehensive plan
Of acquisition Of trolley properties or
else dropping the lines il hs Q already
acquired
Supplying the Public
y told my directors time and again -
ne SAID. that the road ought 10 sup
ply tbs public witt its needs and that
meant rrolleys steamship ana rail
road lines. II was my policy and ! al
wsys put it forward that the public
should ne supplied with all Classes of
transportation il demanded"
The question came up. sai:l the Wit
ness. with the proposed acquisition Of
the FalrhBven L WesIville Line 10
which there was some opposition on
Lne hoard. he folG the board he said.
that not only this Ine. bat others.
should he acquired in order 10 fur
nish trolley terminals III all Towns
ano give tbs people Of New England
ttt- facilities they wanted
>ixty-flVe trolley lines wen into the
New Haven system II pursuance with
The Melien policy. i was brought out.
the acquisition Of which tbs prosecu-
ton. began at the afternoon session
to establish one ny one. The evidence
was admitted only condirionaIly. how
ever. IS .1dgc Hunt said that where
The trolley lines were shown TO have
operated within the borders Of q sin
gle state as IL the case Of many Of
the Connecticut lines. there was doubt
IN his mind that their acquisition was
necessarily q violation Of tie Serman
law which applies 70 interstate COM
MERGE
IT would never DO in a criminal
case. ne sand to allow a conviction
to he had because Of the gathering TO-
Eether OF units Of transportation which
are found within the borders Of q par
ucular state where the ACQUISITIONS
are not forbidden by the Law Of that
state. We are solely TO inquire whether
there has been q violation under the
Sherman law. If. al the exy irarior Of
the evidence, there Is noltin but the
aggregation Of the units within the
state and nothing 10 show hat there
YVES direct relation between such
aggregation AND the alleged violation
Of the so-ca1led Sherman Law. we must
then instruct the jury that il is their
sworn duty to acquire this. Therefore
in order 10 make il relevant il must
be connected UP with charge Of vio-
lation OF the Interstate law as 10 make
II suhciently relevant and bearing
upon the question Of the stale Of mind
which the acts were done"
Judge Hunt suggested that the de-
Tense take an exception 10 admission
of the evidence and file q bri # in sup
port thereof The argument on the
point lasted nearly an hour, and when
the days session adjourned the pros
ecution had touched upon less than q
dozen Of the 65 lines.
The jury has lost interest," said
Delaney Nicoll. All the lawyers have
lost interest, the spectators have lost
interest, and I'm sure the public has
Why. ] haven't had my photograph
taken for the newspapers :'or more
than a week.