The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-29
Tightening of Alleged Mo- nopolistic Grip on New England Translretation Situation Explai$A
POLITICAL 30 Sd
 REQUESTEJ 50 NIP
 PRoJEC . fN BUD
Railroad Combine Said to- Have Used Underground Politics to XIII Competing Electric Companies

New York. October 28.-Testimony on
 the political activities of the New York,
 New Haven and Hartford railroad in
 the Connecticut and Rhode Island leg
 islatures to prevent construction of
 competitive trolley lines, introduced q
 new and sensational chapter today in the story of how the New Haven ac-
 quired its alleged monopolistic grip on
 the transportation traffic of New Eng
 land as presented by the government
 at the trial of the Il former directors
 of the road under the Sherman anti trust law.
 T think when the time is fixed we
 ought to be ready to have music by
 the full band" wrote John M. Hall
 vice president of the New Haven. to
 Henry c. Robinson of Hartford, Conn.,,
 in January, 1897. requesting him to use
 his efforts in the Connecticut legis-
 lature to prevent the repeal of law which hindered trolley lines from build ing routes that paralleled railroad lines Please nip this project in the bud k'SSSASAS anu hiAA WEOle I1dll to
 the late Gen. Charles R. Brayton, "the blind boss of Rhode Island. or a bill in the, Rhode Island legislature te au- tnorfze construction Of competing cleo
 tric lines in that state
 Written Evidence Nearly score of the letters were present in evidence revealing in 1905 the New Haven was threatened by a DrODOait1nn l. into through line from New York to Springfield, Mass
 Wherever these electric roads are protected we should be found oppos-
 ing them Hall wrote in one letter. William Rockefeller. one of the de-
 iendants, was strongly of the opinion l that our policy should be to oppose all
 extensions paralleling our lines," &C., | cordfng to letter Hall wrote to the late Henry c. Robinson of Hartford. one of the then New Haven directors. | and whom the New Haven vice presi-
 dent describes as having "a general
 oversight over matters around the state capitol"
 Hall wanted to know what ought to be done in the way of offensive and defensive legislation" It appeared that in 1893 Connecticut law had been
 passed which prevented trolley lines from paralleling steam roads, unless tucS Couiu SnOW III court the public convenience demanded 1t. The Interests behind the electric roads apparently were seeking to have the bill repealed and Hall wrote to Robinson January 2S, 1S97
 Friends at Capitol "The Bridgeport Traction company has been placed ahead of all other matters, as the question which we pro-
 pose to fight comes to a head in that company-the proposed exemption of the parallel clause. II am con- fdent that we have good many friends about the capitol. I think you should ! shape the fight before the committee on straight repeal of the parallel clause of the general law. think l when the time Is fixed we ought to be ready to have music by the full band against the repeal"
 In a letter to Edward D. Robbins, another defendant, Hall wrote in ref erence to Connecticut legislation: T think should have given Senator I1ounsberry pass quietly without ref erence to . violation of the statute.
 sss think the senate will stand all right on this. :s If you have any
 means of getting to people on the in- side in these matters. 1t seems to me that we ought to he getting ready to ! take care of them"
 Judge Hunt ruled out one letter by which the government announced Its intention to show how much General Brayton received from the New Haven for his alleged activities in the Rhode
 Island legislature It was shown that the evidence in this respect was un- earthed by the government after the 1 indictment was filed.
 The trial will be adjourned tomorrow over election day.