The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-28
ROBBINS MAY FACE
new HAVEN BLAME
Counsel for Other Directors
Renew Efforts to Get Sep
arate Trials.
QUICK RULING EXPECTED

An argument heard by Judge Hunt
IN the New Haven case yesterday In the
United States District Court gave fur
ther indication that certain defendants
In the Governments prosecution intend
to fall back on the defence that any
thing which they may have lone In
violation OF the Sherman law was UNI
dertaken with the advice and legal APP
prevail OF Edward ID. Robbins, former
general counsel of the New Haven road.
who In also indicted for conspiracy.
The matter came UP before Judge
Hun on an application made by Charles
f. Brooker, James X. McHarg. Fred
erick +. Brewster, Lewis Cass Ledyard,
Charles l.. Pratt and Alexander Coch-
rane Tor a separate trial. Royal Vic
tor. attorney for BROKER. although dis
claiming n intention Of attacking
Robbins, admitted that one OF Brokers
defences would be that he had acted
under the legal guidance of the former
general ounse DE Lancey Nicholl. rep
resenting Ledyard and Pratt, held that
because OF the difference In the nature
OF the evidence to be adduced against
some of the former New Haven men II
would be unjust TO try his clients with
william Rockefeller, Robbins and other
main defendants.
Mr.. Nichols argument, according to
Assistant United States Attorney-Gen-
eral Il. l.. Bats, amounted to an as
sertion hat his clients were less guilty
than Robbins and his crowd"
II am sorry said Mr.. Bats 'front.'
cally. 'to see signs OF discord among
' those who haNa UnrkaH fnQathAr gn long
After using Robbins to their hearts con-
tent for twenty years some Of them are
apparently ready to lay all the blame
on him when the trouble starts"
separate Trials for some.
Mr.. Bats explained tina the Govern
ment had previously consented TO a
separate trial for George r. Baker. T.
De Witt Cuyler, Theodore ". Vail.
Francis r. Maxwell and Edward Mil
ligan because there was a question as
to whether these defendants upon enter
ing the New Haven board after 1909
had any guilty knowledge of the preced-
ing acts. This contention, he said,
could not be advanced in favor OF Led
yard, BROKER M the other recent
applicants for segregation. since they
had served on the New Haven board
from 1907 to 1910, when the New Haven
acquired two-thirds of Its railroad
| property in New England and added
$500 miles TO its system.
Prosecutor Bats took exception to a
| remark made by one OF the counse for
the defence to the effect that the alb
sorption of the Boston and Maine Rail-
road was opposed only by politicians
working for their own ends" and cor
rupt ~ewspapers. Some OF the poiiti-
| clans who opposed II, said Mr.. Bats,
49,. s>lAAIA.A pAnuAxA1f than prAGi-
dent. and his Attorney-General. Charles
j.. Bonaparte.
And Mr.. B~onaparte's successor.
George W. Wickersham. also o steps
| TO stop IL until he was misled by GER
! tain persons" added Mr.. Bats in in
direct reference TO the alleged part
played by Mr.. Ledyard in stopping the
New Haven investigation during the
Taft Administration
Explains n. a VI. Deal.
Mr.. Nicoll asserted that Messrs. Led
yard and Pratt had been brought into
the prosecution merely Is the legiti-
mate vendors of the Boston and Maine
stock. Prior to the purchase OF the
stock Mr.. Nicoll said Ledyard had been
general counsel for the American EN-
press Company. which owned a large
block of Boston and Maine When this
stock. as well as the Boston and Maine
holdings owned by the Pratt family,
We're exchanged for an equal amount OF
New Haven stock Messrs. Ledyard and
Pratt were placed on the New Haven
board, according to Mr.. Nicoll. 10 loon
after the interests they represented,
They attended a few directors meetings,
he said. and then resigned.
John q. Milbur also speaking FOR
Measrs. Ledyard and Pratt, said that
there was no more evidence OF con
spiracy in the New Haven case than
there was evidence OF a combination to
suppress paganism eighteen centuries
ago.
The argument was delayed a trife by
Mr.. Nicoll's efforts to find the Federal
Court annex In the Woolworth Building.
Mr.. Nicoll apologized to the court for
getting lost and holding the case up.
Next time, your H%enor," he said, ~
shall get an Alpine guide"
Judge Hunt said that he would hand
down a decision within two days n set
the trial of the main defendants for
October l3.