The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-12-04
Admits elf-Sacrifice
in the New Haven
Inquiry ;.
THE FINANCIER
WAS A SICK MAN
The President Sought to Put
United States Case
ION the Bum"

New York, Dec. 4.-That President Mel
/ len of the New Haven did his best TO
prevent the government investigators
from fastening the death of the late
j. p. Morgan by unnecessary inquisitions
was made known in Judge Hunts court
Yesterday. Mr.. Mellen was asked by
United States Attorney Bats whether
he had written to United States District
Attorney Wise a letter offering to go be-
fore the federal grand jury and tell all he
knew about the New Haven. Mr.. Mellen
said:
"As soon as | heard that the grand
Jury intended to make an inquiry into
the New Haven matter | made up my
mind to do all ! could to help the gov
ernment understand the situation. l
wrote Mr.. Wise Offering to waive immu.
nity and tell the grand jury everything.
| was the only one of the New Haven
directors who actually knew all about
every agreement which had been made
during my II years as president.
II thought that by going down before
the grand jury and telling the whole
truth without reserve it would put the
investigation on the bum"
why did you want to go before the
grand jurys" asked Mr.. Lindabury, OF
counsel for the defense.
ITO protect Mr.. Morgan" replied Mr.
Mellen.
"He was very nervous at that time.
felt that he had made some tacit agree.
ment with the Grand Trunk officials OF
which / was not cognizant. Mr. Ledyard,
who had Just come back from Europe,
where Mr.. Morgan then was, told me
was in error; that Mr.. Morgan had not
had chance to talk with any Of the
Grand Trunk men in London. Still
felt that Mr.. Morgan might have had
some understanding and | was the only
one who would have known OF all OF the
negotiations between the New Haven
and the Grand Trunk, i ought to tell the
facts"
"Why did you think Mr.. Morgan was
any more nervous about that time than
usual"
"IIe had been before the JULIO money
Investigating committee in December,
1912. and had sailed to Europe Jan. q,
1913. He was i'll at the time and died In
March. His appearance before the gov
eminent committee was enough to make
him nervous know, for my own expert
ence was far from exhilarating."
Refreshing his memory over night Mr..
Nellen testified that Nov. Z, 1912, was the
date on which he was informed work was
stopped on the Palmer Providence exten-
sion in New England Of the Grand Trunk
railroad Of Canada.
On New Is he sent letter TO President
Edison ]. Chamberlin OF the Grand Trunk
confirming the traffic agreement with
that road.
On Nov. II Acknowledgement Wicker
sham called Mellen's attention TO the
Grand Trunk suspension and TO the aban-
donment by the New Haven of line in
New Hampshire intended to parallel
Grand Trunk lines.
The attorney. general limited at viola
ton Of the sherman law and asked for
information.
Replying. Mellen said that no agree
ment had been made for this suspension
OF work. but there was contemplated an
arrangement that would obviate 'unnec-
essary and uneconomioal duplication OF
tracks in Vermont and New Hampshire
This arrangement would lin no way linn
il competition and would not relate TO
the Grand Trunk extension.
Mr.. NickershRm answered that he had
received complaints ard later wrote TO
Mellen that he was not satisfied and pro
posed 10 make an investigation.
Parenthetically, Mr.. Mellen stated that
on Nov. 20 Mr.. Chamberlin turned down
the traffic agreement a. unsatisfactory.