Norwich bulletin., 1915-10-29
POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF N. H. ROAD
and Sensational Story of How the Railroad Acquired ts Alleged Grip on the Transportation Traffic of New England, Brought Out at Trial of Former Directors.

Now, I think that Tucker will be very glad to take hold. of this bill and push it before the committee as well as in the general assembly. and if he will do this 1t will be striking a blow in the right direction and will give the electric companies something to think about besides paralleling our lines.
 'I know you will understand the necessity of not. having Gits disclosed that this bill in any way comes from us.
 Pushed Bill Through Committee.
 MT. Tucker must assume the re- sponsibility of the bill as a matter of justice and it must be a bill of his invention. In other words. he must be the father of the bill and nurse 1t through the committee and in the leg Islature. We will undertake to see that he has some help on the quiet. but I believe that if he will take hold of 1t he has the force and the ability to put the bill through with thes as- sistance he will have on the floor, whether the committee reports in favor of 1t or not. At all events, 1t is very carefully drawn bill and one that ought to pass. Please see what you can do with him at an early day and report"
 Opposition to Parallel Lines. William Rockefeller, one of the de- fendants, especially was strongly of IIl6 opinion that our pOlCy SnOulQ pc | to oppose all extensions paralleling our lines" according to a letter Hall wrote to the late Henry c. Robinson of Hart | ford, Conn. who was then one of the New Haven directors and whom the New Haven vice president described as having "a general oversight over mat | ters around the capitol"
 | Offensive and Defensive Legislation. | Hall wanted to know what ought to | hn done fha Of AsnffanaiVa m defensive legislation" It appeared that in 1893 Connecticut law had been passed which prevented trolley lines | from paralleling steam roads unless they could show in court proceedings that public convenience demanded it. The interests behind the electric roads were apparently seeking to have the ] bill repealed, and on Jan. 2S, 1897, Hall wrote to Robinson:
 The Bridgeport Traction company has been placed ahead of all other | matters as the question which we propose to fight comes to a head in that eompany--the proposed exemption of the parallel clause. I am confident
 that We have a good many friends about the capitol 1 think you should shape the fight before the committed on straight repeal of the parallel | clause of the general law. I think l when the time is fixed we ought to be ready to have music by the full band Isag ainst the repeal"
 In a letter to Edward D. Robbins another defendant, addressed to hin in Hartford, Hall wrote in reference
 to legislaton:
 To- Influence Legislation.
 "I think I;.should have given Sena.
 tor Lounsbury a pass quietly withou reference to a violation of the statute think the senate will stand all righ
 on this. If you have any means O getting to people inside in these mat
 ters, it seems to me we ought to b, getting ready to take care of them"
 Constant objection to the reading O
 the letters was raised by the defens I on the ground that the indictmen
 made no charge against the Nev Haven in the matter of legislative ac
 tivity.
 Tt shows the general intent an, purpose" said R. l.. Batts, the gov ernment attorney, "by using imprope
 influence in the legislature. to chang | the laws in pursuance to the con
 spiracy"
 The government. however, got a set
 back when Judge Hunt ruled out
 letter by which the government an
 nounced its intention to show hoy
 much General Brayton received iron
 the New Haven for his alleged activi ties in the Rhode Island legislature l
 was shown that the evidence in thi respect was unearthed by the govern
 ment after the filing of the indictment To expedite the case. Judge Hun | announced today that in order to giv the government time to prepare tn remainder of its case so that 1t coul be presented with more speed, the trie would tomorrow be adjourned owe election day.