The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-10
Relates to Attempt to Make Absolute Ownership of
 Central New Engla -
KNEW IT WAS AGt S~sT
 THE SHERMAN So.AW
Had Been So Advised Z < sCounsel. Minutes of Directors ing Are
 Shown--Attempted to validate Ownership of Other Lines

New York, November e.--For the first time since the trial of the ii former di- rectors of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad began nearly four weeks ago, attorneys for the government today placed before the jury evidence of acts committed by the defendants within three-years' period of the statute of limi- tations which began in 1912. This had to do with alleged efforts of the New Haven to make absolute, through the acquisition of minority shares, its ownership of the Central New England railway. control of winch it purchased in 1904
 All the testimony that has been pre- viously given dating back to 1890, the year of the enactment of the sherman law, which the defendants are accused of vio- lating, had been designed to prove that a conspiracy to monopolize the transpor- tation traffic of New England existed prior to the 1hree-year period It is only upon illegal acts committed as pars of the alleged continuance of the conspir- acy within this period that the defendants can be convicted, according to the courts ruling.
 Counsel Advised Against It
 The testimony merged into this period after the government had of fered evidence intended to prove that the Central New England was acquired in the face of advice from counsel that the acquisition might be a violation .of the Sherman law and was then con- solidated with certain other acquired TO, of New York.
 Through minutes of a directors meeting, March 21, 1912 the govern. ment tried to show that the New Haven sought to validate the doubtful legality or its ownership of certain other lines in New York state by placing them un- der the control of the Central through a. lease. These lines are now merged with the New Haven under a Connecti- cut charter. Counsel for the defense protested against the admission of the minutes. declaring that the lease had no significance other than it was de- signed solely to facilitate economical operation of the New Haven lines.
 Mellen on Stand
 The minutes having been admitted, Charles s. Mellen, who was on the stand, replying to questions of govern ment attorneys, said the lease had been abandoned and a traffic agreement had been substituted whereby the central New England used the lines in ques- tion. MT. Mellen expected that he did not think that either the lease would have been suggested or the agreement made if the New Haven had not thought it advisable "to go through the formalities to prevent the Centrals mi nority> stockholders from making trou- ble."
 To show that the New Haven then took steps to acquire this minority in- terest in order to obviate all possible trouble, the government prosecutor put into the record more minutes of New Haven directors meetings.
 The intention of the government to ask for an amendment of its bill of particulars so as to include Stevenson Taylor as a co-conspirator, was an nounced by Attorney Batts in connec- tion with testimony intended to show how the New Haven acquired control of the New London Steamboat com pany. It was brought out that Taylor acted for the New Haven in purchasing the steamboat companys stock and in other matters. Counsel for the defense objected and both sides were asked by Judge Hunt to submit briefs.