The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-23
Important Agreement Intro duced as Evidence by
 the Prosecution
COMP ANY AGREED TO
 FIX TRAFFIC RATES
Directors Alleged to Have Taken Og, ficiaI Cognizance in Threat to Gut off Traffic Arrangements of
 Competitor With New York

New York. october 22-Offcial steps taken by the board of directors of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, in pursuance of their alleged conspiracy to control New England s transportation traffic were placed before the jury at the trial of the eleven New Haven directors today They were re- vealed in minutes of the directors meet ings and various letters written to or by Charles s. Melen and which Mellen a witness for the government, identified and in some instances elucidated. Will liam Rockefeller, Charles r. Brooker, de- fendants; George McCulloch Miller, de- fendant not on trial and Chauncey De- pew, alleged co-conspirators Tn the case were the only directors recorded at the present meetings who are stlll alive. The meetings were held in the early nineties. Steamship Agreement The prosecution introduced an agree ment made by tho New England Steam ship and Railroad lines in 1881. called the Sound lines agreement, whereby the Sound lines association agreed to fix rates on traffic In 1891, a year after the sherman law was passed. the prosecution showed that the directors had taKen official cog nizance of the agreement in a threat to cut off It's Joint traffic arrangements with the New York and New England road, which had planned to start new water route from Wilson's s Point Conn, to New York. Evidence was next put in to show that after the New York and New England had carried out its determna- ton to establish it's Wilson's point water route, J. P Morgan and William Roeke- feler bought up securities of the I1ousa- tonic railroad to block the New York and New England erom getting into New York and that when the road made arrangements to route traffic to connect with the New York and Northern, the New Haven attempted to block this line too.
 Already the New Haven had taken steps to prevent traffic coming into New York by the New York and Northern route, as disclosed in testimony given by Melien yesterday, through the so-calied tfl- partite agreement whereby the New York Central acquired control of the New York and Northern and was to admin istei it so that New England through traffic would be excluded. Evidence in- troduced today apeparcd to indicate that the New York Central did not live up to it's agreement.
 Agreed Not to Compete Fl had been informed by C. r. Clark, president of the New Haven. said Mel len. that the New York and Northern was not to be a competitor of the New Haven. but 1 found that tariffs had been published which nd'rated intMton 1 t become n competitor, and l called them to. the attention of the President.
 The minutes showed that conferences
 were had with the New York Central, but that they proved unsuccessful Mean time. the New Haven had been ac- quiring other strategic roads in New Eng land. and, with the intention, the gov eiliment contends. of forcing the New York Central to terms, reduced rates to tho west. This. MT Mellen explained finally led to | traffic agreement between the New Haven and the New York Cen tral. which settled the rate question. The situation as to the New York and New England connection was settled, it vas brought out. by the acquisition e$ !ths New York and New England by the IzNew Haven. This was authorized. ac- I'emding to the minutes. when a loan of 35,coo0ao was voted for the, purchase of the New York and New England stock. J. P. Morga n and William Rockefeller were among those who voted for it. Melen apparently scored po.nt for the defense when Richard V. l..;.slury
 got him to state that since the New
 Haven reduced it's rates to the west
 aRRinst the New York Central there had
 been no advance.