New Britain herald., 1915-11-29
BILLIARD FRIEND TO
 NEW HAVEN ROAD
Mellen Says He Would Have Given
 Flesh to Aid System

$. Mellen testified today, that if M, directors had asked me to take pound of flesh out of him, he would have willingly gone off bleeding"
 The characterization of the mar who held the New Haven's share: of Boston and Maine stock came dur ing testimony at the trial of the eleven former New Haven directors to the effect that Billiard willingly gave up a nominal profit of $2,75O,OO for an actual profit of $150,00O. The New Haven settled With him for $45O,OOO but he gave up $3Oo,- 900 of it to Frank Brown, a Con- necticut lawyer who had helped to get the charter of the Billiard com- pany, and wanted, the witness said, to give $5O,OOO to him.
 .Sham for ansactions''
 This was in 1909 and the govern k ment sought to elicit testimony from the witness that thereafter the Billiard company was used as "A sham for transactions which it did not care to l undertake itself."
 Mellen testified that after the set dement, Billiard endorsed the stock of the Billiard company to himself (the witness) and that he held it for two years when it was turned back to ~Billard. Meantime, according to kMellen's testimony, the Billiard com- pany invested in $55O,O0O of the se- curities of the Boston Herald. Security for Loan.
 To show the connection between New Haven and the Billiard company, the government brought out through the witness that some of the Billiard into of the New England Navigation com pany as security for a loan of $375,- 900 made to Mellen to enable him to bay, just before his retirement in 1913. Person obligations which he said he had incurred on behalf of the New Haven" Some of these obligations were due to the Billiard company. MT. Mellen ex- plained, however, that the loan was paid and the stock returned to Bil- lard.
 The witness added that since he had l left the New Haven there had been a Transaction which changed. the whole Complexion of the Billiard deal. The hature of the transaction was not brought out, But Mellen said that up 10 the night of August 31, 1913, the u hadn't got away with anything"
 The government sought to prove rat certain minutes of the board | Ehich Mellen testified last week were 1 icorrect did in fact accurately re- I ort the action taken at the meeting. l The minutes purported to approve the l ettlement made by Mellen with John l Bflard, the man who held the New l Saven's Boston and Maine stock for pore than year and sold it back to l ne New Haven. They set forth that l
 part of the settlement the stock l the Billiard company, together with | otes and liabilities, were assigned to 1 he New Haven.
 Stenographic Report Differs. f4 L. Bates, for the government, l Did the court that J. G. Parker the l Ecretary who wrote the minutes, also | Jade stenographic report of the | Foceedings which, he intimated, l nered from the official record
 Where Is MT. Parker now?" asked l Be government examiner T don't know He's dead" re- lied MT. Mellen. "Cah you make a statement as to Is integrity, his honesty and his ac- lracy?''
 was Very Accurate. "He was very accurate" replied the itness, after the court had ruled that
 need not answer as to the first two alifications. The government showed the witness copy of Parker's notes which it ex- bets 50 put into evidence later.
 Did not Billiard assign the stock
 the New England Navigation Com ny?"
 "He did not. The stock was en- rsed to me in blank"
 Affair Closed in 1911.
 The witness said that he thereaft-
 held the stock and the securities
 the Billiard company in a sealed yelope until 1911, when resolu- 2n was passed which closed up the hole Billiard affair.
 Billiard, the witness then testified,
 Is allowed in the settlement $45O,-
 D, of which he gave $300,000 to wyer Brown, of Connecticut, the torpsy who assisted in getting tho Hard company chartered,
 ("What was Billiards nominal profit
 the deal?''
 Mcllen Refused $5O,OOO.
 ''Two million seven hundred and lty thousand dollars. Billiard want
 to give $50,O00 out of his s15O,OOO
 me, because he said I'd helped
 m so much,' but I wouldn't take it."
 ARD-WORTHNER.
 eII Known COnfectiOner to Take
 Cn,aJyev Street Girl As Rride