The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-23
BLAMES POLITICS
IN new HAVEN CASE
INDIVIDUALS HAVE DAY

The prosecution ~ the eleven former
New Haven directors vas denounced
yesterday AZ the work Of some peanut
politician in Washington by De I.ancey
Nicoll. counsel for Lewis Cass Iedyard.
me OF the defendants on trial. MIR. Nicoll
wal arguing for a verdict OF acquittal by
direction Of the court.
'"Th Indictment was found. you will
remember" he continued, addressing
Judge Hunt. 'the day before the general
election OF November. 1914. and it was
designed solely to affect the result Of the
elections in the New England States.
That action received a sweeping con-
domination at the polls. and ] am safe
II, asserting that no Federal action has
received "A more general public con-
domination.
This prosecution Is one OF the most
extraordinary In the history Of the
courts. II proceeds upon the hypothesis
that there Is but one god and his name
d competition. II absolutely disregard
che business history of the United
states II ignores the development OF the
Sherman antitrust law and It ignores
Give Of monopoly is personal gain. and
these directors were merely trustees with
no thought Of personal gain
Analyses Each Item.
Mr.. Nicoll then took UP Mr.. Ledyard's
"a Anticipation in the acts OF the New
Haven board item by item and showed
among other things that so far as the
Boston and Maine deal was concerned
MI. Ledyard. as attorney for the Ameri-
can Express Company. was simply the
vendor OF the stock TO the New Haven.
An important concession was won for
che lawyer on trial when the subject
Of the Grand Trunk inquiry was
brought up. The Government has laid
great stress on the fact that Mr.. Led
yard went TO Washington and endeav-
ored to limit the Federal inquiry to the
Grand Trunk AFFAIR only. Judge Hunt
esid that he did not regard these acts
az prejudicial to the defendant unless
he had a motive 10 suppress an inquiry
into the things that had been done"
Later both Mr., Ledyard and Charles
~. Pratt were coupled in a declaration
nv counsel after Judge Hunt had ex-
pressed some views. He had asked
John G. Milhurn whether the continued
participation of a director in proceed
Anss which resulted in acquisition after
acquisition should not be taken to show
participation in a conspiracy. The an
awer was at once returned that after
the entry OF the two men In the board
only two new lines were acQulred-the
Providence and Danielson and the Rut-
land minority stock. This could not be
construed to he acquisition after acqui-
Oition."
individuals Have Day.
The day was devoted entirely to in.
dividuals. Mr.. Mi!burn spoke for Mr.
Pratt; Royal Victor spoke for Charles
J. Brooker: Henry NJ. Earle spoke fol-
Robert W Taft.
MY client was a boy In short pants
when this conspiracy OF which he was
accused was formed according TO tn.
theory OF the Government" said the
lawyer OF Mr.. TAFT. Not one act had
been set forth tina, even remotely gus
eested conspiracy
Thomas Thacher spoke for Henry X
McHarg. vice-president OF the Bank o'
the Manhattan Company John w, II
Grim spoke for former Judge A. Heator
Robertson and James $. Hemingway
two Connecticut directors appointed IN
pursuance OF the law. and Thomas u
Thatcher spoke for Frederick r. Brew
0ter.
The held the United States
District Court open until : o'clock las
evening and will continue to-day.