New Britain herald., 1915-11-15
NEW HAVEN DEALS
 WORRY THE JUDGE
IntriCaCieS of Transactions Call for Written Information
ORAL STATEMENTS CONFUSING
Court Confcsses Inability to Onder- stand Testimony and Asks for Written History-Jury Much Re- lieved.

Written History-Jury Much Re-
 lieved.
 New York, Nov. 15.-The trial of the eleven former directors of the New York, New Haven and Hart ford railroad on the charge of vio- lating the Sherman antitrust law, which has been marked by the con- plexity of the transactions placed be- fore the jury by the government, reached a climax in that particular today Judge Hunt announced his inability to understand the nature of certain of the transactions nd called upon counsel, after they had made a futile attempt to explain them orally, to submit written statement of their history.
 The transactions had to do with the Metropolitan Steamship deals whereby the government alleges the New Haven acquired control of that company's four freight boats and had it's two passenger boats trans ferred to the Pacific coast These four vessels turned up eventually in the possession of the Eastern Steamship Corporation, in which the New Haven had a stock interest.
 Asks for Explanation. The governments testimony in volved the Metropolitan Steamship company of Maine No. 1, the Metro politan Steamship company of Maine, No. 2 the Metropolitan Steam ship company of New Jersey, the Pacific Navigation company, the Pacific company, the Billiard com pany, the New England Securities company, the Eastern Steamship company and the Eastern Steamship Corporation, and threatened to bring more into the list when Judge Hunt called halt with his, request for an explanation.
 "The magnitude of this case is tremendous'' he remarked. It's in- tricacies seem to multiply
 Mellen Also Twisted,
 Charles s. Mellen, who was on the stand, admitted that he was Twist ed' and counsel for the defense &C., cused the government of "befogging the case" The government dropped the subject temporarily but precip- 1tated another tangle when it began to delVe into financial transactions between the Hartford and New fork Transportation company, the New England Navigation company and the Eastern Steamship Corpora- tion.
 Morgan Opposed.
 MT. Mellen today testified that just before the Metropolitan Line went into the hands of receiver, in 1909, Morse made an offer to him of one- half the capital stock of the line if the New Haven would take off it's Merchants and Miners Line from Boston.
 Mellen said he took the matter to MT. Morgan, who was "So violently opposed" to it that the offer was re- jected.
 II said," continued the witness, : Why, MT. Morgan, he offers one half of the capital stock"
 wouldn't take it as a gift said MT. Morgan, I won't have anything to 10 with him. He was very violent about the matter and said that I'd 1 either have to break with Morse or l break with him.
 Judge Asks Information.
 The introduction of a balance sheet ! of the Billiard company, which re- corded numerous transactions SUD- | posed to be connected with the ! Steamship deals, brought | a protest from Judge Hunt. |
 Have we yet had any evidence on | the Billiard Company" he asked. | '.The magnitude of this case is tre- | mendous; it's intricacies seem to mul- | t;ply. I think counsel should make i some explanation of this Metropolitan | situation so that we may know what | is being talked, about
 R. V. Lindabury, for the defense, to make the explanation. 1t involved three Metropolitan Steam ship companies and two Pacific com panies.
 His explanation was not satisfactory o Attorney Swacker for the govern c,ent, who tried to give his own yer ,ion. Other counsel interferred- and | wrangle was soon in progress.
 Judge Hunt finally got counsel to ,gree to make a statement in writing ,f the history of the transaction in so ar as they could agree on it. The ,lry looked relieved and the Billiard "a lance sheet was temporarily with lrawn.
 Judge Hunt called another halt with a query as to the object of the estimony. Upon Attorney Batts' ex- ,lanation that it led up to evidence f the offering of rebates the court uled it out on the ground that it was merely cumulative
 We must curtail this case" he warned.