The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-10-29
Aided New Haven Railroad
in Blocking Legislation
in Rhode Island
HIS ACTIVITIES
JUST DISCOVERED
Charles R. Brayton's Work
Disclosed by Trial of
Former Directors

New York, Oct. 29.--TestimonJ dis
closing that the late General Charles Il
Brayton, "the blind boss of Rhode is
land" was employed by the New York
New Haven 4 Hartford railroad to block
the passage OF bills before the Rhode
Island legislature, authorizing the con.
struction Of trolley lines which would
compete with the New Haven, created a
sensation at the trial OF the eileen for.
mer directors of the New Haven yester'
day.
1t developed that the governments evi.
dence in regard to General Brayton's ac-
tivities had been discovered after the fill,
ing of the indictment, and when the
morning session adjourned counsel were
in the midst of heated wrangle over the
admission of letter intended to show
how much Brayton was paid for his
services as the New Ravens legislative
agent.
The testimony obviously came as a
surprise to the defense, who raised the
objection that neither the indictments
nor the governments bill OF particulars
specified the acts which the government
were trying to prove.
With Charles S. Mellen as the identify
ing witness, the government put into the
record the following letter, dated April
10, 1895, from John NJ. Hall, vice -presi-
dent OF the New Haven, to General
Brayton.
II notice passage Of bill through the
legislature last week chartering an cleo
trio railway running between Pawtucket
and Attleboro, containing provision
that the company may carry express mat
ter. We should have urged strong OBJ
lection to this bill If we had had an
opportunity.
'Please do not let any more Of that
kind go through, and ii possible would
like to get that express clause stricken
out, either by general law or some
other way, as it seriously interferes with
our revenue from the Adams Express
Il notice also a bill pending for an
electric street railway from East Green
witch through the Pawtucket valley, with
power to carry freight, coal, etc, in car
load lots. Please nip this project in the
bud if possible and kill it. Our interests
are utterly opposed to granting any
electric railroad company power to paral-
lei our lines and are especially opposed
to granting them the privilege of carry
ing freight or express matter"
When the government came to present.
ing its letter 10 show the compensation
received by General Brayton FIVE attor-
neys for the defense, who had been in
put in their objections and
argued the matter successfully. b. /. /
Bats, attorney for the government, con-
,eded that the matter had not been be.
fore the grand jury, but that neverthe.
less constituted concrete case of the !
New Ravens purpose to monopolize /
we are going to show" he said, chat |
General Brayton was paid a large sum
10 accomplish the New Ravens ends in |
his matter. Not only was General Bray. |
ION paid, but other legislative agents
we're paid large sums TO prevent the
proper development Of thes, properties.
We have gotten bold Of additional facts /
When the morning session adjourned /
Judge Hunt still had the question under /
although he had remarked /
hat he thought the government ought /
% confne itself ''to the specific instances
'ited in the indictment and bill Of par
.iculsrs"
Judge Hunt. az the opening Of the
afternoon session. sustained the objection 1
made by the attorneys for the defense
md the jury was not allowed 10 hear
he remainder Of the governments evi-
lence in the matter