New Britain Herald Newspaper, May 7, 1914, Page 1

lERALD BEST OF ALL ‘LOCAL NEWSPAPERS PRICE THREE CENTS. BILLARD TESTIFIES BEFORE COMMISSION Witness Relates How Hs Secured Control of Boston & Maine Road. CHASE RECALED 10 STAND Ire of Attorney Robbins Aroused By " Chief Counsel Folk.—Commissioner McChord to Take His Scat. ‘Washingiton, May 7.—A detailed statement of the transactions of the Billard company with the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, its officers and subsidiaries was made be- fore the interstate commerce commis- sion by John L. Billard, who organ- ized the concern. He outlined the ¢ method by which, with the aid of Charles S. Mellen, then president of the New Haven, and a loan from the New England- Navigation company, a New Haven subsidiary, he took over the stock of the Boston and Maine railroad owned by the New Haven, . which the Massachusetts courts de- cided the New Haven could not hold. After holding the stock a year, Bil- lard said, he re-sold it to the Boston Railroad Holding company. another Commands Former New Haven subsidiary at a profit of | $25 a share on 109,948 shares. Payment for the stock, he said, he took $16,250,000 in gold notes of the. | New England Investment and Securi- | ty company, a New Haven concern, and the Billard company was formed to handle this transaction. Blllard put $2,000,000 into the Billard com- pany, he said, and sold it to the New England Investment company, receiv- 4ng the $2,000,000 cash and $14,250, 000 in Billard company notes in pay: ment. These Billard notes, in accord- ance with an arrangement with Mr. Mellen, he sald, were bought by the New Englana Navigation company. Statement Is Submitted. The prepared statement which Mr. Billard put in the record was as fol- low: . and Hartford Railroad company held 109,948 shares of stock of the Boston and Maine rallroad, which, as T un- 0od it according to a decision of Massachusetts supreme court it Lno right to hold under the Mass- getts law as it then stood. The 2 New Haven company hoped in time to | get the law changed so a$ to permit it to hold this stock. At the moment, it was generally understood that the ! railroad company »this stock. 1 wrote Charles S. Mellen, the president of the railroad company, of- fering $120 a share for this stock, about the market price. He tele- % phoned me that if T would give $125 & share he would help me finance the purchase. This I agreed to do, ' I paid a part of the purchase price with | & note and the balance in cash, having borrowed for the purpose from the Natlonal City Bank of New York.., Whole Fortune Risked. “In the purchase of this stock T had risked my whole fortune. At one time e Boston and Maine shareg had fal- len in the market so that my pur- had to part with chase showed me & 1088 of over a mil- | kb, dion dollars. I had bought the stock ¥ at about market price and sold it I /back at about the market price. I Preceived $150 a share, showing me a profit of $25 a share on my original R purchase of 109,948 shares. \ v “I was not at that time a director ¥ of the New Haven Rallroad com- . pany, and both in the purchase and * ye-sale of this stock the negotiations between me and the railroad com- pany were absolutely free from any gecret arrangement or understanding* . “I did agree, as is shown by a writ- | ten contract dated June 30, 1909, in view of the profit I was making, to | ake over from the New England { Mavigation company, in payment for " the Boston and Maine stock, over ) $16,000,000 of golf notes in the New England Investment and Security company, a Massachusetts voluntary 1 mssociation which controlled the street rallways in Worcester and Springfield. *These notes bore low Tates of inter- est. These were to be guaranteed by the New Haven Railroad company, but .as to the validity of this guar- ntee, I think there was some doubt, hese notes turned out to be worth . Jess than expected. A “In the contract of June 30, 1909, by which I took in payment for the " Roston and Maine stock $16,250,000 of / gold notes of the New England In- vestment and Security company, the New Haven agreed to help me finance this acquisition. ~ It was understood at this time between me and the president of the New Haven Rallroad company that 1 should organize a cl#rporation whose mnotes, similar to the notes of the New England Invest- i ment and Security company, should [l be taken over by the New Haven ompany or the New England Navi " tion company. I also desired to form ji the corporation as a measure of self- protection and also to avold compli- cations in event of my death, 1 Oharter Granted in 1909, *The charter of the Billard company was granted by the general assembly 3 uu ’u le of Connecticut in August, I The WN company never -ud on Mflth Page.) In | | “In 1907 the New York, New Haven NEW BRITAIN HERALD SUING CHINAMAN FOR BURNING SHIRT Kee Chung, Lafayctte Strect Daun- dryman, Made Defendant in $100 Sait For Alleged Carelessness. Times have changed and now the Melican man instead of having to submit to the Chinee washerman’s alleged and time worn statement of “no checkee, no shirtee” is bringing suit against the son of the Orlent and refuses to accept the same “‘shirtec” if they are not finished to sult him, Charles Jesits, of this city, three shirts to ane Kee Chung, Chinese laundryman at No. 11 La- | fayette street, to have them laun- | dered. When the owner of the shirts {came to get them he found that | through alleged carelessness on the | part of the slant-eyed artist the shirts { have been burned and spoiled, 8o that they are henceforth good for nothing {but to be cast aside. | Jesits has brought {Chung, through his lawyer, and | clalms damages of §100. Constable | Fred Winkle attached the Chinaman’s { place of abode this morning, taking a | bag of rice as security. *And when 1 took the rice two big, fat rats jumped out,” chuckled the constable. The writ is returnable before Jus- | tice W. F. Mangan. took a suit against MEETING TONIGHT. ’Uhnmber of Commerce Organization Commiittee Will Get Together. There will be a meeting of the or- ganization and membership committee from the Kusiness Men's association for the Chomber of Commerce forma- tion at 8 o’clock this evening in the | aggociation rooms. This comnitiee is composed of the following "ien: Judge Bernara I Gaffney, Superintendent Stanley H, |Holmes, A. F. Corbin, Ernest W. Christ, . McMillan apd Charles J. White. President Andrews will attend as he is a member ex-officio of all commit- tees. THORNE FILES BRIEF ASSAILING BRANDEIS Closing Argument in Ad- vanced Rate Case Bitter- ly Attacked. ‘Washington, May 7.—The Xnnnut commerce commission had bew t today & supplemental briet filed by Cliftord Thorne, representing the weat- {ern rallroad commission before that | body in the advinced rates case, {u which he bitterly arraigns Louis D. Brandels, .special counsel for tHe com- misston, who in his closing argument in the case last Friday stated that *on the whole, the net income, the net operating revenues of thé carriers in officlal classification territory are smaller than is consistent with their aksured prospefity and the welfdare of the communi Mr. Thorne asserts that Mr. Brandeis commenced his ar- gument hefore the commission “by conceding the position of the carriers. On behalf of those whom he repre: sents Mr. Thorne says that he ‘re- pudiates in qualified terms,” the con- cession made by Mr. Brandels in his closing argument. “This commission itself,” says M. Thorne, ‘has & responsibility to dis- charge in determining the adequacy of railrgad revenues within official classification territory, that is not met by any opinion or conclusion an- nounced by special counsel. This duty is one solemnly placed upon you by our national government; and it !s one that you cannot, and have mot at- tempted to delegate to Mr. Brandeis ™ Mr. Thorne refers to ‘‘unpardon- able” attack of Mr. Brandeis on the surplus he (Thorne) had allowed. “That surplus to which Mr. Bran- deis applied the epithet ‘niggardly’ " he sald, ‘“was precisely the surplus adopted, after careful and deliberate consideration, by the unanimous ac- tion of the commission in the former iadvanced rate cases.” Mr. Thorne adds that the commis- sion cannot hold the revenues of tha carriers affected inadequate unless it reverses the principles established in its former opinions. PROTECTING LOCKS. Washington, May 7.—~Army detach- ments have been stationed to protect the locks along the Panama canal, Col- cnel Goethals, governor of the canul zone, reported to the war department today. Colonel Goethals acted on in- structions from Washington to take o precautions against trouble at the ca- nal during the Mexican situation. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. w Haven, Conn.,, May 7.—“Mike" Bolick, a ppoddlar, was taken to a hos- pital today in a critical condition from poison self-administered. He was found in a tarn where he stabled his horse. Despondency due to {ll health is believed to have been the cause. Holick is 35 years old and has a fam- ily. AUTO HITS POLE. An automobile containing two young men, came to grief early today at the Chestnut street curve, near the corner of Flm street. The machine skidded into the curb and up against an iron post holdlnt a ‘‘school house ahead— danger” ‘sign. The post was snapped off short.“No one was injured. NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, THURSDAY, MAY 7, CARRANZA REPORTS GREAT VICTORIES Minister Zubaran Claims Rebels Wil Soon lnvest Mexico City. HAVE 40000 TROOPS IN FELD South American With Their Opening of Conference at Niagara, May 18, ‘Washington, May 7.—Carranza’'s attitude toward mediation, which, temporarily, at least, has eliminated the constitutionalist chief from gen- eral negotiations aimed at settlement of Mexico’s ills, was declared to have been revealed by his official report of a vigorous rebel military campaign marked by significant victories. His declination to submit his country's internal troubles to preliminaries of mediation was based in part, at least, on rebel successes in a sweep- ing southward movement, constitu- tionalist representatives sald here to- day. ‘While Carranza parleyed with the South American envoys over details of their proposals, three powerful forces were hurled against federal strongholds. Reports of the results of the movement Carranza transmitted to Rafael Zubaran, interior minister in the constitutionalist cabinet now in Washington. Summarized today they were: Several ’l‘uw:m Captured. Defeat of 3,600 federals at Pen- azios, near San Luis Potosi, with the capture of 1,800 prisoners and quan- titles of arms and ammunition. Capture of Acaponeta, Teplc, 1,700 men surrendering. One million rounds of ammunition and quantities of arms taken. Capture of fleld guns, artillery and ammunition from fleeing column that evacuated Monterey. The Carranza report did not outline to what extent his forces were op- posed, and no casualtles on either side ‘were mentioned. After receipt of his chief’s report, Minister Zubaran was emphatic in a forecast' that within the next month the rebel armies would be investing Huerta’s capital. Villa with his vic- torious Torreon veterans it was be- lieved would strike next at Saltillg, "N 1NN §Vent "of “a’ vietory there, that he would hurl his forces at Tam= pico, Capture of that city would give the constitutionalists. a port of entry unaffected by any limited embargo on importation of arms now enfoérced along the Rio Grande, 40,000 Troops in Field. Minister Zubaran today . estimated that more ‘than 40,000 rebel troops were now in the fleld. Villa, he said, had 14,000 soldiers in north central Mexico; Gonzales 16,000 men threat- ening Tampico, and Chregon 15,000 troops operating on the west coast. The rebel minister’'s outline of the dis- position of Carranza’s forces was almed at dissipation of the genera) ideas in the United States that the rebel army 'consisted of mainly, Villa's forces in Chihuahua. He asserted that Zapata's rebels were co-operat- ing with the constitutionalists south of Mexico City. General belief was expressed that Carranza hoped to continue the cam- paign until the three powerful forces converged to hammer simultaneous- ly at the gates of Mexico City. To what extent Huerta would be able to combat the proposed advance, and what possible effect it might have en mediation proceedings between the United States and the Mexican fed- erals, was widely discussed here tc- day. Mediators Arrangements For Mexicans Favor Peace. An interesting sidelight on eventa at Tampico was shown today in the report.of the American consul there transmitted to the navy department by Rear Admiral Mayo. “On May 1 the Mexican government announced through Gen. Zaragoza that an armis- tice had been agreed to by the fed- eral government and the United States and also by the constitutionalists,’ the report stated. “The reason for the armistice was given out here as on account of mediation. This newa ‘was received joyfully and even hope- fully by the general public, which appears to be in favor of peace it secured with honor and dignity to tha Mexican government. The Ameri- cans and their money are sadly missed, and responsible persons would greatly favor a peace arrangement which would permit the wheels of business to run again.” From that report was supposed to have originated rumors that the fed- erals and rebels had arranged a sus- pension of hostilities about Tampico. Navy department advices today stated that heavy fifing heard near Tamplco Tuesday forenoon now had quieted. Proceed With Arrangements. ‘While the reports of Carranza's suc- cesses were discussed here today, the South American envoys went ahead with their arrangements for the be- ginning of the preliminaries of media- tion near the Canadian border May 18. With a retinue of secretaries they will leave Washington May 14 Huerta's three representatives are ex- pected to reach Puerto Mexico from the federal capital on their way to (Contirlved On; Penth Page.) Proceed | | Samuel Gordon, HERALD “ADS"” ME BETTER BUSINES POOR SAM LEHRER HAS MUCH TROUBLE His Creditors Demand That He . Be Declared Bankrupt.—Is Suoed For $400 More, Troubles are coming in bunches for | poor Sam Lehrer. His creditors are pressing him hard and are crying for a settlement even at the cost of his having to go into bankruptey, in fact some of them have asked that he be declared insolvent. They have brought seyeral law suits against him and now have made application in the United States court asking that he be adjudicated bank- rupt. The creditors who are making the howl with the amount due them, are as follows: Rubin and Sitomer, $13 Consolidated Tea company, $189.06; Jacob Kandes, $150 and $40, Today Max Block, of New York, through Attorney Joseph G. Woods, has sued Lehrer for $400 more. He claims that Lehrer owes him $202.60 on a note and demands his money. The writ of attachment was served by Constable Fred Winkle and is return- able before the court of common pleas on the first Tuesday in June. NO AFTERNOON PROGRAM ON MEMORIAL DAY Veterans to Have Exercises on Evening Previous— Parade in Morning. An unusual departure from the precedent established in pust years is to be made in the annual memorial day exercises of the Grand Army in this city this year. Commander Street- er will make known his complete or- ders in about a week, but announces at this time that the usual Memorial day afternoon exercises are now a thing of the past. In place of this customary observ- ance there will be the usual memorial services, with the patriotic address, held in the First Congregational church on the evening preceding Me- morial day. On account of the pres- ence of the Lyceum Stock company it was impossible to secure the Ly- ceum for these exercises, ! The regular parade and march in which th old veterans, the Spanish- American War Veterans, the Sons of Veterans, German and Franco-Prus- sian War Veterans, the militia and -other pate, will be held, but not in the af- ternoon. Late in the forenoon on Decoration day is the time set for this observance. At last night's meeting of Stanley post, the veterans voted unanimously for this. change whic] “has been tried in other cities, notic ably Meriden, and found to work out most satisfactorily: Bach year the ranks of the Grand Army are smaller and smaller, and each year the duties of decorating the graves of the old soldiers becomes a bigger proposition, so that this year the Grand Army in this city hopes for the co-operation of the public at large in providing flowers to strew upon the graves of their fallen comrades. As usual, the school children will assist as will the Sons of Veterans. Company I, First Regiment, C. N. G.. has voted, at the request of .the old veterans to turn out on Memorial day morning in full uniform and varade with them. The militlamen of Company I have also decided to pur- chase markers to be placed above the | graves of members of this company who have died. As these will not ar- rive in time for Decoration day it is thought that they will be taken to the | cemeteries on the second Sunday in June, HELD UP AND ROBBED NEAR POLICE STATION New Comer to This City Tells Au- thoritles of Being Attacked by Highwaymen on Center St. Two highwaymen, wearing handkerchiefs over the lower part of their faces and with their caps pulled well down over their eyes held up Harrle Garvie of 78 Elm street last night at 11 o'clock on Center street, according to the story he told the police today. TRe hold-up occurred within a stone’s throw of police head- quarters. Garvie sald he was proceeding along Center street when the men jumped out on him, grabbed him and went through his clothes, securing $9. He was too frightened to shout for help and was dazed by the suddenness of the attack. The victim told the police he would have reported the robbery soon after it took place but he did not know the location of the police station. He has been in this city only a month. Gar- vie was unable to furnish a good de- scription of the thieves. One wore a Lrown suit and the other an old g suit, he sald. —— WEATHER. s Hartford, May ‘7.—~Increas- 1n¢ clondiness tonight. Friday 1914—TWELVE PAGES. ESTABLISHED 1876, White House Wedding Principals dark | STANLEY ST. BRIDGE IS FAR BELOW GRADE Contractor Stops Work, Acting Under / Instructions from City Engineer— May Cost More Money. City Engineer W. H. Hall has held up the work on the construction of the new bridge on Stanley street which is being built by M. O. Baker to take | the pinoe of-the old~ Guffwey bridge which was washed away as, he says, he has found that the original plans were drawn incorrectly. He has in- spected the bridge and says it is thir- teen and one-half inches below the grade of the highway. Mayor Quigley was informed a few days ago that the bridge was not being built correctly because of de- fective plans. He went to the bridge himself and also had it examined by City Engineer Hall yesterday. As a result the city engineer has directed the contractor to proceed no farther with the work. It is said that the city will be forced to spend considerable money to bring the bridge up to grade, as much of the work will have to be done over. It is intended to have plans drawn for wings on the bridge, which were not included in the original plans. The matter will be reported at the next meeting of the board of public works. City Engineer Hall will make a tour of the permanently paved streets to- morrow morning with a representative of Warren Brow. of Boston and in- struct him where to make repairs, The stréet department will start work tomorrow -on macadamizing Ollve street. MANSLAUGHTER CASE NOLLED BY STATE Conductor Brace C. Adams Exonerated of Charge Growing Out of North Haven Wreck, New Haven, Conn,, May 7.—A noflle prosequi was entered by State's At- torney Alling today in the case of the state against Brace C. Adams, who was conductor of the Bar Harbor express which was run into by the ‘White Mountain express at North Ha- ven last September, charged with in- voluntary manslaughter. This for- mally disposes of the cases brought as an outcome of that wreck in which twenty-one persons were killed. The only conviction has been that of Charles H. Murray, the flagman of Conductor Adams’ train, wha pleaded guilty and 18 now at liberty under a suspended jail sentence. Mr. Alling, when asxed if he intend- ed to appeal to the supreme court of errors on exceptions taken in the trial ;'swm JURORS SELECTED FOR BECKER'S TRIAL Talesmen - Challenged by Counsel for Defense if Ac- cused Shoo kHis Head. New York, May 7.—Two more jur-' ors, bringing the number up to seven, were chosen today at the forenoon ses- sion of the trial of former Police Lieu- tenant Charles Becker for'the murder of Herman Rosenthal, The sixth man in the box was Dwight W. Custer, a retired printer; the seventh, Amhrnu Farleye, a olerk. Many talesmen were accepted by the district attorney, only to be chi lenged by counsel for the defense if Becker shook his head. The crowd that clamored for admission to the court room was even larger than that of yesterday, Five jurors were .in the jury box at the adjournment of court yesterday. and a venire of 226 talesmen was within call when today's session be- gan, At the rate of progress shown vesterday it was expected that the jury box would be tilled before adjourn- uctual trial would begin. - The questions put to talesmen yester- day and today indicated that the de- | fense planned to introduce little or no | evidence to refute the charge that | Becker was the moving spirit in the murder conspiracy for the carrying dut of which the four gunmen paid of Kngineer Miller, wno was ac- quitted last night, replied that he would not. ou couldn’t conviet Mil- ler in a thousand years on that evi- dence,” he added. FIRE New fire escape signs were distri- buted among the public schools of the city today. The new signs will take the place of the rather inadequate cards, in use previously and V\“] be of great ald during fire drills or in «case of an actual fire, Stalrways, fire escapes and other exits are indicated on the cards as well as the shortest routes to these exits, the penalty in the electric chair last month. Indications were that Recker | not to be called as a witness, although | lends of the former chief of the “strong arm’ squad of the police de- partment assert that he 1s anxious to tell his story to the jury. Becker, looking much better than when he came from the death house {0 Sing Sing some weeks ago, keenly watches the proceedings and fre- quently conversed with his attorney: Mrs. Becker, who occuples a seat'! within a few yards of her husband, ap- pears hopeful. During the luncheon recess Justice | Seabury sald that Juror No, 2, Willlam | B, Dalton, was to be excused because | he had personally requested it. What were Dalton's reasons warranting his retirement were not announced. Walter Rockwell Is Spe Days at His Home in This Clty. Walter Rockwell, of the United States & S. Tonopah, is enjoylng a few days firlough at his home in this city. Mr. Rockwell states that he will leave Newport with his boat Sun- day morning for Norfolk, Va., and from there Is likely to be sent intq Mexican waters. The Tonopah and the Ozark are acting as escorts to the submarine flotilla and the Ozark has already sajled. Mr. Rockwell is anxious of being sent to the front, KIBBE STILL THERE. Chairman E. W. Pelton of thé char- ity board and Superintendent A. J. Hart of the charity department d.- pled this afiernoen a rumor that Sv- perintendeut Kibbe of the town home had resigned, It was reported that Mr. Kibbe had decided to quit New Uritain, 2 ment today and that tomorrow the | | front, HISTORIC BLUE SCENE OF WEDD Miss Eleanor Wilson to Become McAdod’s Bride This Evening. | SHRLE PRESBYER Misg \l-rg-m Wilkon and Sayre, Sisters of the Bride, Will Mal vd Matron of Honor and Grayson Will Act as Best Man, Washington, May 7.—~With a pl circlet of pure gold, typical of quiet elegance of the ceremony, Eleanor Randolph Wilson, youn daughter of the president of United States and Mrs. Woodrow Wi son, will be married at ¢ o'clock evening in the Whit. House, to Wi liam Gibbs McAdoo, secretary of o treasury. The simple and impressive w ding service of the Presbyte church will be pronounced hy Rev. Bylvester Beach pastor of i church in Princeton, N. J., atten by the president and Mrs, Wilson their family. The ceremony, Wi it is to be notably elegant in all its appointments will be witnessed the smallest company that ever tended so important a function in thi White House. The vice presiden and Mrs. Marshall the members the cabinet and their wives relat of the president and Mrs, Wi and of Secretary McAdoo, and a f intimate personal friends of the b | and bridegroom, comprise the st Ruests. Ceremony in Blue Room. The ceremony of this evening place in the historic blue room, middle apartment of the suite on south side of the White House, tween the east room and the st diging room, It has been the of more brilliant social fun than any other room in the n |1t 1s in the blue room that the p | dent formally receives his guests White House receptions. In the main lebby of the mansl the merine band orchestra of pleces, under the direction of Lie: ant Willlam H. Santleman, will der a program music lpfidfll’ lected by Miss Wi Lohengrin Wi m. To the strains of Wagner's in ing wedding smarch from Lohe: the wedding party will descend main staircase from the apart above. Miw Margaret Wilson and F. B, Sayre, the bride’s sisters, will maid and matron of honor. charming little maids, Miss Sallle 00, the twelve-year-old daughter e bridegroom, and Miss Nancy dainty daughter of Secretary W Franklin K. Lane, will att d | | the ‘bride hs flower girls. They wii be Wttired In exquisite white froe exactly matched, The bride will be escorted to blue room by her father, the p dent of the United States. At 3 | Peautiful extemporized altar of v\hu eatin and cut fowers, she will 3 joined by the bUridegroom, My, Mo= Adoo, and his best man, Dr. Cary T, Grayson, T, s, an intimate friend alike of the retary and of the | president . An informul reception wiil follow: the ceremangyutter which the bridal party and assambled guests it down to the wedding supper 1o be gerved in the state /dining room. Hoth thy | room itself and the great dining tabis Wil be superhly dccorated, und this latter, particularly, wili be a vision in | sparkling cut) silverware and & rare flowers, \ 1 Brief Honeymoon "Prip. Later in the evening Secretury Me- Adoo und hix bride will leave Wash= | ington for a brief honeymoon trip. It fs not expected they will remain long away from Washinglon, as it i known that the secretary’s officinl duth 4 particularly with reference to the ‘t % eral board, will demand Hie presence in' the national capital, Y The bride's gown is g superh crea tion of ivory satin, adorned wi many yards of Empress Kugenia uu;., of soft and elegant design, - The gown hae a sweeping train, several vards in length, The satin which softly drapes the bodice, is drawn into a point below the shoulders, leavini u V-shaped opening both back and Soft folds of tulle finish this opening, and there is @ tunic of tulle .| made on the new, long lines, and the sleeves, whidh are long, are made of tulle mousquetaired. The lace is ap~ plied with exquisite grace, It Is draped over the right shoulder, and crosses the bodice in a sweeping line to the left side of the walst, where it is caught with a spray of orange blossoms. Below the walst line it falls ag a border to the tulle tunic . A novel feature of the lovely costume will be the bridal wreath of orange blossoms in cap effect from which the long tulle veil will be draped. Necklace of Diamonds. Practically the wsole ornament be worn by the bride will be & lace of diamonds, the gift of. bridegroom. Miss Wilson will carry a a shower bouquet of lilies of the ley, white orchids and tern More than a century of White House history wilj ) & fit- ting halo for the bridal couple in the (Continued on Eleventh flu‘ g '.‘ v sey