- date on negative 11/6/14 - artolog
J.L. Billard (LOC)
Bain News Service,, publisher.
J.L. Billard
[between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915]
1 negative : glass ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller.
Notes:
Title from unverified data provided by the Bain News Service on the
negatives or caption cards.
Forms part of: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).
Format: Glass negatives.
Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.
Repository: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
General information about the Bain Collection is available at hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbain
Persistent URL: hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.17722
Call Number: LC-B2- 3284-8
Comments and faves
pennylrichardsca (13 months ago | reply)
John L. Billard of Meriden CT, coal dealer, president of a building supplies company, big stockholder in regional railroads.
www.lyon-billard.com/lyon-billard-history.htm l
bior, Ash Sanford, Vahur Puik, *都都*, and 6 other people added this photo to their favorites.
nechokaias (13 months ago | reply)
So picturesque man
artolog (13 months ago | reply)
His appearance in the Bain collection is probably in connection with his dealings in an infamous transaction which resulted in criminal and civil actions against him in October and November, 1914. He was accused of being the middleman in a case where one railroad had been ordered to divest its holdings in another. Being a wealthy coal merchant, but without a background in railroading, he claimed he offered to buy the holdings, which he did, then re-sold them to an affiliate of the seller for a $2.7 Million profit.
Actually, Charles S. Mellen, the selling party for the Boston Maine Railroad, helped finance this collusive sale as a conspiratorial transaction to later re-acquire the divested shares. Both men were indicted by the government and subjected to a civil suit for restitution of the money gained in the transaction.
One of the many stories on the scandal:
"NEW HAVEN SUES BILLARD TO GET $3,828,147 BACK; Mellen and Five Others Also Defendants in Action Over Boston & Maine Sale. NOT A BONA FIDE TRANSFER Secret Trust Formed to Hide Real Ownership of Stock, New Management Alleges. DENIES CASH WAS BILLARD'S His Claim That It Was Called Fraudulent ;- Proceedings Prompted by Interstate Board Inquiry."
query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E 6D71638E633A...
On November 5th, the day before the Bain negative date, he had appeared in court in New York to answer the criminal indictment for conspiring to monopolize the transportation business in New England.
"WM. ROCKEFELLER AND BILLARD PLEAD; Appear Personally in Court and Answer Not Guilty to New Haven Indictments. CAME EARLY TO AVOID CROWD Oil Man Seemed Nervous and Answered Clerk's Questions Indistinctly. BILLARD HAS OWN LAWYER Does Not Use Counsel Provided for Other Directors ;- Rockefeller Poses for Photographers."
query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F0DE 6DE1738E633A...
gavinvz, cyart4ever, (Eric Rose), and Oli Sansom - www.olisansom.com added this photo to their favorites.
Ryan (LOC P&P) (12 months ago | reply)
Thanks so much for the added information artolog. We'll fill in the name and add the date the next time we update the record.
Photography by K. West and darm66 added this photo to their favorites.