The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-11
"A MONOPOLY'S METHOD
THE STANDARD OIL COMPANY IN A
DISHONEST BUSINESS.
Gripping Competitors by Securing
Information by COrruptiOn-Rail-
road Clerks Worked.

For a long time it has been known that
in some manner the Standard OIL Company
always had information as 10 the shipments
being made by it's competitors and would
this information to secure the patron
age of its competitors customers. As soon
as it was learned that sale had been made
TO a certain merchant an agent of the
Standard Oil Company would call on the
purchaser and offer oil at such low figures
that the customer would buy and ship back
the other purchase. Then this information
would be used against the competition,
other dealers being given to understand
that the oil was shipped back because IL
did not reach the standard or for some
other equally as good reason.
1t became known yesterday that this in
formation has been furnished for a long
time by the clerks in the various railroad
offices. In every case, so far as known,
the clerks are supposed to be innocent OF
any wrong doing in the matter. According
to the Investigations that have been made
in the last few days by railroad officials
it seems that some time ago man who
said his name GinZ and that he was
a deputy state oil Inspector called at the
different railroad offices md made arrange
ments with clerk in each office TO fur
nish him a list of all shipments of oil.
official capacity and that ne preferred TO
pay q small amount each month to some
clerk TO make up a daily list, rather than
to undertake TO get the information him.
self, on account of the time 1t would take
him to do The clerks did not think
there could be anything wrong In the offer
or that the information would be used In
any way except by Ginz as a state official,
and they readily agreed 90 furnish il.
They did not get suspicious even when
they learned that the daily reports were Il.
Hpipr'S saloon
New Jersey street. They supposed that the
place selected on account of the fact
that IL would be open until LAKE at night
and there would be no trouble in getting
the reports if Ginz did not have an oppor-
tunity TO go after them until evening
Fred Heller says he knows nothing of the
man, who called for slips and paid the
money. This man merely asked Heller to
receive the slips from the three men who
were to bring them in and left money for
them, which was paid when the men called
There two men at the Big Four
| offices connected with the matter. The
| officials refuse to give their names, but
| say they will be discharged. These men
| say they supposed they We're furnishing
| information TO one Of the independent oil
companies for the purpose of trapping a
| dishonest clerk.
A clerk at the Pennsylvania offices is
fully eXonerated by Agent Perry. VINO says
he does not think the clerk had any knowl-
| edge of the matter except that he thought
| he furnishing information that an oil
inspector entitled to have.
| Agent OReilly. of the Monon, says one
| man was discharged from their freight
| house some time ago for this work. and
that he thought II had been stopped. 1t
| seems that the information from that office
was secured by an l.. T.. & w. empioye,
| who had access to the office a any time
The l.. f. & W. employe who did the work
| says he had no idea he doing aLyt hing
| wrong, but thought he was simply furniSh H.
! ing the State proper informant, n.
| There has been no complaint Of anything
of the kind in connection with the c II. &
| ID. offices.