The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1898-12-28
BURNED THE RECORDS.
An Employe Of the Standard 0I
Company Says he Did 1t.
INVESTIGATION POSTPONED.
Owing to the Inasnisy 10 secure csr.ala
witnesses aIaster Commissioner
BrInsnAaas AdJaurns the Hear.
InE Unrn After HolidayS-

Cleveland, Dec. 22.@The taking OF
dispositions by Attorney General Nom
nett to attempt to prove that the
Standard Oil company had destroyed
lot of it's books and papers n few
days before the supreme court ordered
the books to be produced as evidence
In the Investigation of the Standard
OIL company was resumed.
John McNierney testified that he had
been in the employ of the Standard
company for over two years.
McNierney said that on Saturday
morning. Nov. 10. he was ordered to
burn a lot of the Standard oil COM
pany's books He burned them.
He burned them at about 8 o'clock
In the furnaces of the car shops. Later
in the day he said he was ordered to so
to the Euclid avenue Offices and get
some boxes.
The boxes were taken down from
the 18th foor In the elevator but some
one objected to them being taken out
of the front door. Thereupon the
boxes were taken back to the nth
I.oor.
MsSierney said that he remained
around the Euclid avenue Office until
5 o'clock that afternoon, and then the
boxes were lowered by rope and tackle
from one of the windows. He was as
sisted by four other employees of the
company. The boxes We're taken to the
company's warehouse. They remained
there until Monday.
The witness said that about 10 a. m.
Monday he and a man named Moran
took the books out of the boxes and
burned snem in the furnaces. There
were nine boxes of books and six sacks
OF papers.
Some OF the books were about 20
inches high and others were much
smaller McNierney said that the
books that we're burned Saturday
morning were taken from the Euclid
avenue offices Friday night He re-
ceived his orders to get the boxes from
Fields. the carshop foreman.
On eross-examinalion, MeNJierney
said that he and Moran burned the
books that were destroyed Saturday
morning. Moran helped open the boxes
and took out the books and burned
them. On Monday Fields gave him or
ders to go to the warehouse and get
the Eoxes and take them to the fur
.aces.
Regular Proceedings Postponsd.
Tho regular Standard oil inquiry,
before Special Master Commissioned
Brinsmade, was not taken up. because
Messrs. Rockefeller, Squire and Sever
ance. who we're wanted to testify. could
not be found. Attorney General Mon
nett desired to proceed with the hear
ing. and to subpoena bookkeepers and
other employees OF the Standard At
torney Kline for the Standard objected
and argued for more delay.
Said Mr.. Monnett: I'VE have been
year and two months getting three
days testimony. we have met with
nothing but delays, and the state Is
ready to go on"
Mr.. Kline stated to the best of his
knowledge Secretary Squire would re-
turn to Cleveland Jan. 4. He said Mr.
Severance had been out OF the city for
several months, and he dll not know
where Frank Rocksssller waA, fur
ther said none of these gentlemen had
left the city to prevent service being
secured on them.
After debate of some length by the
attorneys, Master Commissioners Brins-
made ordered the investigation post
poned until Jan. 4.