The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-06
Some Peculiar Dealings Of the
Standard Oil Company
Brought Out by Suit of EN-
plOye at Wichita.
HE ACTED AS SPOTTER
To Ascertain Who Was Buy
ing of Standards Rivals.
s. w. Ashford Wants Alleged
Salary Of So, 400.

Wichita, Oct 6-S w Ashford, one
of the proprietors of the feed mill on
North Main street, has sued the Stand
ard Oil company for salary due for
work performed for the company in
this city. The petition was filed in the
United States court yesterday by Blake
& Ayers, and recites some of the pecu-
liar dealings of the Standard Oil mon
opoly in it's endeavor to wipe out COM
petition. In this connection the petit
ton is one of much interest and is
herewith printed almost in full. Mr..
Ashford claims the company is indebt-
ed to him in the sum of So, 200, and he
asks the court for that amount with in
terest thereon from the 31st day of
May, 1897.
TIL amended petition as filed yester-
day is as follows:
That defendant is now and at all the
times hereinafter mentioned was a cor
pOratiOn duly organized and existing
under and by virtue of the laws of the
state Of Indiana, having and maintain
ing a branch Office and doing business
in the state Of Kansas and in the city
of Wichita therein.
That defendant is indebted to plaintiff
for services performed by plaintiff for
defendant, at the special instance and
request of defendant, for the purpose of
procuring for defendant certain inform
alton relative to competition shipments
ana the grocery retail IIaQG, the sum
of thirty-twO hundred dollars (S3, 2OO) as
shown by statement thereof attached
hereto, duly verified, marked exhibit
"a" and made a part hereof.
The plaintiff was employed by de-
PENDANT, by oral contract made and en-
tered into by plaintiff and defendant on
or about the first day Of March, 1892,
to obtain certain information more full
ly hereinafter set forth, for which de-
PENDANT agreed to pay plaintiff the sum
of $50 per month; that plaintiff cOntin-
ued in said employment from the first
day of March, 1892, to the first day of
July, 1897; that said contract and agree
ment was made with plaintiff by A. M
DunkS, agent and general manager for
defendant for Wichita, Kansas, and ter
ritory tributary thereto, duly authOriz-
ed by said defendant for said purpose.
That plaintiff was employed on the
foregoing terms for the purpose of pro-
curing for defendant, and acting under
the instructions said plaintiff did pro-
cure and report to said manager the fol-
lowing information, as nearly as prac-
ticable, relative to competitive sales
and shipments of oil, gasoline and other
goods handled and produced by defend
ant, to-Wit: The name and location of
parties buying gasoline and other pro-
ducts of defendant, from the competi-
tors of defendant, together with name
of competitor, amount and kind of
goods, destination, name of carrier, and
all other Obtainable information rela-
tive to such sale or shipment. Plain
tiff was required under his employment
to, and as nearly as possible did, obtain
the foregoing information of all sales
and shipments of the competitors of
defendant in said territory.
That plaintiff was employed on the
foregoing terms for the purpose of pro-
curing for defendant, and acting under
the instructions of said A. M. Dunks,
manager as aforesaid, did obtain and
report to said manager the following in
formation, as nearly as practicable, rel
alive to the retail trade of grocers sell
ing and handling the oils, gasOlines and
other products of competitors of the
Standard Oil company, to-wit: The
amount and kinds OF oil, gasoline del1V-
cred to grocer or dealer in oils, gaSO-
lines by any competitor of defendant,
together with the name of competitor,
retailer or dealer; the name and ad-
dress of the customers of retail dealer
handling the goods of the competitor
or competitors of said defendants, and
all other information obtainable rela-
tive to the sale of goods to grOcers or
dealers in oils and gasOlineS and the
customers of such retailer or local deal
er in said goods. Plaintiff was further
required to arrange with merchants to
solicit the trade of the customers of
dealers handling the goods of competi-
tors of the defendant, or to furnish
goods to such customers at greatly re-
duced prices.
That the foregoing employment was
entered into by agreement with, and
the information obtained hereunder
was reported to A. M. Dunks, agent
and manager of the Standard Oil com
pany, at Wichita, Kansas. That said
agreement was not in writing.
That plaintiff is owner and holder of
said account; that the same is due and
unpaid and that defendant has neg
lected and refused and now refuses to
pay the same.
Therefore. plaintiff prays Judgment
against defendant for the sum of three
thousand two hundred dollars ($3, 200)
vii Mt a rGf daT "
of July, 1897 at per cent per annum
and for the costs of this action.