The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-23
OF the CHARGES That Standard OH Tried 10
Bride Monnett.
STATEMENT MADE BY ATTORNEY GENERAL
After the Supreme Court Had re.
fused to Consider the case Al
tOrney Bennett Also Interested.

nected with the alleged attempt to brise
Monnett to cease his prosecution of the
Standard Oil trust and related for the first
time the history of that now celebrated
case. Their statement is full and explicit.
and the names of those who are said TO
have acted for the trust are given, To-
gether with corroborative testimony.
The court today dismissed the .'informa-
ton in contempt" which General Nom EFT
some months ago laid before it, In this
bill the charge was made that the stand
ard Oil trust, through Charles b. S9uires
his prosecution. The court today he'd
that the facts related in the information
in contempt had not been sufficient to
connect the Standard OIL trust with the
alleged attempt AT bribery.
In addition. Judge Minshall, in a state
ment attached TO the finding of the court
stated that in his opinion the Standard
had not been connected with the attempt,
and that the court had no interest in any
attempt to bride the attorney general in
matters not within it's jurisdiction. Fur
ther, he declared that the attorney general
grand jury, that the guilty parties might
have been indicted and be given a chance
TO plead their case before a jury.
Tonight the Enquirer reporter saw At
torney General Monnett and Special Coun-
sci Bennett, who has been employed in
the antitrust cases by the attorney gen
eral. From them he gained full and
explicit account OF the conversation which
took place before them and Squires on
the day in question. Mr.. Bennett acted ms
spokesman, although Mr. Monnett, who
sat at table close by, occasionally in
terpolated remark or refreshed Ben
nett's memory.
Il want to state said Mr.. Bennett.
that while this bribery matter was be-
fore the court / could not make any state
ment on it. You have asked me be ore
for this matter. hut have been obllged
to refuse. Now ! think that the time has
come to speak. The case has been thrown
out of court. and our lips. which have
been sealed, are free to speak.
THE supreme court says today that we
have not established any connection be-
tween the Standard Oil trust and the men
who sought to bride General Monnett. No
further testimony being offered the case
was dismissed.
Just recall one thing. Some months
ago we sought to take testimony in this
case. We then had service upon forme :
Attorney General Watson, and would have
shown by him that when he held this
position the Standard sought to bribe him
TO cease prosecution. Judge Shauck of the
supreme court refused to permit US to
take testimony. Now the court dismisse;
the case because no testimony has been
given it. When that testimony was offered
IL was refused.
Readers of newspapers will remember
that the court refused this permission dur
ing the campaign, when there was danger
that Watson might tell of the letter which
was written him by Senator Hanna, in
which he was urged to stop fighting The
trust and reminded that no man in pub
lie office owes the public anything
Mr.. Bennett continued: Il think that
we established the connection of the
Standard Oil trust as closely with this at
tempt TO bride the attorney general as
could have been done under the oireum-
stances If we had been allowed to go
into court we could have made the con
nection far closer. You will remember
that was witness 10 the conversation
between Mr.. Monnett and Mr.. squires,
when the latter offered him the bride. l
will tell you just what happened on that
OCCASION
Mr., Bennett then dictated the following
statement
ION the day in question C. b. Squires,
now secretary of the Manhattan Fire In
surance company of New York. had been
in the office and held conversation with
the attorney general. came in after
lunch and General Monnett said 10 him
in my presence: DO you care to repelt
in the presence of Mr.. Bennett what you
have said to me? He is a special counsel
III my office, and occupies confidential re-
lations with me-
"Squires said that he had no objection.
and repeated the conversation he had with
General Monnett
Some days ago a party came to me
and said that he was sent by representa-
tives of the Standard Oil trust. They UNI
derstood that / was close TO Monnett, and
he wanted to know what kind OF fellow
Monnett was. asked in what way, and
he said Can he be approached?
81 replied that ii depended upon the
purpose. and one word led to another un-
til asked the question bluntly: What
do you mean?'
He replied "Can he be induced to
stop the prosecution of the Standard OH
trust?"
Here squires said that the interme-
diary's name was William Highlands. AMI
that he was at that time promoter in
Cleveland.
II asked, What is in it?'
''He replied. How would 100000 strike
your
II said wouldn't insult Monnett with
such an offer. Highlands interjected He
must be a high-priced cuss How would
5000 COO do?' said ! wouldn't touch 1t
for that 1t was too risky After further
dckering Highlands said: i have $780,
900 to do this business with That gives
Monnett 100000 and leaves 100000 fo-
us TO split"
Here Squires turned to Monnett and
said Il knew that you wouldn't take it.
but come TO make you the offer. We do
not ask anything criminal of you. merely
to hold the cases up until your term ey-
pires That can he done easily. without
exciting any suspicion That isn't all,
You want to take into consider
alton what this will do for me. ] am a
poor man. and this VIII give me $4,000.
II this goes through. Frank
Rockefeller has promised to take the
major part OF the stock In an insurance
company am organizing. and ] will he
president. Wha, do you think OF me as
president Of an insurance company backed
by Rockefeller? There will be no aues-
tions asked and, you will have nothing
to put In writing. The stuff Will be placed
In safety deposit box for YOU. and You
will be given a key. You won't even have
to wait until the end OF Your term, but
no ~ I. syhauavar VIM want N nm your