The Washington bee., 1899-04-22

Monnets started Proceedings to Have the
Trust Declared In Contempt of Court
and States that Representative offered
Him S400, 900 to Cease Activity-Is a
Very Persistent Man.
There is no reason why special cred
it should be given to a public official
who spurns bribe, yet the fact re-
mains that the public is strongly in
clined to give such credit, and particu-
larly to one who spurns $4OOOOO
brlbe which he could easily have
taken under the circumstances and
never have been accused of anything
worse than quitting in fight against
a monster monopoly that means
nothing but hard work to him
That is why there is so much inter
est in Frank $. MOnnett. the young
AttOrney-General of Ohio. who was
won the plaudits of the people of his
own and other States by his persis-
tent and well directed attack on the
Standard Oil Company. He has
shown the sort of courage that men
like. and, if the people of his State
ever nominate him for a higher office
than he now holds, as is not unlikely,
| he will make mighty strong candi-
date, even though the Oil Trust mag
mates exert their tremendous money
power against him. as they surely
will do
Mr.. Monnett is lot moro than thirty
eight years old. He was elected At
tOrney- General of Ohio in 1895. His
predecessors had begun suit against
the Standard Oil Company which had
resulted in the declaration of the Ohio
Supreme Court that the trust was an
illegal corporation and must cease it's
operations i'm the State. That order
had been given by the court i'm 1895.
and Mr.. MOnnett. like everybody els..
familiar with the situation. knew that
the trust had mace merely pretense
of Obeying ii.
Immediately he started proceedings
to have the trust magnateS declared
in contempt of court and further pro-
ceedings to have the charters of its
constituent companies in Ohio taken
away because of the illegal alliance
into which they had entered. Through
these proceedings he has made life a
-
officers. and so wisely has he waged
his war that they are fearful of the
results.
1t surprised nobody, therefore. when |
a few weeks ago Mr. MOnnett told of |
an attempt which has been made to |
get him to cease fighting by a bribe of |
100000. In the presence of his |
brother-in-law a representative of the |
trust told him where he could find |
100000 that nobody need ever know |
he received if he would only cease his |
activity. He was not asked even to |
withdraw any of the suits he had be- |
gun but merely to let them drag /
along until his term of office expired. |
What sort of a man is this young |
lawyer who puts aside an immense
fortune, fortune as great or greater
than he can hope TO make by a life of
hard work?
Mr.. MOnnett is a quiet serious man.
of student-like appearance. one who
carefully plans his actions and weighs
the results before he moves. He is
tall. about five feet ten. not at all in
clinpd to StOutneSS. is inclined to StOOp !
a little. particularly when he shOyes
his hands in his pockets and walks
up and down a room thinking over n
case or conversing with a friend.
His forehead is high and broad His
dark brown hair is parted in the mid
die and brushed to either side. but not
at all in "chappie" style. His eyes
are dark. large and expressive. His
jaw is square. the lines of his mouth
are firm. and altogether he looks as
he is. a man with much reserve force
and confidence that when he needs il
it will he available.
Mr.. MOnnett speaks slowly and does
not allow himself to get excited. In
getting at the truth regarding the
methods and doings of the Standard
Oil Trust Mr.. Monnett has had t-
reason many things out and form his
own conclusions. as the trust has more
secrets than a political boss and pays
hundreds of thousands of dollars a
year to lawyers to guard them. Many
Of his conclusions he finds are not JUS
tilted as the evidence develops. and ii
is there that the persistent character
of the man best shows.
Starting ont to establish q point
with a witness who will tell practical
ly nothing and is constantly looking
for an opportunity to ridicule him.
Mr.. MOnnett frames his questions ac-
cOrding to the conclusions he has
reached. and as he puts them he is
soon able TO ascertain from the man
ner of the witness and the trust law
vers whether he is on the right track
Or not If he is wrong they ridiculp
If he is right they object and protest.
Mr.. MOnnett is an exceedingly affa-
Dle man. in a quiet. unostentatious
way. He does not regard himself as
I giant-killer. or monster-hunter.
He simply knows that the laws of
ohio prohibit operations of monopolies
within the State. that the Courts of
ohio have declared the, Standard Oil
Company to be such an illegal mOnop-
,ly. and that as Attorney General it is
MS business to see that the laws are
and the mandate of the court