The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-09

h,
the Proposition to Withdraw
Suits Against the Standard OIL
Company Was Made.
COLUMBUS, O., May 8.-Attorney Cen
eran Monnett this morning filed in the
supreme court his answer to the motion
of the Standard Oil company, requesting
that he designate the persons alluded to
in his statement that he had been ap-
preached with offers of bribes to dismiss
the suits against the company, and named
Charles B. Squires formerly Of Cleve-
land and now of New York, as the party
through whom the alleged proposition
was made. The attorney general in his
answer says:
1.-The motion having been made to be
heard May IS, the attorney general
valves the length of time and asks for an
immediate hearing. He concurs in the
request of the defendant that the court
appoint a commissioner to take the legal
testimony which bears upon the truth of
such charges, as are set forth in the COM
plant, or that such testimony may be
taken in any other mode that this court
may deem eXpedient
the defendant into court in contempt
without an order from this court, but
the same having been waived by the en-
try of appearance by this motion, and to
avoid delay, plaintiff complies with the
demands of the motion so far as he is
able The attorney general cannot COM
ply with the first request requiring the
plaintiff to name the person who ap
preached the Hon. Daniel ]. Ryan, but
=, 11rr
cess, under the orders of this court, from
witnesses who have knowledge thereof.
The plaintiff cannot comply with the Sec
ond request of the Standards attorneys,
compelling Hon. d. K. Watson to- fur
nish the name of parties who made the
offers and representations in said COM
plant set forth, but the same can be OBJ
tanned under an order from this court
from witnesses who. have such informa-
tion. t--t, -,si-s.ea xu-- ex
zri. e5 ALLEGED BOODLER. sit.,as.
LAS to the third request in the motion
addressed to the attorney general to
name the party who had the conversa-
tions with him, and to name parties
connected Herewith, representing the
Standard Oil company, the attorney gen.
eral says that the party calling him up
from Cleveland and the party making
the proposition set forth in the complaint
was Charles B. Squires, formerly of
Cleveland, now of New York city, and
the ,stockholder and officer representing
the, Standard Oil company that Charles
B. Squires claimed were the parties and
through whom the proposition had IN
some way come to him, was Frank Rookie
feller, a stockholder of the Standard Oil
company; F. B. Squires, secretary of the
Standard Oil company, and Charles N.
Haskell, late of New York city"
The attorney general says that to as
certain in what way Charles B.. Squires
received his communications from the
above parties, the state will be compelled
to take testimony under an order of this
court.
1.-The only agent or employe of the
Standard Oil company" the attorney gen.
eraT says, that plaintiff can furnish the
court under that motion, that paid the
expenses of Dewitt G. Jones and heard at
least part Of the conversation referred to
in paragraph in the original complaint
and the only name that plaintiff can fur
nish to this court without legal process,
is the name furnished plaintiff by Dewitt
c. Jones, namely, that of Virgil P. Kline,
one of the attorneys in this case, then
representing the Standard Oil company,
and Virgil P. Kline and Dewitt c. Jones
In this behalf can only be obtained by the
court authorizing the testimony to be
taken of such parties having the informa-
ton thereof"
Mr.. Monnetts statement that he cannot
name the person who ''rqeuested Hon.
Daniel ]. Ryan refers to the story that
MIR. Ryan, while a nominee for secretary
oil state, was alleged to have been ap-
preached by a party who wanted him to
use his influence with Hon. D. X. Watson,
then attorney general, to induce him to
withdraw suits which he OWatscn) had
Instituted against the Standard Oil COM
--A,@
Mr. Ryan was offered $4,000 for his in
fluence, and as much more as might be
necessary to accomplish the desired re-
suit.
OTHER SIDE SILENT.
Charles B. Squires, who was named to-
day by Attorney General Monnett in a
communication to the Ohio supreme court
as the person who offered him $4,000 in
behalf of certain directors and stockhold-
ers of the Standard Oil company to in
duce him to refrain from continuing to
prosecute that company, now lives at
Orange, N. j., and is manager for the
Manhattan Fire Insurance company of
New York. While in Cleveland he was a
prominent insurance agent, and was con-
stantly at war with the board of fire un-
derwritcrs. He finally induced the attor-
ney general to begin proceedings against
the board under the Ohio antitrust law,
and he and Mr.. Monnett then became fast
friends.
Neither Frank Rockefeller nor F. B.
Squire, who are mentioned in the attorney
generals staement, could be seen tonight,
as they both live at Willoughby, eighteen
miles from the city. Virgil z. Kline, the
attorney for the Standard Oil company,
left by an early train for Columbus and
could not be seen before he started.
MR. SQUIRE DENIES.
NEW YORK, May 9.-In a statement
last night Charles B. Squire said:
''If Attorney General Monuett in his
statement to the supreme court of Ohio,
said that l offered him a bribe as repre-
seBting the three men he mentions, it Is
absolutely and unqualifiedly false ]
know nothing about the statement YOU
say the attorney general has made but he
surely could not have said that | offered
him a bribe Of 100000, or any other sum,
as representing men from the Standard
Oil company or anybody else. never Of
fered man a bribe in my life, and II
anybody says did he tells an untruth.
What said before is true. 1 had been
approached by a promoter of schemes and
warned the attorney general to beware
of him. 1 do not believe the man in
question had any connection with the
Standard Oil company, or represented il
In any way in his Office. Ha was merely
fishing, in the hope of getting some