The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-09
METHODS OF A TRUST
TESTIMONY OF Ex-EMPLOYE OF THE
STANDARD OIL COMPANY.
How Rival Concerns Were Driven Out
Of Busin ess-OiI Alleged 10 Have
Been Adulterated.

WASHINGTON. June s.-The Industrial
Commission resumed its investigation OF
trusts. the Standard Oil Company receiving
especial attention. Mr.. W. III. Clark, of
Ohio who until last February was employed
by the Standard Oil Company in various
towns In that State, but was then suspend
ed, testified that while employed at Marietta
the Standard had ousted other companies
from the business by competition and then
put up the price of oil. He said that eight
nominal grades of oil were sold out Of only
two tanks. the faucet being turned in diff
ferent directions for different grades. This
was done, he said, under instructions from
the managers for the Standard Oil Com
pany. Messrs. Matthews and Hollingsworth.
Mr.. Clark also said that the company
bought and sold turpentine. but before sell
ing 1t would put six or seven gallons of
gasoline in each barrel of turpentine.
At Columbus Mr.. Clark was the cashier
OF the Standard Company. At that point,
he said, much oil was .adulterated. For
instance, miners oil was made by mixing
in little cotton seed oil. Here the Stand
ard Company started what was called the
Shoemaker Oil Company. This was a pure
ly Standard establishment. he testified. its
men being paid by the Standard Company.
pendent concern and was used a blind.
Az Springfield, Mr.. Clark said. he was
wagon salesman and the instructions there
were to get trade regardless of the price.
Some refined oil was sold as low as cents
and here also as many four nominal
grades of oil were taken from one tank.
Rebates were made when necessary. When
he had spoken to the management of the
dishonesty of these practices he had been
told that IL was not for him to say about
such matters. but to do what he was told.
At Urbana, he said, he was manager for
the Standard Company. Here a competitor
was driven out by threat to force the
price down to 1 cent a gallon. The COM
petitor afterward went TO the poorhouse.
Witness for time was manager at New
ark Here the work was very hard because
of the great range of prices There were
twenty-five different figures used there. One
man would get oil for cents. while his next
door neighbor would pay sla cents. Re-
bates were given TO especially favored pa
irons. These were made under the instruc-
tons of Mr.. b. A. Matthews, as were all
changes in prices or terms.
The witness testified that at Newark the
company bought building from over
leaser's head who was doing competitive
business. and Mr.. Clark with other men
went into the building In the absence of the
CoinpclloT iOducu the DuliOlnS OH c8TlS ana
carried IL away. For this he (Mr. Clark
was c0mplimented and was to have been
rewarded with two weeks vacation, while
the competitor was so frightened that he
went out OF the business. This was not ac-
complished, however. until all his customers
had been located by boy hired to follow
his wagon on a bicycle. At Newark a Gus
toner wanted oil from Cleveland. He was
satisfied by supplying him out of a barrel
painted red and marked as IL from Cleve-
land. He received the same oil. however,
that other people got.
The witness said that laborers for the
Standard Company were generally paid 10
cents a day. and that they worked on an
average OF twelve hours a day. There was
he said. often a difference of cents a gall
lon i'm the price OF oil in places where there
was competition and places where there
was none.