Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-03-01
GEORGE RICE
On the Witness Stand at Columbus
in the Standard Investigation.
Enquirer Special.

Enquirer Special.
Columbus, O., Feb. 27.--A startling
inslnuatlon was made this evening by
Mr.. f. M. Elliott, the New York coun-
sci for the Standard Oil Trust, DIT ing
the taking of depositions before No
tary Merwln in the case brought by
Attorney General Monnett to oust the
Buckeye Pipe Line Company from do
ing business in the state. In most
skillful manner Mr.. Elliott sought to
lead mis- hearers to infer that the pro-
secution of the Standard Oil Trust and
its constituent companies by Attorney
General Monnett was not an honest
one. Although no direct statement
was made by the New York attorney,
this was very plainly limited at during
the cross-examination of George Rice,
the Marietta operator, who had been
placed on the stand as the star witness
of the state. Mr.. Rice had detailed his
Connection with the oil business, and
told of the manner in which the trust
had prosecuted him for his persistent
competition. This had been brought
out under the direct examination by
General Monnett. Then Mr.. Elliott
took him in hand to cross examine
In FIVE minutes Rice was wild with
rage, and roaring like baited bear.
Then Mr.. 4..lfott sprung a surprise, mot
only to the witness, but to those who
had been following the hearing.
"Mr. hice, did you at any time
within the last three weeks send a
friend or representative to any official
of the Standard Oil Trust, as you call
it, and through that representative
intimate that you could procure the
cessation of the prosecution against
the trust and its constl .uent compan-
les by Attorney General Monnett, on
payment of proper consideration"
Mr.. Rice fairly bounded from his
seat ITS id lie, he roared. ITS
a id outrageous lie, an. want my
words taken down by the stenographer
You are making this up as you go
along, and hope to persuade the peo-
pie of the state that the states Of
ficers have not an honest purpose in
this prosecution"
He would have continued but Mr..
Elliott interfered. He repeated the
question to be met with the same in
dignant denial. Then General Monett
took the witness in hand. He was ev-
identity deeply angry at the assault
which had been made by implication
upon his integrity, though he con-
trolled himself. He directed a series
Of questions to Rice, tending to show
the l-anner in which the proceedings
in contempt against the Standard Oil
Trust had been been begun by him, at
the solicitation of ex-Attorney General
y. X. Watson, Mr.. Rice and Attorneys
Kinkead, of Columbus, and Flagg, of
New York. He led Ghe witness to tell
Of session the parties named above
had with the Supreme Court in cham
Ders, and incidentally told of a some
what peculiar statement he made to
the Court on that occasion. The visit
to the Court had been made to secure
The consent of that body to the pro-
posed proceedings in contempt being
brought Mr.. Monnett said ito the wit
ness: did l not say on that occasion
that this time there would be no SELL
ing out; that l was in it for blood?'"
Mr. Rice assented
The incident would have closed here
with the release of Mr.. Rice from the
stand had it not been for an outburst
from that gentleman. He turned to
Mr.. Elliott and demanded the names of
the people who were said to have been
approached as well as the name of his
alleged representative in the proffered
deal.
Mr.. Elliott replied deliberately: 81
am inclined to believe that you will
hear from it quite as soon as you wish
to-"
Mr.. Rice said: you have made a
serious charge here. l want you to
produce these men that 1t may be
cleared up at once"
mir. Elliott blandly waved his hand
and intimated that the men would be
produced whenever he saw fit. Mr..
Rice reiterated his statement that the
charge was id lie," and the mat
ter was dropped.
Before being released from the stand
Mr.. kice was put through a searching
cross examination, in which he was
forced to admit that his plant had at
one time been valued at $25,00O or
thereabouts, but that after he had en-
tered upon his fight against the comp
any New York broker, acting for
him, tried to sell it to the company for
100000. Mr. Elliott vaguely insinu-
ated that he expected this increased
sum to be paid to him as hush money,
but was rebuked by Rice, who declared
that "the thought of Matchmaking the
Standard Oil Thust is preposterous.
NOT PERMITTED
To Testify as To Methods Adopted By