Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-13
STANDARD OIL
TRICKS Barred
Sensational Testimony at |. c.
c. Hearing
IN CHICAGO YESTERDAY
Peoria Man Told How Tests Were
Made
TO DOWN COMPETITOR IN TOWN
Sharp Practices and Astounding
Methods to Crush Out Opposition
Specific Cases of Bribery.

Investigation of the interstate commerce
STANDARD Oil Company and the railroads
was concluded at Chicago yesterday after
noon, as far as that region is concerned,
and will be resumed in Cleveland on May "a.
F. 8. Hibbs of Peoria, who was for thir-
teen years in the employment of the Stand
ard OIL Company, told how agents of the
Standard Oil Company tricked customers
into thinking that the product of their com
pany was superior to the product of indie
pendent companies. He gave the names of
ton of the business of competitors, and on
cross-examination declared "the Standard
Oil Company is doing all of those things
today"
Other witnesses told of bribing employees
of railroads and manufacturing companies,
and one instance was related where wire
and nail mill in Indiana was compelled to
shut down because grit had been placed in
the oil purchased of an Independent con-
Germ, at the instance of a salesman of the
Standard Oil Company.
CHICAGO, H., May 12.-Despite objec-
tions OF counsel for the Standard Oil Com
pany, F. S. Hibbs of Peoria, for thirteen
years an employ of the Standard on Com
pany, was permitted today by the inter-
state commerce commission. In the inyesti-
CATION of the relations between the COM
pany and the railroads, to illustrate num-
Der of tricks which, the witness said. were
~ al1o,, Of 81,
ard Oil Company.
I'm testing the oil of rival company
said Mr.. Hibbs, I'VE used new chimney
and the magnesia in the glass makes the
chimney look cloudy. For own use we
had old chimney, with the wick per-
fectly dried out and not too long. We used
to rub moistened finger across the wick
of the competitor, and after 1t burned a
short time the damp spot would be reached,
the light would grow dim and there would
be sputtering.
''All this time our light would be burn
ing brightly Our wicks were trimmed so
as to make a thin fame and those of the
competitors trimmed to make a
thick flame. The thinner the flame the
whittier the light. Then he would often bend
down the lower part of the burner and let
air in under the chimney, which would
cause the lamp to smoke Some times we
would fill up some of the ventlating holes
Tricks to Down Competitors.
81 resorted to these tricks only when a
competitor was selling oil in a town and
wanted to get rid of him"
The witness named five towns in Illinois
where he lad convinced customers that the
oil of the Standard Oil Company was su-
perior, while as matter of fact 1t was
inferior He said the fire tests showed the
products of the Standard Oil Company to
be OF A per cent gravity, while that of
competing companies was 40 per cent
do the agents~of the Standard on Com
pany still practice the tactics you have
mentioned in meeting competition asked
Attorney Monnet.
Yes, they are doing it today" replied
the witness They pay rebaes, bribe peo-
pie cut the price and substitute an inferior
quality OF OIL and In fact do anything nee
essary to get the business and to put the
competition out of the way
The witness then told of a dinner given
in Peoria by c. II. Hand. manager of the
Cincinnati Office of the Standard OIL Com
pany, at which the methods of getting
business were discussed
Money Used In Bribing.
The witness said that Manager Hand re-
lated how Robert Carlyle. q salesman. had
used 500 In getting certain customer.
and THAI 4 was good investment The