The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-26
Bring Criminal Proceedings.

Cleveland, O., January 25.--At the con
 clusion of the afternoon hearing today of
 the investigation into the Standard oil company's methods of doing business in-
 augurated by the state of Missouri, Att torney General Hadley of the latter state,
 who Is conducting the examination of wit
 nesses, announced that sufficient evidence
 had been procured during the day to war
 rant the bringing of criminal proceedings
 under the law of New York. Mir Hadley said
 Louis H Turrel, the accountant of De- troit, and for some fourteen years an em- ploye of the Standard oil company, who
 has been on the stand all day, has given us the best exposure of Standard Oil
 methods of anything which we have yet
 obtained. I shall send a copy of his tes- timony to District Attorney Jerome of
 New York with the request that it might
 be thoroughly examined and that criminal proceedings be brought against the parties
 guilty of causing a false signature to be
 attached to articles of incorporation. "Mr Turre has sworn here today" said Attorney General Hadley, that he was induced by Standard oil interests to sign
 the name of F. W. Turrel to the docu-
 ments when in reality his name is Louis
 H. Turrel. His testimony further shows that the signature was never sworn to and the notary who took his affidavit can under the laws of New York be prose
 cuted for forgery in the first degree" At the afternoon session of the hear
 ing the cross-examination of MT. Turrel
 was begun by Attorney Hagerman for the
 Standard Oil company.
 In October, 1904, Turrel he was notified that his services were no longer needed,
 but for what reason he never knew. Turrel said he was somewhat disap-
 pointed at being discharged, but that he
 had no animosity against the company. However, when he read of the recent Standard oil hearing in New York, he considered it his duty to offer hls testl- mony to Mr Hadley, and he eommunl- cated with the attorney general, who tolu him he would be glad to hear his evidence.
 He came to Cleveland he said on MT.
 Hadley's invitation.
 Mir Turrel said his expenses to CleVe- land had been guaranteed by MT Hadley.
 MT. Hadley promptly corroborated this
 statement by saying:
 And I will make the guarantee good. The hearing will be continued at ID o'clock tomorrow.
 Began Taking Dispositions.
 The taking of the dispositions of Cleve- land independent oil men in the case Of the state of Missouri against the Stand ard OH company was begun by Attorney Frank w. Sehwentner here today. At torney General Hadley or Missouri was present to conduct the examination or the witness Louis P Turrel of Detroit, Mich A former accountant of the Stand ard oil company in St. Joseph, Mo-, and other cities. was the first witness. MT Turrel testified to facts concern ing the formation of the Republic oil company of Cleveland, which MT. Hadley holds to be a Standard Oil concern 1ur- rel stated that in 1901 while in St. Joseph he was called to the Standard Oil com nanv's offices in New YorA and was asked to become director and stockhold- CT in a new oil company which after- wards proved to be the Republic oil com pany. He stated that he was induced to sign articles of incorporation as F. w. Turrel instead of Louis H Turrel, and was asked to say nothing about being Standard oil employe
 History of Transactions. Mir. Turrel then gave a complete his tory of all the transactions in the organ ization of the Republic company. lie stated he subscribed to 300 shares of stock for which he did not pay cent and that he was made secretary and treasurer and
 director of the company and was given charge of the accounting system In the Cleveland field He testified as to meet ings of directors of the Republic company at the Standard companys office at 26 Broadway, New York. on several occa- sions. and said that everything done was on suggestion and order of H. M. Tilford, one of the executive heads of the Stand ard company
 He was present, he said, at the final settlement for the property of Scoheld, Shurmer and Teagle, which was later transferred to the Republic Oil company. He stated that the settlement for the Scofield. Shurmer and Teagle property took place in the office of Virgin P, Kline. Standard oil attorney in Cleveland, and that the firm of Scoheld, Shurmer and Teagle received in payment a check and notes signed by the officials of the Re- public oil company. The witness said he signed the check and notes in his ca