The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-11-15
Naming Parties Interested In
Big Oil Combine.
How It's Enormous Profits Have Been
Made and Competitors Have
Been Defeated.
HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION

eral government began today the
long contemplated battle against the
Standard on company. In paper,
filed In the United States circuit
court at ST. Louis by direction of At
torney General Moody. the govern.
ment seeks to have the giganti,
trust dissolved. In support II pre-.
sents an array OF violations OF the
Sherman antitrust law, including
conspiracy. coercion, intimidation, re.
batting. and other vicious acts and
practices.
The wheels OF justice may grind
exceedingly fine. and John ID. Rock.
efeller and six other high officials OF
the Standard trust may be made
parties defendant. Criminal prosecu.
lions probably will follow today
action.
The Petition.
Suit was fled today In the United
States circuit court at st. Louis TO
dissolve the Standard oil company.
This suit was Instituted in the
name OF the United States by direc-
ton OF the attorney general, against
John D. Rockefeller. william Rookie
felltF. Henry II. Rogers, Henry NJ.
flagler. John ID. Archbold. oliver
H. Payne. Charles NJ. Pratt and sew
enty-one corporations and partner
ships. charging them with having
violated sections and OF the Sher-
man anti,trust act.
The government asks for an In
junction against these defendants
which. n granted. will result in the
dissolution OF the alleged combina-
ton.
II is alleged in the petition that
John d, Rockefeller and his asso-
clates, the other individual defend
ollie the commerce in petroleum and
It's products at very early date
about the year 1870.
The petition alleges that between
1870 and 1852 the individual defend
ants acquired, In the name OF the
Standard Oil company OF Ohio. which
they had organized. all but three or
four OF the rennerles situated at
Cleveland. to wit. about twenty-five:
and that during said period there
we're various individuals. partner
ships and corporations engaged in
purchasing. shipping by pipe line and
by rail, refining and selling petrol
cum and It's products in the states,
OF New York. Pennsylvania and
Ohio, to wit, some forty separate con-
Germs and that the individual de-
PENDANTS obtained small stock inter-
ests In the same, and that the stock
holders Of said various corporations
and limited partnerships obtained
small interests In the Standard Oh
company OF Ohio, and that together
they entered into various agreements.
for the purpose of fixing the price
of crude oil, limiting the production
thereof. and suppressing competition,
one Of which said agreements Is at
tatched to the petition.
That during said time one of the
principal means by which said defend
ants were enabled to monopolize the
said commerce was through enormous
rebates paid by the railroads to the
Standard OIL company and to the cor
porations affliated with II in the
said conspiracy. Many OF these are
detailed
II Is alleged in the petition that
the individual defendants. for the
purpose of more effectually perfect
ing their said association and con-
spiracy to restrain and monopolize
the trade, and for the purpose OF
eliminating and suppressing the com
petition, entered into trust agree
ment, under which all of the stock
holders of thirteen of these corpora
lions and limited partnerships, and
a part OF the stockholders OF twenty
six other concern placed their stock
in the hands of nine trustees, Of
which the Individual defendants
were the majority: and that they
controlled the business and property
of these thlrty-nine corporations and
limited partnerships. This trust
agreement is set forth In full In the
petition. The parties to the agree
ment we're to consist OF three classes:
The Parties.
"(1) All the stockholders and
members of the following corpora
tions and limited partnerships, TO
wit:
Acme OIL company, New York;