The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-03-16
ROADS, employees.
Former Agent OF the Standard
Oil Company Makes Sensa-
tional Statements.
ALLOWED MONEY TO DO 1T
Paid So a Month to Tempt Railroad
Employees TO 8etray Facts Concern
ing Shipments of Competitors
Other Forms Of Corruption.

Kansas City, Mo-, March 15.-Fran-
nS NJ. Cockrell, of the Interstate Com
1merce commission, severely repri-
nnanded j. w. Mayer, Kansas City man
ger of the Standard Oil company. dur
Ing the investigation into the alleged
methods of railroads n the Standard
OIL company in discriminating against
independent oil men hereabouts. The
attorneys for the commission, j. L.
Marchand and Charles Mum, ard the
lawyers for the independent Oil pro-
ducers, Frank S. Monnett, Clifford
Thorne and S. W. Brookhart, had been
trying hard to get from Mayer an adj
mission that there was some connec-
ton between the Standard Oil COM
pany. the Union Tan Line company,
the Republic Oil company, the Waters
Pierce Oil company n other co1npa-
MES.
To all questions Mr.. Mayer an
bwered II don't know" although he has
been a manager of the Standard Oil
company for heavyweight years.
At the close of his testimony Mr..
Cockrell asked him: Tell this commits
sion, are the Republic Oil company and
The Waters-Pierce company part of the
Standard Oil company"
Il do not know, sin"
What is your best impression
about it?"
II have none"
Don't you feel and know in your
heart that they are all part and parcel
Of the same company?"
i do not know"
Don't you feel in your heart it is
so?"
II do not know, sir"
The veteran senator slapped the desk
with his fist and said severely: Il am
tired and sick of this effort made by
Standard Oil people to conceal this fact
when every man, woman and child
N kSaNrr-c ~ &c GO NI1,, n1-or,,101xr 1t-n ~ g
the truth told here, n why don't you
tell 1t? Every tub ought to stand upon
Its own bottom, and you folks ought
not to dodge this question further"
Kansas City. March 15.-When the
Interstate Commerce commission re-
sumed it's hearing here today in the in
vestigation of charges of discrimination
In railway rates On oil 1t was believed
h work in Kansas City would be fin
tshed this evening. There are several
witnesses yet to be examined, but it
the most part woul be cumulative.
When the commission concludes it's
hearing here, Justice L. Clements will
go to Davenport, Ia, to investigate 9TH
err charges of alleged Illegal rate MAX
ins.
p. Z. willhoyt formerly agent at
Topeka Kan, for the Standard Oil
company. but now an independent deal
er at Joplin and Springfield, Mo-, was
placed on tie stand. He said that While
he was an agent for the Standard at
Topeka he was instructed to watch all
shipments of oil to that point. and to
ascertain the name of the shipper and
point OF distribution.
HOY could you get the information
from the railroads as to your compete
tors shipments.
Bribe the Employees.
= never went to railroad officials. 1
always got my information from the
employees of the railroad.
)! was allowed IS a month to spend
with railroad employees in buying
drinks n making myself a good fell
low, and i was permitted to give away
OIL and gasoline to railroad employees
n report such gifts as donations
me " was sent me monthly in a per-
sonal check by E. p. Pratt. manager
Tor h Standard in Kansas City and
later by q. w. Mayer, who succeeded
him. MY instructions how to spend the
check .never came by letter they We're
always given, In person.
n was also instructed to promise
railroad employees good positions with
the Standard Oil company, and to tell
them that 9 man could get a salary
vain the greater than the
This. system of bribery was inaugurare6
by the STANDARD and has been in vogue
for years.
Wliilhoyt said in Springfield the St.
Louis and San Francisco railroad per.
mitted agents of the Standard to see
all his Incoming shipments.
=. A. Leland, assistant general
freight agent of the Missouri, Kansas
and Texas railway, was a witness yes
Ierday. He told IN reply t o questions
1904, OF h traffic managers of the
missouri Pacific, the Santa Fe. the
FRISCO and his road, to consider rails
Ing the OIL rate from Kansas. He said
that. MI. Bogardus. traffic manager of
but he did not recall that any Of the
independent oil re11ners of Kansas had
been asked to attend the meeting. Aft
er the meeting he was informed that
the rate was to be changed from ia
CENTS to n cents from Kansas 1oints
TO Kansas City. Mo.