The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-18
JURY GETS OIL CASE
Judge Charges the Jury Oh
Construction OfTeStimOny.
ATTORNEY DEFENDS TRUST
Summing UD Testimony in Case De-
veIops Clash Over Telegram An
nouncing Sale OF Manhattan oil
ComPaHy-Defense Admits stand
ards Control In Ohio.

Findlay, Ohio, Oct. 17.--Closing aTgu-
ments in the Standard oil case were
made to-day and the case was submitted
to the jury tonight.
In his charge to the jury. Judge Banker
said:
IF you find that you are satisfied be-
yond doubt that the defendant was
member of a combination or trust within
the period from July 5, 1906. to the pres
ent time, and that the Ohio Oil Company.
the Solar Refining Company, and Buck
eye Pipe Line Company, and the Union
Tank Line Company, incorporated under
the laws Of New Jersey. or any one Of
them. were members Of this combina-
tion and operated in Hancock County as
a trust. then the acts Of the other cor
poraticns operating within the county
are to be regarded by you. for every pur-
pose Of this case, as the acts Of the de-
fendant.
1T is not essential to the liability OF
the defendants that 1t shall have per-
sonally performed any corporate act
within the county. for the reason Of the
overt case of one cOnspirator Is regarded
as the act OF each and ALL
Lawyers Clash over Telegram.
In the afternoon Attorney General
Wade Ellis and Attorney Virgil ?. Kline
clashed, the latter accusing the former
Of trickery in presenting before the jury
telegram received from New York. an
nouncing the sale Of the Manhattan Oil
Company to the Standard for 10000
In his argument Mr.. Ellis denounced
Z ~ ,-,I Ii
and said It was shame that such
bright legal men" as Mr. Kline and 9TH
ers in the Standards employ should be
giving all their energies. talent. and time
In defense OF such an open violator OF
the law
Kline, in reply, painted the Standard
in glowing colors and said that antitrust
laws are vicious and are a hindrance to
the progress of the nation. Conceding
that the New Jersey corporation owned
the majority Of the stock in the Buckeye
Pipe Line Company. Solar Refining Com
pany. and the Ohio oil Company. Kline
said there had been no crime committed
by stockholders in selling their stock to
a corporation.
The closing argument in the Standard
Oil prosecution was begun by Attorney
General Ellis at 2:55 O'Clock this after
noon. He prefaced his argument by
tribute to Mr. Kline's ability, 5 lying that
he did not marvel at the success Of the
Standard for the past quarter of q cen
tury.
Arraigns Opponent OF Trust.
a stinging arraignment Of the enemies
Of John D. Rockefeller and the Standard
characterized Attorney Kline's closing
argument.
These ISLANDERS, coming from the pulpit
at times from the press, the stump, and
street, it might have been well to have
answered. I have no faith in the men
who stand here and throw fifth and dirt
at the progress OF the country It is
time to pull down the demagogues, SLAM
derers, and croakers against the pros
perity and progress of the country.
Il have no apology to offer for the
Standard Oil Company. one Of the great
factors In this prosperity Competitors
distanced in the race are the only fault
finders.
lii Kline then traced the oil industry
from the discovery in Pennsylvania TO the
present. showing its wonderful growth
There are curious things called laws
coming up In this country" remarked
Mr. Kline, discussing the original trust
agreement, which. he said. was not at
that time prohibited by any law Or de-
cisIon.
There are no obligations imposed on
the same ownership to fight itself" he
said We are having too mUcl meddilng
with individual rights and the rights of
rl7e private citizen under the form of leg
isiation. A verdict is expected before
noon tomorrow.