The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-23

x3&xcse?xx*
Journal Special Service. #
Washington, June 23.-Criminal pros
ecution Of the Standard Oil company
for conspiracy in restraint Of trade and
receiving illegal rebates on its ship
ments of oil, has been decided on by
President Roosevelt, and Attorney Gen
eral MOODY, has engaged special counsel
to. assist the government to prosecute,
which will take wide range.
Frank, B. Kellogg Of st. Paul, Mimi,
who assisted in the prosecution Of the
paper trust, and Charles B. Morrison,
the United States district attorney at
Chicago, who prosecuted the beef trust,
have been engaged by the government.
Mr.. Morrison will retire from the dis
trict attorneyship in the near future.
Decision Announced.
The decision Of the administration to
prosecute the oil trust was announced
the president and his cabinet had dis
cussed the question during, the. entire
session of the cabinet, which did not
adjourn until 9 o'clock. .....-
After the cabinet meeting Attorney
General Moody had long conference
with President Roosevelt and he made
public the following statement:
aItSI Iull COuSAUcfdtlOu VI t4ll tu0
information now available. including
the report Of the commissioner of cor
=Porations and the evidence taken by the
interstate commerce commission, / have
reached the conclusion that criminal
proceedings against the STANDARD Oil
company should be begun in certain
cases where there appears to have been
a violation of the laws y regulating in
bates and other unlawful discrimina-
tions. Accordingly such proceedings
will be begun at once in the appropri-
ate judicial districts. -
"These cases are regarded and will
be treated as Of Importance, as it
seems clear that, in SO far as the Stand
ard Oil company has obtained monop-
olistic control Of interstate trade, con-
sible by Determinations in transporta-
ton rates or facilities, the discrimina-
ton being in some cases in violation
Of the law, and in other cases, tho in.
furious to the public welfare, not in
violation Of law, and therefore sub
ject only to such correction as may
be afforded by the railway rate legis-
lation now pending in congress.
Investigation Goes On.
II shall continue the investigation
u Guo dndlIS VI Guo OCHuOdru vi COM
pany and of such complaints as have
been or may be brought to the atten-
ton Of this department., with the view
Of ascertaining whether or not there
has been any violation of the anti trust
| act or of any other federal law.
| ~ have employed as special counsel
Frank B. Kellogg Of st. Paul, who
was one Of the counsel for the govern
ment in the recently terminated itiga-
tlon. against the western paper organ
ization, and Charles B. Morrison of
Chicago, now United States attorney
for the northern district of Illinois. Mr..
Morrison will in the near future resign
his place as district attorney. 3.
The course of action have stated
has received the approval of the presi.
dent and all the members Of the cab.
The Officials, Too.
The Standard Oil company as cor.
poration and the officials Of the trust
who can be reached will be prosecuted
The attorney general declines to discuss
this feature of the case and, while some
of the officials of the company will be
made defendants, it is not known
whether John D. Rockefeller, Henry H
Rogers, John D: Archbold and othe,
high officials of the trust, will be
called upon to defend themselves il
court.
Prosecutions will be brought in {
number Of judicial districts thruou
the country. While the exact dates o:
the prosecution have not yet been de
cided some Of the cities in which thes,
ACTIONS will be inaugurated are New
York, Chicago, Cleveland and cities il
Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvani;
and other states where the Standard Oh
company has offices. Wherever a cas-,
can be made out successfully prosecu
ton will be made. The prosecution
will be based on the evidence Offered
by James R. Garfield, the commissions
of corporations, who made an investi
! cation of the Standard Oil company b,
direction of congress and on the evi
dence gathered by the interstate com
| merce commission which has been en-
i gagged for, a long time in investigator,
the trusts.
i The Laws Involved
The prosecutions will be brought un
| der the provisions of the interstat
trust law for conspiracy in restraint o
trade; under the Elkins law which for
bids the acceptance of rebates on ship
i ments and under section $40 of the re
vised statutes providing punishment o
conspiracy TO commit q crime.
Instructions have already been give
to the district attorneys in whose dis
tricts prosecutions will be started t
i begin action against the trust and fror
this time on grand jurles will begin in