The Washington herald., 1906-12-19
HADLEY HEARS TRUST
Standard ReOpenS Inquiry to
Examine Witness,
MOFFITT AND TEAGLE TESTIFY
Division Of Territory In Missouri be
tween Parent and Wnters-Pferce
Oil Concerns Admitted - Former
Manager Republic Company Mer-
ciIesSIy CrOss-exnmined.

New York, Dec. 1s.-The taking of tes-
timony in the suit instituted by the state
Of Missouri against the Waters-Pierce OH
Company of St. Louis; the Republic oil
Company OF Ohio and the Standard Oil
Company, of Indiana, on the ground that
they are merely creatures Of the parent
Standard Oil, and had violated the anti
trust laws Of Missouri. was continued al
the Waldorf-AstOria Hotel to-day.
At the earlier sessions of the hearing in
this city. Henry H Rogers, z. d. Bedford.
John D. Archbold, and other Standard
Oil directors were examined by Herbert
S. Hadley, the attorney. general of Mis-
souri,.
Since then hearings were held in Mis-
souri, and Ohio at which it was brought
out that the Standard oil Company con
trolled the three companies doing business
In Missouri through the ownership Of a
majority of their stock The Standard
finally admitted the ownership of this
control, but set up as a defense that they
were still running them as competitive
companies, and that the antitrust laws
Of Missouri have not been violated.
HadIey CrOss-examineS Witnesses.
II was for the purpose Of letting the de-
PENDANT companies examine their own wit
uesses that the hearing was held in this
city to-day. All the companies have Of
fees at 26 Broadway. the headquarters Of
the oil trust
Attorney General Hadley and his as
sistant, Rush Lake. were on hand to-day
nesses.
Only two witnesses We're examined to-
day. They were Walter Teagle, of the
Standard Oil Company. who was formerly
manager OF the Republic Oil Company.
and ]. A. AIofitt president of the
Standard oil Company Of Indiana. Both
took an active part in the formation OF
the Republic Company. Mr. MofIitt ad-
United that he was consulted about the
organization of the Republic and stated
frankly at the morning session that he
advised his associates to be careful as
to what they said about the transaction.
At the afternoon session, when recalled
by the Standard lawyer, he was not so
sure that he had done this, although he
said his impression was that he had
Mcuitt Frank Witness
For the most part, Mr. Mofitt was n
very frank witness. and readily admitted
the ownership of control by the Standard
IN the three accused companies In re-
ply to the trust lawyers questions as 20
whether there was an agreement In re-
straint of trade between the Waters
Pierce Company and the Standard OF
INV Of In ~,
ness replied that there was simply an
agreement between the wholesaler and
retailer. He said that the two concerns
had divided the State between them in a
measure.
Mr. Moffitt testified that he had nothing
TO do with the Republic Company after
1t was Incorporated, and that he had
never seen the Incorporation papers until
they We're produced at the hearing to-
day He could not remember that he had
ever assisted in the organization of any
other subsidiary company of the trust.
How long was il after the incOrpora-
ton Of the Republic Company that Il be-
gan TO get all its oil from the Standard
asked Mr.. Hadley, in cToss-examination.
I could not tell you Off-hand," replied
the witness.
FeA9 1iSiS any competition between
the Standard and the Waters-Pierce Com
pany in Missouri between 1901 and 1852
asked Mr.. Hadley.
There was n division of territory" re-
piled the witness.
Walter Teagle was put through a merCi-
less discrimination by Mr. Hadley.
TeaSle's father was one of the partners in
the firm of Scofeld, Sherman & Teagle.
an independent firm that was bought out
after the Republic Company was formed
There was some talk to-day that vii
liam Rockefeller, II. II. Rogers, and
others heavily interested in Standard Oil
might be called as witnesses for the de-