Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-05
EVIDENCE AGAINST
STANDARD OIL CO.

/ tIlc PItslutnt VI INC sldHuhTu VII CoHi-
| pany was one OF the witnesses who at
| tended the hearing today before Fred
| erick w Sanborn. a special commits
| sioner appointed by Gov. Folk Of Mis-
souri, to take evidence In Two suits
| brought by the stase OF Missouri
against the standard OH company ana
| companies alleged 10 be allied with il.
| Other witnesses who are expected TO
| testify possibly today are III, IL, iog-
| ers and John ID. Archbold, vice presi-
| dents and directors OF the Standard OH
company. The hearing was held In the
| office Of Henry Whitman. u. 4. Red
| fora. director OF the Standard Oil
| company, was the nrst witness. Her
| bert :. llanley, attorney general OF
| Missouri, conducted the case for the
state. The evidence was taken for
| use in Two suits which have been
| brought by the state of Mis-
| souri,. Ia one OF the suits the
| state seeks to bar the Standard on
| company of Indiana, branch OF the
| Standard OIL company, which trans.
| acts Its business west OF the ohio river,
| from doing business IN Missouri This
| action also aims 10 exclude the Waters
! Pierce OH company and the Republic
| OIL company from transactlng business
| In Missouri.
In the other action the state aims 10
| prevent the three companies named
| from carrying out the terms OF an al
| legged pooling agreement by which II is
| charged that the business OF their COM
! petiturs Is crushed 1t IL alleged by ths
prosecution that the three corporations
are federated for the purpose OF pre-
| venting competition aud the controlling
| OF price IN violation of the Missouri
antitrust law.
The penalty OF such violation is for
| feIlure OF charter or license to do busi-
ness In the state
Among counsel representing the cor
porations were Alfred d. EDDY of CHI
cago and John D. Johnson Of ~. Louis.
| II Is charged that the corporations have
| districted the western states, each con-
trolling the business Of It's territory
but ali being in reality branches Of the
one trust
in the second suit Attorney General
Hadley named as additional defendants
IL G. Crenner, doing business under the
name of the International OIL WORKS,
and II. A. williamson & co. He at
| legged that the two defendants also We're
dUmmy competitors Of the Standard oh
company.
All the Witnesses NtIc tdh'H w
priyate room and sworn IN behind
closed doors, the newspapermen being
excluded. The witnesses so sworn we're
William G. Rockefeller. James A. Moi
fet. r.. r, Bedford, Howard Page, H. "A.
Rogers. John u. Archbold. Wade
Hampton Frank q. Barstow and "A. "
| JockeI. Mr. Rogers asked that his evil
dence be taken privately. but his re-
| quest was refused
Before MI Bedford began his tesu-
mony. A. V. Jockel was first put ON
| the stand, but was wlthdrawh upon
agreement that his evidences shall be
s,hmjtted In writing. Frank Hager-
| man. of counsel FOR one OF the COM
| panies. said that he wanted to know
| In Inc proceedings were for advertising
| purposes
Mir. Bedford said he had been en-.
| qaoed i'm the business OF refining OH
| since 1870 and was formerly with Boyd
and Thompson.
"Wns the hitter company absorbed by
| the Standard Oil?" said Atty-Gen'
| Hadley. A.,
| 1--WE object on the ground that the
| question has no bearing on the issues
| said Mr.. Hagerman
| Atty. Gen Hadley insisted on the
| question being answered. VIM "
| Rowe, of counsel for the companies, IN
| str,ieted the witness not to answer, put
Mr. HadIey said the witness had no
| ripht Of counsel. The commissioner
| directed MIR. Bedford to answer, put
| Rowe interposed. saying 49,
"The witness shall not answer we
| are pleading under the laws OF the STATE
| OF New York .,o ,ovs
| I'VE are proceeding under the laws
| O. Missouri" replied Mr.. Hadley
1 ,fAp n take down nlN OD-
F.! lection" said Mr.. Rowe.
| ~ shall not do II unless directed ny
| tho court" said Commissioner Sanoorn.
ATTY. Gen Hadley again instructed
| the witness to answer the question anu
| said that any privilege claimed by the
I xyltress must be claimed In person ana
| moi by counsel. When the question
| was repeated the witness said:
"By advice Of counsel decline u
| answer" 40.
what was your next employment"
| was next asked. :,
| ana objects to the question" said MT
| Hagerman.
| Mr.. Bedford refused to answer on adj
| vice OF counsel.
| MIR. Bedford said ne had been direc.
tor of the STANDARD OIL company OF IN
diana fpr three years.
| Have YOU any personal objection to
disclosing what your business was three
| years ago?
| Counsel objected and Mr.. Bedford re-
| fused to answer.
do you refuse TO answer for the
reason that your answer might tend TO
| incriminate you or subject YOU TO GRIM
| lnal prosecution?" asked Mr., Hadley
| II have no other reason than those
| t,.xsN st.tab - uat1 Mr. RpdfOii
| when did you first become connect
| ed with any standard Oh company?
HNre Mr.. Rowe objected and wanted
| his objection noted on the record, but
| Commissioner Sanborn refused,
| "You have no standing here said
| Commissioner Sanhorn.
II am sorry that the ignorance Of the
| commissioner prevents my appearance
| here" said Mr.. Rowe.
! II insist that you treat me with re-
| syect or leave the room." replied Mr..
| sanborn with warmth.
DO YOU know where the Standard
| oil sells oil and does not?" asked Mr..
| Hadley.
Il do not"
did the question OF territory come
up before the board OF directors
Not while 1 was present
what do you know about the busl-
ness of this company Of which you are
q director7'
Very little except as TO its financial
| standing"
Mr. Bedford said his duties as director
are TO listen TO reports OF the officers
Of the company and TO vote on them.
The officers. he said, are ]. A. Moffett,
PRESIDENT, and W. p. Cowan. vice presI-
dent. he could not remember the names
OF the others at the moment.
The hearing proceeded very slowly
owing TO the fact that the testimony
was taken down in long hand by the
commissioner. This was done at the
reques, OF one of the Standard oil law
yers. Atty-Gen. Hadley agreed to this