New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-06

..-,..sA5 last night, were new 20 him, and were
Irz.lv 10 delay the hearing far beyond his ex-
pectatcns.
The hearing started yesterday morning n the
o#cs NJ Henry woIlran, New-York counsel for
Missouri in the proceeding, at No. a Broad
nv and Assistant Attorney General Lake 81
MISSOURI. and Mr. WoIlman sat with Nj Hadley
e. suggest questions II the inquiry. Frederick
2 ssnborr. lawyer, Of No. p Wall-st, was
,ss commissioner 70 take the testimony Rep
-.sznt,ng tha Standard OF Company, the
vrs.ers-Pierce Oil Company. the Republic Oh
-o-nanv and other companies interested n the
,-o,eAdtng were Frank Hagenan Of Kansas
csrv. Alfred D. Eddy. of Chicago; John D John
s,n o. s.. Louis, and 81. 2. Elliott, Of New
vo-k while William V. Rowe was present as
cnB,s.i for Standard OIL directors who had been
called as witnesses
The room II which the hearing went on was
.-,vzae6 with lawyers and reporters. and before
sry testimony was taken the commissioner ana
s,rne NJ the counsel went into an adjoining room
N rvear IN as witnesses the Standard OIL d.
-A4o-s who had been served with subpRnas.
Tbese directors we're H H. Rogers. John D.
ArcbsoId William G. Rockefeller. Edward T.
ps5ton5 lanes 4 Moffett, Frank O. Barstow,
Wade Hampton and Howard Page
Az soon as Nr Rogers had been sworn he
made 2 protest against testifying in the crowded
soon where the reporters sat. He had asthma.
h said. and he feared the trouble would be ag-
gravated bv sitting in q room where the air was
likely TO be bad He asked Attorney General
Hadley 10 give Mn z private hearing. Taken
little aback b. such request. Mr.. Hadley said
he would have Is think about Il before deciding.
but he believed M Rogers would be able TO give
testimony without personal discomfort. Before
he got far in the hearing. however, he decided
that he would make no terms for private hear
ing for N. Rogers as he said the tactics of the
Standard Oil lawyers were meant to wear out
the commissioner in the taking OF testimony.
He was plainly surprised when the opposition
lawyers insisted that Commissioner Sanborn
take down in long hand all the testimony. Mr.
WOllman apparently thought at first that the
STANDARD oil counsel were joking. He declared
that he had no pens or ink in his Office. a corps
Of stenographers present showed signs of dis
may Mr. sanborr however. rose to the occa-
sion by making ready to write declaring that
he could stand i as long as the lawyers could.
Mr. Bedford was led "a the witness chair, the
other directors having been allowed to leave the
building with the understanding that they would
answer telephone call. and the Iaborious TAX
N0~--4iy--s IL LIB manu- y c-S StShA &C., -
plying 70 questions BY Mr.. Hadley, Mr.. Bedford
Salo he lived ii Clinton-ave Brooklyn, and had
been in the oil business since 1872 He was a
salesman for Josiah Macy & Sons at first, and
-afeF with r H. Thompson & co. The latter
-rn vas reorganized as Thompson & Bedford,
~. Bedford becoming a partner
were you absorbed by the Standard Oil Com
p4iiy!' asked Mr. Hadley
me question started a long wrangle All the
standard Oil lawyers made vigorous objections,
INSISTING that Mr. Sanborn write them out in full
vi NE record NJ Rowe ordered the witness
-'O' 70 answer the question and wanted 10 have
Is reasons for giving advice TO the witness en-
.s'eo On the record. Mr.. Hadley raised the point
--6' me Witness must ma Ike objections TO ques-
Sois personally, not through counsel. GIr. San
S'fn refused 70 take official notice Of Mr.. Rowe
counsel for a witness. He also refused to note
.1'epnons 70 his rulings When quiet was re-
fe9 Mr. Bedford. who had been smiling
-O'gn the wrangle, said quietly:
.! advice OF counsel decline TO answer.
-ie vas ordered by the Commissioner 10 an
'e' and refused. His refusal, by Mr.. Hadleys
t1sst, vas taken down that the question and
e'-Sal TO answer can be certified 10 the Su-
Y'eAls Court Of this State Many other questions
le objected TO and were unanswered All
"a De certified 10 the court that Mr. Bedford
may Be coerced into replying 10 free himself