The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-13
AMAZING ! STORY OR OF: .: ":
OIL Trusts ]. R ] I. 5 ACTS !;
Continued From First Page.

Details of the clamp trick, !" by
which agents of the Standard Oil COM
pany make bogus tests, it is alleged,
FOR the purpose Of overwhelming their
competitors, were bought out at to
days session: 1870 - $500 -
=. f. s" Hibbs, for thirteen years an
employee of the Standard Oil com
pany,, illustrated the manner Of MAX
ing the "ttests'' with a lamp which
he brought with him to the witness
stand a. .,. - ~. ~ ~. ". 49, "'t1t"
Gin testing the oil of a rival COM
pany," he said, eve rubbed a moist
ened finger tip across the wick Of our
rival IS lamp, and, after 1t had burned
a little time the damp spot was reached
and the light grew dim and there was
a spluttering. In the. meantime our
light was burning brightly. -
L."We often bent down the lower. part
Of the. burner, which lets air in under
the chimney and causes the lamp to
smoke. Sometimes we filed up some
of. the yentilating holes around the
burner Withe wet -four d or chewing
800: : 49,, Bribed Road Employees. %o3't
= The witness followed this statement
with declaration that in many cases
the acompetitors' oil, thus proved in
ferior was in reality, superior goods.
He said he had been instructed by R.
E.: Lashley, special agent for. the com
panya at: Peoria, to bride railroad en-
concerning the shipment of rival oil.
Part of his testimony related to a
banquet held in Peoria Feb. "a, 1904,
at which he said G., H. Hand, general
manager Of the Standard Oil company
of Kentucky, instructed the agents that
if "a little money is necessary in Or
der to get business, use, it,
:HThey pay rebates, bribe people, cut
prices and substitute inferior oil in Or
der to drive; out rivals. he said. ...,-.
w. r. Whallen, purchasing agent of
the Wisconsin Central road, went over
the ground, largely covered by former
witnesses, mentioning a matter Of
$4,000, that had been paid during sew:
to be a rebate. =, ..:....... .f...s--.; =. :,
:. Mr.. Monnett asked the witness il
the Wisconsin Central was not Stand
ard Oil road and Whallen said he die
not know. - -.
| Says He Practiced Fraud. :
Hibbs named five towns in Illinois
where he had: convinced customers by
trickery that the oil Of the STANDARD
company was superior, when cas a. mat
ter Of fact it was inferior. IT,
@'"Do> the agents of the Standard Oh
company still practice the tactics yo1
have mentioned in meeting competi
tion9' asked Attorney Monnett. r:
I eyes, they are doing it today, re
piled the witness. "fThey pay rebates
bride, people, cut the price and substi
tute an inferior quality of oil, and il
fact do anything necessary to get bust
ness and put the competitor out Of th
way"
! Says He S sFStrai ght'' Now. -
The witness then detailed plan h
had used to make trouble and ,expens
for the Standard Oil Company. II
would induce a business man to Civ
him a fake' order for oil and thel
show, it later to agents Of the. Standar
Oil Company, who would give the ma
La cash present in order to get him, t
buy oil from the Standard Oil company
On cross examination, Attorney Mile
asked: -
Are you working any of these game
you have described, now that you ar
working for an independent oil cor
cern?''
Ono. I do not have to stoop to d
thes dirty things i learned while in tn
employ of the Standard Oil Company,
treplied the witness. 4ste@
st. Paul Man Appears.
| Ill ~ l.