Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-08
IN THE OIL BUSINESS
H. H. Rogers Humorous, but Silent as to Main Facts.
DIPPED THE NISSOURIAN OFFICIALS
Dig Suit Against Standard Oil Com- pany Brings One of Its Chiefs Into Witness ChaiP-Re-
 fused to Answer.

 NEW YORK, Jan. s.-The Missouri trust busters sent by Governor Folk to attack the Standard Oil octopus in its lair here corraled Henry H. Rog. CTS and had a session with him that was like the weather outside-mixed storm and sunshine.
 They did not get word of informa- ton out of him, for he declined to an swer all questions that had the slight est tinge of importance. His refusals will be certified to a supreme court judge and an order asked compelling the witness to answer. There is where the real fight will come in.
 But If the examination of Mir. Rog. CTS failed to elicit any facts concerning the Standard Oil company it did devel- op several interesting and important phases.
 H. H. Rogers, beneiting by his inti- mate association with Mark Twain. has become the great American hn. morist. as one of the attending coun- sel crowned him. Instead of being the stern, cold, calculating human money making machine that Thomas w. Law son has painted. he thawed out into lokes and smiles and refused to get angry more than once in every ten min utes
 Mir. Rogers gave remarkable ex- hibition. in the art of answering a thousand questions in cross examiDa- ton without telling anything save his name, and it was evident how little a great power in the Standard like Mir. Rogers knows about its business. ac- cording to his testimony.
 .'The first question is," said Attorney General Hadley. what is your name, residence and occupstion:"
 That is not a proper question" said the oil magnate. and the audience was SO much interested in the way NIT. Rogers said it that the remarkable an swer did not cause even litter.
 Mr. Rogers and Attorney General Hadley were looking each other in the eyes. You will allow me to decide whether 1t is proper question or not" said the Nissourian. When Commissioner Sanborn told him to answer it Mir. Rogers said that he believed his name was Henry II Rogers; that he lived in New York and was in the oil business.
 Mir. Rogers refused to say what he would do If the supreme court direct ed him to answer the questions asked saying that matter would he determin ed when it confronted him.
 Mir. Rogers admitted that he was a stockholder in the Standard Oil com pany of Indiana. one Of the respond ents in the Missouri suit.
 Many questions were answered in thu same way. as the following:
 "Is it not fact that you gre a al rector in the Standard Oil company o New Jersey and that it owns. holds o controls either through itself or som' other individual or corporation all or ; controlling interest in the Standard oi company of Indiana and the Waters Pierce oil company .
 Il decline to answer on advice O counsel
 Were you one of the trustees of tn original Standard Oil trust during it existence. and did moi these trustee hold more than a majority of the stocl of the waters-Pierce Oil company. an' since that time has not the Standar' Oil company owned the controlling in tercst of the waters-Pierce compang: : II decline to answer"
 What business have you ever trans acted or known of having been trans acted by the board of directors of th Standard Oil company Of Indisnaf"
 -r suppose I know that it declare dividends"
 "Is that sllE"
 If I had time to think il over might think of something else"
 Did you find when you were in Oi lahoms and Indian Territory that tn Waters Pierre OH company sold oil l those two terrifories while the Stand ard oil company did not?
 .I decline to answer on advice q counsel
 AHed Negroes Dead-