Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-12
Former Employe Explains How
Agents Made Competitors
Oil Seem Inferior
F. $. HlsRs, PEORIA, rEsrIFIEs
Objections Of the Counsel for the De-
fendant Were overruled and the In
terstate Commerce Commission Per-
mits Him to Give Illustrations -
Worked for Them Thirteen Years.

tions of counsel for the Standard Oil
company. F. s. Hibbs, of Peoria, for
thirteen years an employe of the STAN
dard Oil company, was permitted today
by the interstate commerce commits
sion, to illustrate number Of tricks
which the witness said were used by
Oil company. In testing the oil of a
rival company" said Hibbs, I'VE used
a new chimney and magnesia in the
glass makes the chimney look cloudy.
For our own use we had an old Chin
ney, with wick perfectly dried out
and not too long. We used to rub a
moistened finger across the wick OF
competitor and after 1t burned short
time the damp spot would be reached,
the light grow dim and there would
be a sputtering. AN this time our light
would be burning brightly. Our wicks
were trimmed SO as to make thin
flame, and those of competitors we
trimmed SO as to make a thick f1arne.
The thinner the fame, the whittier the
light. Then we would often bend down
the lower part Of the burner and let
air in under the chimney, which would
cause the lamp to smoke. Sometimes
we would fill up the ventilating holes
around the burner with chewing gum.
Il only resorted to these tricks when
a competitor was selling oil in town,
and I wanted to get clear of him
,,,it, Ave- IN II.
linois where he had convinced the GUS
toners that oil of the Standard was
superior. when as matter OF fact 1t
is inferior He said the fire tests
showed the products Of the STANDARD
company to he A per cent gravity,
while that Of competing companies
was 40 per cent
"Do agents Of the Standard still
practice the tactics you have mention
ed, in meeting competition?' asked At
torney Monnett Yes, they are doing
it today" replied the witness. .They
pay rebates, bribe people, cut prices,
substitute inferior quality of oil, and in
fact, do anything necessary to get bus
mess, and put the competitor out Of
the way"
The witness told of dinner given In
Peoria by c. H. Hand. manager of the
Cincinnati office Of the Standard Oil
at which different methods of getting
business were discussed. Witness said
Hand related how Robert CARLYLE
salesman, had used $500 in getting a
certain customer, and that 1t was a
good investment The money was used
in bribing employees Of a firm using
oil.
Bribe Iowa Central EmpIoye.
Another instance was cited where
the engineer of a large plant was
bribed by agents of the Standard to
put grit in the oil sold by "a rival SO
1t would ruin the machinery and the
customer be compelled to buy Of the
Standard. Witness gave specific in
stances where he had bribed railroad
employe, while he was employe Of
the Standard, to get information re-
garding shipments made by the Royal
Oil company. He said he paid a
freight handler of the Iowa Central 81
a month for long time to get him GER
tain information. He said the COM
pany always urged the agent never to
remember names or facts connected
with the work obtaining information
about the business of rivals.
Witness then detailed plan he had
used to make trouble and expense for
the Standard. He would induce a
business man to give fake" order
for oil; then show it later to an agent
of the Standard, who would give the
man cash present in order to get him
to buy oil from the Standard Oil
Company.
On cross-examination Attorney Mil
Ter stated: 6
care you working any of these games
you have described now that you are
working for an independent oil con-
cern?"
mo; I do not have to stoop to do
the dirty things learned while in the
employ Of the Standard" replied the
witness.
"Did you ever get any of that
81 did receive some, but DO not
remember how much. l fixed up a
scheme, and then if the business man
wanted to give me anything, all right.
The object of the scheme was not to
make money, but to cause trouble and
expense for the Standard"
do you practice this fake order
game with your present employer"
II will use it any time I think it nee
essary"