The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-05-11
FORMER AGENT OF OCTOPUS ON
STAND IN GOVERNMENT IN
CURRY AT CHICAGO.
REs0RTED TO BRIBERY IF NECESSARY
STANDARD COMPANY ANXIOUS
FOR DETAILS OF BUSINESS
OF COMPETITORS.

Chicago, May 1.-THE inquiry by
the government, through the inter-
state commerce commission, into the
relations between the Standard Oil
company and the railroads of the coun-
try commenced here during the day.
Two of the points upon which, it is
said, the investigation will endeavor
to throw light are the matter Of the
pipe lines of the Standard Oil COM
pany which are laid along the railroad
rights of way and the purchase of
Galena oil by the railroads for head
light and signal purposes.
The hearing was conducted by At
torneys J F. Marchand and F. S. Mon
EFT for the government and Commits
sioners Clements, Cockrell and Prouty
heard the evidence. John S. Miller
and A. G. Eddy appeared for the Stand
ard Oil company.
Commissioner Clements, at the com
mencement Of the hearing, announced
that it was held in pursuance of a
resolution passed by congress and
that the present session was contin-
uance OF the investigation conducted
some time ago at Kansas City,
The first witness was E. M. Wilhoit
of Topeka, Kan, now an independent
oil operator but ten years ago an
agent of the Standard Oil company.
He testified that while in the employ
of the Standard Oil company he had,
in following out the Instructions OF his
superior officers, bribed clerks in the
Offices of railroads and employees of in
dependent oil concerns in order to OBJ
tain information of the details OF the
business done by the
Rivals Of Standard Oil Company.
He declared that agents of the Stand
ard Oil company are held personally
responsible for all oil sold in their
territory by independent companies
and that drivers of tank wagons are
expected to keep up their stock by
selling 205 to 2OS gallons from a wag-
onload Of 200 gallons. He said that
the actual test Of the products of the
Standard Oil company to determine
the quality are carefully guarded and
that when it was found necessary to
cut the price to meet the figure of a
competitor cheaper quality of oil was
substituted and guaranteed to be OF
higher grade than it really Was
Mr. Wilhoit said that frequently
three grades of oil were sold from the
same tank by agents of the Standard
Oil company. In support of the state
ments he had made Mr.. Wilhoit read
letter written Oct. 26, 1896, by c. w.
Mayer, manager Of the Standard Oil
company at Kansas City. The letter
enclosed check for IS and said that
the company had decided to stop send
ing money for the use of it's agents in
obtaining information regarding the
shipments of independent concerns for
fear that knowledge OF the practice
might become public. He said that in
the future agents would be expected
to obtain their information without
the use of expense money.
Another letter, said to have been
written by Mr.. Mayer and dated Nov.
10, asked the local agent to obtain a
sample of the product being shipped
into the territory by the National Oil
company. The letter said that while
the task was difficult If the agent sue.
ceeded it would make his services to
the company extremely valuable.
DENIES EXISTENCE OF 1RIIST