Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-25
DR|BE DEALERS IN OIL
More Sensational Testimony In
the Investigation at Cleve-
land, Ohio
STRONG ACCUSATIONS i MADE
Circular Letter of the Standard to As-
ents Giving Permission to Bride
Some Of the Methods Employed in
Beating Out Independents Are De-
scribed.

| Cleveland. o.. May 25.-Permissior
! to bride dealers in oil and an attempt
to debauch grand Jurors were the SEN
sational charges against the Standard
Oil Company presented before the IN
terstate Commerce commission late
Thursday.
Frank b. Fretter of Cleveland pro-
duced two letters to prove these accu-
sations. The first involved p. C. Gren-
shaw. manager of the Standard Oil
Company in Chicago. The second came
from Memphis and told OF thwarted
attempt, as alleged, to force dealer
to stop selling the product Of an IN
dependent concern.
These accusations came at the end
of a day of testimony replete with
astonishing developments. The entire
gamut of the stigation-rallroad
discrimination. lawless crushing or
competition, corruption in enforcing
the inspection laws and all the WORK
ings of the ralroad-Standard OH al
lance were touched upon by tour
witnesses in Il manner whlch the pros
ecution declared to be highly satisfac-
tory 1t was reported that as the re-
suit of the Interstate Commerce COM
mission and the activity of Attorney
General Ellis in his plans to prosecute
the officers of the Standard and sub
sidiary companies the Standard Oli
Company will withdraw from Ohio.
Mr.. Fretter, secretary OF the Nation
al Refining Company and presldene
of the National Pipe Line Company,
gave the most important testimony OF
the day. He read a letter received by
the National Refining Company two
years ago from it's agent at Memphis,
the General Oil Company.
Sensational Letter is Read.
1t was dated April 20, 1904, and said:
customer j. Fl. McCabe OF Claredon,
Ark has been summoned before the
grand Jury to answer the charge OF
selling oil before the state proof. A
committee of three from the grand
Jury told him if he would stop selling
the National Light oil he would not
he indicted. He refused and told them
to go ahead
He doubts true bill, tho. as he
suspects an attempt by the Waters
Pierce people to ntimidate him as their
agent, Mr.. Threlkell. at Clarendon. Is
on the jury and he believes he was
put there for that purpose.
I'VE are inclined to think the matter
40 y,-I,a IL nd l1t
the action taken by the courts and
grand jury gives us a good opportunity
to use a circular letter exposing thel1
methods to good advantage. MIR. NC
Cabe is the man we referred to moi long
ago who was with the inspector, MT.
Rogers, when he passed National Light
oil. taking it to be trust OIL and con-
demned trust oil. He said this evening
if he was called before the grand jury
he would expose the whole matter and
tell all that he knew, which, he SAID, ne
was quite sure one member OF the grand
jury would not appreciate
instructions Hint at Bribery.
MIR. Fretter then read a letter from
p c. Grenshaw, Standard Oil manager
at Chicago, to George. Berrien, the Rock
ford. ILL.,, agent which is held to grant
permission to resort to bribery to drive
a rival from the market.
This the suggestion to substitute
Standard for independent DILL must be
done In a delicate way" the letter says,
"anl would never fail to bring out the
point with the dealer in such way that
he will understand it. 1t is possible
that he 1.-The dealer] will not admit that
he Will adopt your suggestion and sell
perfection as the high-grade oil, or
possibly use it for both high and low
grades, but ninety-nine times out OF d
hundred if you will put the matter to
him in the proper way he will do it just
the same.
81 would avoid crowding the matter
too far and getting the dealer to
promise to do this unless he shows a
readiness to accept your suggestion, in
which event you can help him work out
the details"
Affected by Pipe Line.
MIR. F'retter told how his companies
had been compelled to fight undue COM
petition in the Marietta, Findlay
Homework and Sco fields, all in Ohio.
After charging the Standard Oil Com
pany with falsely attacking the carry
ing ability and the financial standing
of his companies Mr. Fretter told of the
forming of the Manhattan Pipe Line
Company in the FindIay field.
Chairman 7. P. shonts, of the 18TH
mian canal commission will be the
chief speaker at the twenty fifth an
niversary celebration of Drake uniNer-
sity at Des Moines, Iowa, on June IL