The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-25
HOW OIL TRUST
FROzE THEM OUT
Independent Company's Shipment
Deliberately Sidetracked-
Standard Oil Rushed.

Cleveland, Ohio, May 25:-Frank B.
Fretter, secretary Of the National Re-
fning company of Cleveland and pres
ident of the National Pipe Line COM
pany of Ohio, resumed the witness
stand today hen the interstate COM
merce commission began the second
days investigation here of the Stand
ard Oil company. Mr.. Fretter testified
that for more than three years his
ments from Memphis, Tenn, to points
in Arkansas. There were many delays,
he said, customers being compelled to
wait all the way from thirty to ninety
days. j. -
In investigating fhe cause Of the
delay the witness said he found that
the agents of the roads we're also sssssAnts
Of the Waters Pierce Oil company Of
Missouri, Standard adjunct. These
shipments in order to destroy his
trade. His company, he declared, lost
many customers because of the trouble
in receiving orders.
Every possible method was used to
| keep the company's product on the
road as long as possible, and the Gus
toners despairing of getting prompt
service, began buying Of the Standard
| Oil company.
Startling Revelations.
Permission to bride dealers in oil and
an attempt to debauch grand jurors
were the sensational charges against
the Standard Oil presented before the
commission yesterday afternoon.
Grant B. Fretter Of Cleveland pro-
duced two letters to prove these accu-
sations. The first involved P. c..
Grenshaw, manager Of the Standard
Oil company in Chicago. The second
came from Memphis and told Of a
thwarted attempt, as alleged, to force
a dealer to stop selling the product
of an independent concern.
The entire gamut Of the investiga-
tion--railroad discrimination, lawless
crushing Of competition, corruption in
enforcing the inspection laws and all
the workings of the railroad-Standard
Oil alliance-were touched upon by four
witnesses in a manner which the prose-
cution declared to he highly satisfac-
tory; It is reported that as a result
Of the interstate commerce and the &C.
tivity of Attorney General Ely's plan
to prosecute the officers of the Stand
ard and subsidiary comnanies, the
Standard Oil company will withdraw
from Ohio. q
''standard'' Baffled.
Virgil P. Kline, in behalf of the
Standard, did his utmost to prevent
the revelations being placed on record.
tie filed objections to the testimony
of each of the witnesses on various
grounds, but was overruled by, the com
mission in each case.
Commissioners Clements and Prouty
made it plain that the investigation is
to be given the widest possible scope.
Mr.. Fretter, secretary of the Ma
tional Refining company and president
OF, the National Pipe Line company,
told how his companies had been com,
PEELED to fight undue competition in
Sciota fields, all in Ohio After charging
the Standard Oil company with falsely
attacking the carrying ability and the
r financial standing of his companies, Mr.
Fretter told Of. the forming of the Man
haitian Pipe Line company in the Find
lay field to crush the National Pipe
Lime, company. He commented sarcas
was absolutely independent, - and ther
showed how it was unmasked as a
Standard subsidiary concern. He de-
clared it offered his customers almost
anything for their oil in order to gel
their custom and fatty charged that il
was started with the express purpose
of driving the National Pipe Line com
: | panYt out OF business ana Keeping crude
oil from the National Refining company
~ Paul Morton Mentioned, ..
Mr.. Fretter then told of his fulfil,
!, attempts to sell lubricating oil to trunk
line railroads at far less rates than the,
pay the Standard.
Mr.. Fretter also brought in the nam,
of Paul Morton, who was vice presiden
and general manager Of the Santa F.
| when he tried to sell the road lubri
: eating oil in 1896 He declared MI
I Morton s reply was: You can't Civ
: us the same tonnage as the Standar,
;. Oil company. know that. What
l the use Of talking9'
1cE.cREAM DIET KILLS.
Little Rock. Ark, May 25.-An investigated