Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-12
STANDARD OIL
SQUIRMS IN VAIN
EVIDENCE AGAINST COMPANY
PILING UP
Interstate Commerce Commission Con-
tnues Producing Witnesses Who
Give Valuable Testlmony--At-
torneys Exchange Jabs
by Associated Press.

By Associated Press
CHICAGO, May 11.-Direct charges
Of collusion between the STANDARD Oil
company and the st. Louis & Iron
Mountain railroad were made during
the second days hearing of the inves-
tlgation of the relations between the oil
companies and the common carriers of
the country before the interstate COM
merce commission.
Attorney Laforge, representing the
Standard Oil company of Kentucky,
opened the proceedings by a cross ex-
amina ton of Haywood Maxon Of IL
Iinols, who was the last witness at the
hearing yesterday
The attorney read a number Of letters
written by Maxon, in which he threat
ened to make trouble for the Standard
Oil company because he had been re-
fused years leave of absence.
"Is it not true that you have about
1000 letters and documents in your pos
session belonging to the Standard Oil
company of Kentucky?" asked Mr..
La Forge.
Admits Possessing Them
II have a large number of letters and
papers addressed to officers of the COM
pany and letters written by them to
their agents." the witness replied.
How did you get them?"
"In the same way that for years
got information for the Standard Oil
company"
Attorney LaForge then read letter
written by MaXon to G. M. Pratt. an
officer of the Standard Oil company in
New York. in which he said that he had
obtained 900 letters from one of the
company's agents in Ohio and had al
lowed Commissioner Garfield to copy
them for use in prosecuting the COM
pany.
Has Many Passes
In answer to questions of the attor-
ney regarding passes, Maxon said that
he had passes on nearly every railroad
In his territory and used them in travel
Ing on the company's business. He
obtained the passes, he said, from
Treasurer Holmes and other officials of
the Standard Oil company.
A. j. Davidson, president of the st.
Louis & San Francisco railroad, fol-
lowed MIR. Maxon on the stand. He said
that there are no pipe lines on the right
of way of his company for any con-
siderable distance and that the road
has no contract to install a pipe line.
He said that the Cudahy Refining COM
pany had made application to install a
pipe line from the Kansas oil fields to
st. Louis, and that the proposition was
declined by the executive committee of
the railroad The witness said that he
does not believe that the Cudahy COM
pany is affiliated with the Standard in
this.
do you know Of any reason why the
Cudahy people should not be given the
right to construct a pipe line and the
Standard should be given such a
right?" asked Commissioner Prouty.
IT can think of no reason" said Mr..
Davidson.
The last witness of the day was S. l..
Hibbs of Peoria, ILL.,, who gave evidence
regarding the methods of crushing in
dependent dealers similar to that given
by previous witnesses.
During his testimony Attorney Miller,
representing the Standard Oil company,
objected to the evidence, claiming that
it had no bearing upon the relations of
the company with the railroads and
saying that it simply was a "lot of
muck raking."
"Well," replied Commissioner Gle
ments, "if the Standard Oil company is
in the muck 1 see no reason why a rake
should not be used"
The hearing will be continued to-
morrow