New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1906-05-16
standard METHODS
Held Up TO Light
AGENTS TELL HOW OIL SALES
ARE MANIPULATED BY BIG
CORPORATION.
Forced to Follow Up Shipments by
Competition and Report on DISPOSE
ton Of Their Goods to Headquarters
in New York.

ton Of Their Goods to Headquarters
in New York.
Chicago, May 11.--Startling revela-
tions of the Standard Oil company s
alleged bribery of railroad employees
in order to learn secrets Of competi-
tors shipments were brought out
Thursday before the interstate COM
merce commission. It was the begin
ming of what threatens to be an ex-
pose that will dwarf the most sen
sational Of magazine articles and will
fittingly supplement the recent Gar
field report. To add spice to the pro-
ceedings, the inquiry was branded at
the very outset by Attorney John S.
Miller, representing the Rockefeller
interests, as a muck rake investiga-
ton
Points Brought Out
The following the salient points
brought out in the testimony:
That the Standard Oil company for
years maintained system of bribing
railroad employees in order to obtain
information about the shipments by
competitors.
That in this system money was
used, a regular monthly allowance be-
ing provided agents, and agents we're
authorized to promise employment
with the Standard Oil company in re-
turn for information.
That this system was continued I'M
til the officials of the company feared
its publication might result in suffi-
cient public indignation to bring
about action by congress and the state
legislatures.
That secret agents are employed to
watch oil shipments made by indie
pendents from the point of shipment
until delivery and make complete re-
ports.
That agents in whose territory in
dependent oil is sold are held account
able for it and in many cases are com
PEELED to pay for it to the Standard.
That agents are compelled to draw
three brands" all of supposedly diff
ferent quality, from the same tank
and sell them at different prices.
That agents are instructed to keep
up stock" and to point out the meth
cd to be used reference is made in
letters to them of other agents who
"have been known to send out zoe
gallons and report the sale of from
205 to 20S gallons"
Watched Outside Product.
The first witness was B.. M. Wilheit
who, until 1896, was agent for the
Standard Oil company at Topeka
Kan. After saying that he had re
signed from the employ Of the com
pany because he could no longer main
tain his self-respect and perform the
dirty work demanded of him, he
said that during the entire time thai
he looked after the interests of the
Standard in Kansas one of the chic
parts of his work consisted in lookins
after the shipments of independent Oh
| either to, from or through the city.
81 was instructed to get the infor
nation on these shipments, no matter
what I had to do in order to get it
For a long time the division office a
Kansas City sent me check ever!
month for eight dollars.
This sum divided among the ship
ping clerks and the checkers at tn,
railroad Offices and the agents Of tn,
| Independent men working in the cit.
| and in return for it was given the in
| formation I wanted.
s'These men were paid from one t.
two dollars month, but the main par
of the bribery did not consist of money
l was given power by G. w. May
er, the manager at Kansas City, t
] promise employment to all men WIN
would furnish us information.
/ Perfect Spy System.
"The system Of spies was SO pei
feet" said the witness, ssthat eve
! though I missed a shipment that cam
to Topeka it would be reported by Sc
cret agents who had been watching
ever since it left the refinery of tn
competing company
"In completing my spy system i
Topeka. I had to make friends wit
every shipping clerk in the city, ever
agent of the independent companie!
every expressman and drayman an
everyone who in any way came i
! touch with the shipment, checking c
handling of freight before, after 9
while it was on the cars. 1 could neve
tell when I would need the service
Of any of them.