The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-11
OIL TRUST LAWYERS
ARE BEATEN AGAIN.
State Victorious in Clash Over
Admissibility of New Jer-
sey Records.
ROCKEFELLER is SHOWN
AS HEAD OF THE BOARD
Documents Chronicle Changes
Made by Standard Oil.
To Call Directors.

Findlay, Ohio, Oct. 11.-Another
forensic battle as to the admissibility
of evidence in the trial of the Standard
Oil company of Ohio for conspiracy TO
day resulted in victory for the prose-
cution. -.
The evidence submitted under this
ruling was documentary, consisting OF
records from the office OF the secre'
tarv of state from New Jersey showing
the enlargement Of the Standard Oil
company of that state in 1899 and Its
subsequent seven annual reports.
Rockefeller at Head.
The organization Of the New Jersey
company showed the same directors,
headed by John D. Rockefeller, as pre-
viously governed the Standard Oh trust
of Ohio.
It is the purpose of the prosecution
To nlace on the stand directors of some
of the alleged constituent companies IN
Ohio to show the relation between
them and the Standard OF Ohio.
Changed in 1892.
The certificate which the prosecution
sought to place before the jury is
transcript of the record IN the secre-
tary of states office of New Jersey
and shows that in 1892 the company
increased 1to Oooi|t VI
three to nine.
This, it was claimed by the proseeu-
tion. was done that Mr.. Rocketeller
and his nine colleagues on the board OF
directors in the Standard Oh trust
might be elected on the New jersey
~ Wants Big Seal.
MIR. Kline's objection was that to
make the certificate complete evidence
It should bear the great seal OF the
state and bear an official Endorsement
Of a New Jersey court OF record; -,
Replying, Attorney General Ellis sa1d
that no one would have assumed tha1
the attorneys for the Standard Oil com
panv who had themselves procured the
amendments to the New Jersey charter
of the company would stand there and
deny their authenticity.
Objection Is Overruled. !: Il
The prosecution, he said,s would place
In evidence the laws Of. New Jersey,
showing authority to make the change,
and then the certificate from the stare
officers showing it had been done ne
maintained the seal Of secretary OF
state. which the certlhcate pears, was
sufficient attestation. .{
After an hour and a half of argu-
ment Judge Banker overruled the OBJ
lection of attorneys for the defense and
admitted as evidence the New jersey
certificate showing the increase in the
directors in the Standard Of that state.
Capital Increased. -
The prosecution next offered in ev1'
dence the amendments to the charter
of the New Jersey company, made june
16. 1899. whereby it's capital was IN
creased to 110,6OO,00O and .authorit,
piven it to purchase the stock Of othe1
Corporations, thus creating it a holding
company. :,
MIR. Phelps for the prosecution next
presented the seven annual reports o.
the New Jersey company and had com
pleted the reading Of the first three
of them when a recess was taken. II
all of these reports counsel Tor the d l
tense objected, but were overruled b1
the court.
Woman First Witness.
Mrs. Ida M. Butts, the first witness
said she was the step-daughter of tn
late George M. Rice, an independent Of
refner Of Marietta, Ohio. She ha
acted as Mr.. Rice's private secretary
She produced the certificates Of orlglns
Htrust'' stock owned by Mr.. Rice, tn
certificates Of illegal title' into whic
those were later transIeffeQ, anu scIl
showing title to fractional shares {
stock in all of the original twenty sui
sidiary companies. The text Of thes
certificates was read into the recor
and Mrs. Butts excused, the defens
not caring to cross-examine her.
The final wrangle of the day the
commenced and lasted until adjourn
ment at 1880. 1t began when M
Phelps offered as evidence a certife
copy of the record in the office Of tt
secretary of the state of New Jerse
showing that in 1898 the Standard Q
company Of that state changed it's co
porate existence by increasing the nur
Der of it's directors from three to min
1t was argued by the defense that tn
certificate was unauthenticated and i
competent. Judge Banker reserved h
ruling on this point until tomorrow.