Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-09-18
Taking Testimony in Suit to Dissolve
New Jersey Combine Begins.
DIRECTOR PRATT IS IGNORANT
Head of Subsidiary Corporation
Unable to Answer Questions.
KNOWS NOTHING OF BOOKS
says Trustees Kept Record of Liquid
alton of the Trust, hut Does Not
Know what Became
of IL.
BULLETIN.

BULLETIN.
NEW YORK. Sept. 17--Pronts aggre-
eating s4oO,315.934 were made by the
Standard oil company in the seven years
from 1899 to 1905. Testimony to the Of
| feet was given by Assistant Comptroller
Fay of the company In the federal hear
! ing here today. In the same period the
companys gross receipts were S20O.slO.-
623 to 1871 ,66i,5S1 annually. This Is the
first time the companys earnings have
been made public.
! A list Of securities owned by the Stand
ard OIL company of New Jersey presented
today shows that that corporation owns
| $3.50 shares of the stock OF the Standard
| Oil company Of Indiana, which company
was recently sentenced by Judge Lands
of Chicago to pay fine of S29,g40.0OO.
| In addition to stating that in the pc
| riod of seven years referred to the COM
pany's total profits aggregated $49O,Sl6'"
/ 9S4 Mr Fay said that dividends to the
| amount Of S30S 1863, ,4S0 were paid In those
years His statement also disclosed that
| the capital stock of the Standard OF New
| Jersey was $96,o9s,6l2 in 1899 and $685.
! 33s,3S2 in 1906.
| NEW YORK, Sept. H. Woo
heard today in the federal suit against the
Standard OH company of New Jersey. The
hearing here in the federal suit. which
was brought In St. Louis last December,
has twice been adjourned at the request Of
counsel for the defendants. In the mean
J time however Frank b. Kellogg. who
Is in charge of tho governments case, has
obtained many books and papers from the
Standard oil company, which has enabled
him 20 proceed expeditiously with the case.
Mr.. Kellogg ;ntimated today that the
government would also inquire into the
character and nature OF holdings OF the
Standard oil company OF New Jersey as
we'll as its afilintion, Of any, with railroads
The government has named not only the
Standard OIL company OF New Jersey as
defendant. but also seventy subsidiary COM
panies of the main corporation and the fol-
lowing individuals: John d. Rockeller.
William Rockefeller, Henry H Rogers.
Henry M Flagler. Oliver IL Payne, Charles
NJ. Pratt and John ID. Archboid. Only Will
lam G.. Rockefeller and Charles NJ. Pratt
have been subpoenaed TO appear before the
hearing though Mr.. Kellogg may sub
poena the others later
When today's hearing was called before
former Judge Franklin Ferriss, f, @. Bene-
dict, one of the former owners OF the Man
haitian Oil company, testified as to the sale
of the company which passed into the
hands of the Standard company
Director Does Not Know.
Charles NJ Pratt, director and secre-
tary of the Standard company, stated that
his knowledge OF the holdings OF the COM
pany ln other companies was only general.
lie was asked to produce statements show
ing the officers and directors and the capl-
talizations of all companies in which the
Standard holds stock interest.
Mr.. kellogg questioned the witness apou'
the c. NJ. Pratt Investment company, the
stock of which was shown to be held by
the Standard company. He said the Pratt
company represented the stock OF the Wa
ters- Pierce oil company OF Texas, which
he was holding for the Standard OH COM
pany Mr.. Kellogg developed the informa-
tIon that the c. NJ Pratt Investment COM
pany came into existence at the time the
, Waters Pierce company was having DIM
Guilty with the state of Texas
Mr.. Kellogg asked If it was not a fact
that the Standard company and It's SUBJ
sidiary concerns were governed by COM
mittees Mr. Pratt said he did not think
SO, though in the early days OF the trustee
ship of the company It was likely that the
company was controlled by committees.
Books Are Missing.
Mr.. Kellogg asked what records wer'
kept by the trustees showing the mAnnei
2 of liquidation In the period between lSs
and 1872 Mr.. Pratt, as one Of the liquidat
. ing trustees of the Standard Oil trust
! said there were books kept but he could
not recall in whose possession they Nigh
be found.
: Don't you know whether these book
/ 20, ~ fp ha couarfrollaF'H nffici
: or the secretary's ofice9 asked Mr., Kel
= logg.
81 really don't know" answered the wit
ness.
I" Don't you know anything about the or
ganization of the Standard oil company3 ?
! pursued Mr.. Kellogg.
= mo, sir, / do not" was Mr.. Pratt
answer.
Mr.. Kellogg asked the witness II II wa
not fact that al the time the standar
Oil trust was iquidated that there wer
= gTO5CO outstanding trustees certificate
u which had been issued for the stocks o
y the subsidiary companies and that In 1885,
). when the Standard OIL trust was dissolved
= the Standard Oil company OF New Jerse
II exchanged it's stock for the certificates .
the trust, share for share.
= Il think So" replied Mr. Pratt
: Mr.. Kellogg asked John O. Milburn, chic
of counsel for the defendants. TO produc
all liquldating certificates issued By tn
lquidating trustees, which had been turne
into the Standard OIL company OF Ne'
Jersey. Mr. Kellogg also asked for all as
= signments of legal title given by those VIII
T. received the stock of the Standard OIL CON
= pany OF New Jersey. Mr. Pratt was excuse
. for the time being.
y Bond Fixed at Six MIIIions.
Ie CHICAGO, Sept. 1.-THE Standard o
10 company OF Indiana, I'm order TO obtain
is stay OF execution against its property
satisfy the fine OF $2s 24OooO. recently in
posed by Judge Lands, must furnish bond
to the amount OF 100000
II This was determined today by Juds
n Grosscup in the United States circuit eour