Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-07-07
ROCKEFELLER FACES
 AN INQUISITIvE COURT
Standard Oil Magnate the Rack-Fina Chapter to Sensational Effort to Bring Him to Terms-To De. cide Penalty to Be Ass essed Against the Corpora tion on It's Recent Convction-Would Fine of $29,000,000 Be Considered Excessive?
Special to the Graphic.

Special to the Graphic.
 Chicago, July 6.-With attorneys and Il other officers of the Stand ard Oil company, including William Rockefeller, John D. Rockefeller, the socalled richest man in the world, faced the Federal court room filled with attorneys and spec tators today.
 He will be submitted to an ex- animation conducted, perhaps, by Judge Landis, who ha it within his power to hold the oil king for contempt of court should the wit ness decline to answer questions.
 It is believed by those interested in the case that when MT. Rocke- feller steps on the stand and accepts oath he will tell all concerning the financial relations between the Stan dard Oil Company of Indiana and the Holding Company of New Jer sey.
 Whether he will lay bare any if nancial secrets will be determined when Judge Landis propounds his questions. Whatever may be MT. Rockefeller's replies, he will in no way incriminate himself, for under the law he is immune from prose cution. Because of the interest that has been aroused over Rocke- feller's appearance, attaches of the Federal building anticipated that a crowd would seek admittance to the court room.
 There are accommodations in the court room for 400, including the lawyers interested in the case.
 Marsha Hoyt has men scattered throughout the building, while government secret service agents are also stationed about so as to pro vide against any possible attempt t! injure the Rockefellers.
 The final acceptance by Mr. Rockefeller of the .Hubpoena issued for him by Judge Landis and his agreement to apear iG> court to day marks the continuation ct an ex- citing series of events in Standard Oil litigation and the final chapter in the spectacular search for the oil magnate.
 When the United States govern ment last August secured an indict- ment on the Standard Oil Company of Indiana for having accepted re- bates from the Chicago and Alton Railroad company, neither United States District Attorney Sims nor attorneys representing the Standard Oil interests anticipated that MT. RocKefeller would ever be called as witness.
 After a hard fought legal battle before the jury in Judge Landis court, verdict was returned find ing the oil company guilty of viola ting the Anti-Rebate laws and it was then incumbent upon the judge to assess a fine against the corpor- ation, it being within his discretion to place the penalty at fine as high as $26,O0O,0OO. Judge Lan- dis was empowered to fix a fine at any sum between $1,000 and $2O,- 900 for eac.l count, of which there are 1.462 in the indictment. Thus the maximum fine is $29,24O, 1000, but as the capital stock of the com pany is but $1,00O,000, the Supreme Court might deem the maximum fine falling into the class of cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the constitution. If it is shown howeva,, that the Indiana company is merely subsidiary to the New Jer sey. concern, with capital of $100- 900, no such appeal would be made
 An hour before the usual hour of opening court a crowd of people gathered in the hallway outside of the court room, packing the mar. row hallway to the point of suffo- cation. The .police. land deputies time and again were compelled to use strenuous measures to hold the