The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-31
OIL TRUST HEARD
Standard Files Its Replies in
50 Supreme Court.
Kansas Business Not Directed
From 26 Broadway.
HOW 1T OPERATES.
Prairie Oil Company Merely
Producing Concern.
Enormous Sums Paid i'm Divi-
dends on Kansas Holdings.

This was Standard Oil day in the
Kansas supreme court Amended an
swers in the Standard Oil custer suits
were filed by the Standard Oil of Kan
sas, the Standard Oil of Indiana, and
the Prairie Oil and Gas company. The
two former filed with the court their
answers to all the interrogatories pro-
pounded by the state.
In the amended answers and in the
replies to the interrogatories, the fact
is freely admitted that the Standard Oil
companies of Kansas and of Indiana
are owned by the Standard Oil COM
pany of New Jersey; that the Prairie
OIL and Gas company is owned by the
National Transit company, and that
the Standard Oil of New Jersey owns
the National Transit.
This in itself would constitute a
prlma facie case against the Standard
for violation Of the antitrust laws, but
the answer sets forth the novel defense
that each of the companies does its own
line of work, and is in no sense a COM
peting company, and consequently no
com bination has been formed.
The answer alleges that the Prairie
Oil and Gas company is merely a pro-
ducing company; that it confines Its
attention to pumping oil out of the
earth and transporting 1t through its
pipe lines.
The Standard Oil of Kansas ref1nes
oil and sells it at wholesale.
The Standard Oil company of Indiana
purchases the products of the Stand
ard Oil company of Kansas, and sells
these products in wholesale and re-
tail way.
The Standard Oil of New Jersey. it
is solemnly asserted, has never done
any business of any kind in Kansas.
Thus the whole scheme of Standard
Oil management is set forth and the big
Rockefeller trust Is out in the open.
fighting for it's life.
Each of the amended answers filed
asserts that there are no agreements
between the various members of the
Standard OIL family: that each head
of the hydra does its own thinking,
and that No. 26 Broadway, n. Y, does
not control or direct any of the affairs
But the answers to the interrogatortes |
show that the various subsidiary COM |
panies are each controlled by the big |
guns of the Standard Oil of New Jer-
sey and so it isn't really necessary
that the orders should come direct
from 26 Broadway.
The amended answers to the petit
tions of the state also set forth that /
the antitrust laws of Kansas are in
violation of the bill of rights, the con-
stitution of the state and the constitu-
ton of the United States.
The amended answers in the case are
signed by Alfred D. Eddy, w. s. Fitz-
patrick, r. r. Vermillion, W. E. Stan
ley, and Earl w. Evans on behalf of
the STANDARD O1l OF Kansas ana OF An
diana, while for the Prairie Oil & Gas
company the answers are signed by
J. B. F. Gates and ]. D. Mcfarland.
One of the most astonishing things
revealed by the heterogeneous is the
fact that the Standard Oil company of
Kansas. with 81, O0o.o capital, has paid
81, 233, 300 in dividends, while the Stand
ard Oil of Indiana, which is the big
clearing house for the retail profits
with only s1.o00,oo0 capital. has in less
than seven years paid over s5o,0O00O0
in dividends.
The answers of the Standard Oil of
Kansas show that the 1000 shares of
stock in that company are owned as
follows: H. NJ. Flagler, 5000 shares;
James A. Moffett, 1898. shares; A. NJ.
A. Swoboda, Thos. Black, W.
p. Cowan, w. M Burton, G. w. Stahl,
]. C. Mcdonald. one share each. H M ;
Flager is vice president and director !
Of the Standard Oil of New Jersey,
and James A. Moffett is a director of
the same. Cowan and Burton are
of the same company.
The following is a statement of the E
amount of dividends which the STAN i
1ard Oil company of Kansas has paid {