Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-05-30
Custer Of on Companies From Mis-
souri, Recommended by su-
preme Court Commissioner.
VICTORY MOST COMPLETE
Every Contention Of the Attorney
General Sustained -Report Must
Now Be Passed on BY
The Court.

BY the supreme court Of Missouri.
to take testimony In the suit In
stituted by Attorney General Hadley.
against the Standard Oil company,
the Waters-Piercs OIL company and
the Republic Oil company, charg-
ing conspiracy, Friday made his
report to the court His findings
hold that the Standard, Waters
Pierce and Republic OIL companies
entered into an agreement to con-
troll prices Of oil. He recommends
that their charters be revoked and
that they be ousted from the state.
In his report he holds that the su-
preme court has the authority to
make the ruling Of custer.
Attorney General Hadley filed the
suit in the supreme court two years
ago, charging that the Standard Oil
company were in trust and were
parties to a conspiracy to control the
prices Of oil and petroleum products
in Missouri, and to limit and prevent
competition in the oil business.
Judge Anthony of Fredericktown,
Mo-, was appointed by the supreme
court to take testimony and report
his findings to the court More than
year has been occupied in the TAX
ing Of the testimony, witnesses hav-
ing been examined In New York, St
Louis, and other cities.
In his report to the court Judge |
Anthony reviews in detail the testi-
mony showing the organization and
conduct of the companies.
He reports to the court that the
evidence shows that in 1901, the
Standard, Waters-Pierce and Re-
public Oil companies entered into an
agreement, which continued to exist
up to the time of the filing Of the
suit, for the purpose of fixing and
controlling the prices to be paid by
retail dealers and others in Missouri
for the products Of petroleum, and to
limit and prevent competition in the
business Of buying and selling oil.
The commissioner further finds
that the three oil companies from
1901 up to the time of bringing the
suit by the attorney general, did:
Fix and maintain the prices of the
refined products of petroleum sold
In Missouri, consisting Of coal oil,
gasoline and naptha.
Did control anil limit the trade In &
such refined products Of petroleum
IN the state.
Did prevent and destroy competi-
ion in the purchase and sale Of such
'efined products of petroleum. /
The report says that In pursuance q
II the agreement the oil companies
prevented competition among them
elves and others in Missouri, secur-
ng control Of 80 per cent Of the oil
BUSINESS, depriving the people of q
rec, full and wholesome competi- II
ion; that the oil companies misled 81
he public into the belief that they n
7ere separate and distinct cor :,
orations, when in fact the agree
tent made them one corporation. :.
The findings Of the commissioner l
nstain in toto the contentious Of 81
ttorney General Hadley in the petit 81
on filed with the court two years a,
90. ~
The report Of Commissioner ~
nthony will now be reviewed by ~
le supreme court. The court may
firm the findings Of the commits
oner, or It may remand the case to pl
in with directions for further pro- II
edlngs. o.
If the report should be affirmed ~
ID the findings Of the commits %
oner adopted by the court, the court ~ ~,
ould then have power to take from Ia
e Waters-Pierce OIL company, },
hich is a Missouri corporation, its
anchise rights as a corporation.
It'll regard to the Standard and co
public companies, both Of which In
. foreign corporations, the court HI
,uId have power to cancel their I,
Int to do business IN Missouri. The Va
art may impose fines on the de- ~
ldante. lin