Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-07
ROCKEFELLER
TELLS ABOUT
HIS OCTOPUS
Declares He Knows
Little Of Oil
Business
Has Not Been in Office
for Over Eight
Years
United States District Court Seeks
Information Whereby to Fix
Fines That May Amount
to Millions
Ry Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
CHICAGO, July 6.-John D. Rookie
feller, president of the Standard Oil
company of New Jersey, occupied the
witness stand in the United States
district court today while Judge
Landis piled him with questions re-
garding the financial strength and the
business methods of the corporation
of which he is the head.
Mr. Rockefeller was a very willing
and equally unsatisfactory witness.
He was ready to tell all he knew, but
said he knew practically nothing. The
net result of his examination was that
he believed during the years 1903, 1904
and 1906 the period covered by the in
dictments on which the Standard Oil
company of Indiana was recently con-
victed, the net profits of the Standard
Oil company of New Jersey were ap-
proximately 40 per cent of an out
standing capitalization of 100000, OOO.
To Determine Fines
The investigation held today by
Judge Lands was instituted by him
for the express purpose of determin-
ing whether or not the Standard Oil
company of Indiana, which was con-
victed of violation of the law, was
really owned by the Standard Oil
company of New Jersey, whether the
Union tank line, whose cars were used
for the shipments made in violation
of the law was similarly owned and
also to obtain an idea of the financial
resources of the convicted corporation
in order to infiict a fine proportionate
to the offenSe and the assets of the
convicted company.
1t was stated ythe officers of the
Standard Oil company of New Jersey
that it owned the greatest part of the
stock of both the Union tank line and
the Standard Oil company of Indiana.
Specific figures as to the earnings of
the parent corporation were given by
Charles NJ. Pratt, it's secretary, and
they were close to the estimate given
by Mr. Rockefeller.
The prospective appearance in court
of the man reputed to be the richest
man in the world brought about a
spectacle the like of which has not
been witnessed in the vicinity of Chi
cago court rooms.
The hour set for the appearance of
Mr.. Rockefeller was 10 o'clock, and an
hour before that time the hall out
packed by a crowd, all of whom were
anxious to obtain seats and hear the
testimony
MarshaIs Keep Order
A large squad of deputy United
States marshals under the direction of
United States Marshal Hoy, and a
numerous detail of police were on hand
but even they were at times unable
10 q wa
so dense that frequent cries for as
sistance were heard, and people who
were jammed against the wall begged
for relief against the pressure to
which they were subjected Admission
to the court room was by card only,
but many people succeeded in evading
the guards and when Judge Lands
took his seat upon the bench the court
room was packed to the last inch.
Lines of people were around the wall,
dozens of chairs held two occupants,
every inch of standing room was oc-
cupied and men sat upon the steps
of jury box and squatted on the floor.
Even after the court room was filed
the crowd became so large and so in
sistent that Marshal Hoy was COM
PEELED to telephone to police headquar-
ters for further assistance. This was
promptly sent and from that time on
the crOWQ was nelQ III CHECK.
Inside the court room perfect order
prevailed.
Rockefeller Arrives
John D. Rockefeller and William
Rockefeller arrived at the federal
building in the automobile of Harold
M. Mccormick, the son-in-law of Mr.
Rockefeller, at $3.50 o'clock. The party
first crossed the street to the offices
of the Standard Oil company and after
remaining a short time returned to the
federal building, where large crowd
had gathered.
The party was compelled to halt al
the federal building, while the police
fought with the crowd. Five local de-
tectives and a number of secret serv-
ice men gathered closely around Mr.
Rockefeller, protecting him from the
crush or from possible injury at the
hands of some crank
,Mr.. Rockefeller, closely attended by
. The officers, entered the building anC
made his way to the elevator. Here
a car, devoid of lights, was under the
special guard of police, and entering
it Mr.. Rockefeller was quickly taken tC
the si-th floor of the building to the
court room. He was shown a seat tc
the left of the judges desk and was
well up into the room before his ar.
rival was noticed. There was con.
siderable excitement among the Grove
and some confusion resulted from the
efforts made by all the spectators t.
obtain a quick view Of him. Ht
looked around with some curiosity fol
a moment and then commenced {
whispered conversation with one of hi
attorneys.
United States Marshal Hoy ap
preached and asked:
"Are you comfortable here, Mr.
Rockefeller"
Perfectly, thank you. am al
rips'+" /" he answered.
Rockefeller who had beel
1 his ''rother, came for
Sc to a signal and sat b!
I'd.
ed by Officials
Id sat beside William
grouped around then