The Mena weekly star., 1907-02-28
CUSTER CASE ARGUMENT
Seven Points on Which Missouri Relies to Dust the Oil
 Combine.
STANDARD ORGANIZED wATERs-plFRct
Attorney General HadIey Declared the Big Company Had Owned 50 Per Cent of Stock of St. Louis Concern Since It's Formation In 1878.

St. Louis, Feb. 27.--In his argu- mcnt in the custer sait against the Standard, Republic and Waters Pierce Oil companies before Commis- sioner Anthony Monday Attorney general Hadley said, after re- reviewing the legal history of the case, that he would base his argu- ments uponN seven points. These points he set forth:
 First The existence of combina- ton, trust and agreement among the respondents by reason of the common stock ownership of a controlling in terest in the stock of each by the Standard oil company of New Jersey.
 Second-The plan of operation and control of each of these respondents under the authority and direction oi officials of the Standard at 26 Broad way, New York.
 Third-The division of trade terri tory between the Waters-Pierce and Standard oil company as the result of an agreement originally made be tween the Standard Oil company of Ohio and the Waters-Pierce company. and since maintained and recogniz. ed by the legal successors of those companies.
 Fourth-The organization and oper- ation of the Republic Oil company as an independent and competing com iany of each of the other respondents in the territory of each and the pur' pose and the results thereby accom- plished.
 Fifth-The sale of oil by the Stand ard oil company in the state of Mis- souri only through the Waters-Pierce. Republic and Standard companies and the purchase by the Waters-Pierce and Republic companies of all theif supplies from the Standard and It's affiliated corporations.
 Sixth-The completeness of the monopoly in the oil business effected by these respondents; the extent to which trade and competition between them and others in the sale of oil Is limited and restrained and the fixing and the maintenance of prices of oil thereby accomplished to the damage of the people of Missouri.
 Seventh-The deception practiced upon the public by causing it to be- iieve Shat the respondents were indes pendent and separate corporations engaged as legitimate competitors in the sale of the products of petroleum; the methods of competition practiced by each by which the trust and combi- nation between them was made ef- fective and the people deprived of the benefits of competition, to their great loss and prejudice.
 MT. Hadley went into the history of the waters-Pierce oil company at l length. He declared that the com pany has been under the central of the Standard Oil company since its formation in 1878 and that all this time the Standard had owned so per cent of it's stock and Pierce and oth- CTS but 40 per cent.
 These facts had been clearly, egtab- lished by the testimony of the wit nesses, MT. Hadley declared.
 Arguments by the defense began Tuesday morning in the summing ur before Special Commissioner R A Anthony of the states custer suit against the Standard. Republic ane Waters Pierce oil companies. It wal expected that counsel for the defend ant companies would occupy the en' tire day and that Attorney Genera Hadley will conclude his presentation of the states contentious "Wednesday
 Attorney Frank Hagerman, Kan sas City, representing the interests of the Standard of Indiana and thu Republic oil companies, made tn opening address for the defense.