The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-09-20
HEARING FINALLY ON
Taking Of Testimony Begins in
Standard OIL Case.
MUCH SOUGHT

MUCH INFORMATION SOUGHT
Attorney Kellogg, for the Government,
Questions Witnesses at Length Re-
garding the Methods of the Octopus
and Subsidiary Companies.
New York, Sept. 1S.-Protits aggre-
eating S499,315,934 were made by the
Standard Oil company in the seven
years from 1899 to 1906. Testimony
to this effect "a given by Assistant
Comptroller Fay of the company in
the federal hearing here. In the same
period the company's gross assets in
creased from 5000, 791 1928 to $371, 664,-
b31. This is the first time the coni-
pany's earnings have been made pub
lie.
New York, Sept. 1S.-Taking Of tes.
timony was begun during the day in
the federal suit against the Standard
Oil company Of New Jersey. The
hearing here in the federal suit, which
was brought in st. Louis last Deem
her, has twice been adjourned at the
request of counsel for the defendants.
In the meantime, however, Frank E.
Kellogg, who is in charge of the gov
ernment's case, has obtained many
books and papers from the Standard
Oil company, which has enabled him
TO proceed eXpeditiously with the case.
MIR. Kellogg intimated that the gov.
eminent would also inquire into the
character and nature of holdings OF
the Standard Oil company Of New
Jersey, as we'll as It's affiliations, II
any, with railroads. The United States
government has named not only the
STANDARD Oil company of New Jersey
as defendant but also seventy sub
sidiary companies of the main cor.
;poration and the following individ-
mails: John D. Rockefeller, William
Rockefeller, Henry H. Rogers, Henry
N. Flagler, Oliver H. Payne, Charles
m. Pratt and John D. Archbold. Only
William G. Rockefeller and Charles
NJ. Pratt have been subpoenaed to ap-
pear before the hearing, though Mr..
Kellogg may subpoena the others
later.
Benedict the First Witness.
When the hearing was called be-
fore former Judge Franklin Ferriss,
sitting as special master, e. c. Bene-
dict of Greenwich, Conn, was called
as the first witness. Questioned by Mr..
Kellogg Mr.. Benedict said that he and
Anthony NJ. Brady, as the Manhattan
Gil company, had an oil producing
plant near Galatea, o. Mr.. Benedict
said that there was q pipe line con-
nected with the company.
Refreshing his memory from a slip
of paper he said that in October, 1898.
he sold 1,175 shares of Manhattan oil
stock at $500 a share. He could not
recall who was the purchaser of the
stock, but after further questioning
Mr.. Kellogg brought out the fact that
the Standard Oil company now con-
trolls the Manhattan company.
Charles M. Pratt, a director of the
Standard Oil company, followed Mr..
Benedict on the witness stand. Mr..
Pratt said he had been an officer Of
the Standard Oil company since 1899,
Is now secretary and has charge OF
the company's books. Mr.. Kellogg
showed the witness a list of securities
held by the Standard Oil company on
Sept. IA, 1907, which had been fur
nished on subpoena by the company.
Mr.. Pratt said the list was made up in
the c%omptroller's office and he could
not say whether the statement shown
him was correct or not.
"As secretary of the Standard Oil
company do you know anything about
its acquisitions of other c~ompanies?"
he was asked.
Much Information Sought.
mot necessarily" replied Mr.. Pratt,
who further stated that his knowledge
of the company's holdings was only
general. Asked IL the Standard Oil
company controlled the Ohio Oil COM
pduy lA0 WlI1l6SS 1Spll6U ludI IL uAu'
Mr.. Pratt said that the Standard
owned 1894 shares of stock of the
Solar Refining company, which was
all but six shares of the company's
entire stock issue. MI. Kellogg then
asked Mr.. Pratt to produce statements
showing the officers and directors of
the Standard Oil company and OF all
Its subsidiary companies, together
with the officers and directors of all
companies in which the Standard Oil
company had a stock interest. Mi.
Kellogg also asked for q statement of
capitalizations of the various com-
panies.
Mr.. Pratt, referring to his duties in
the Standard Oil company, said that
he was an officer of the Standard Oil
company of Kentucky, whose prin-
cipal business. was the distribution Of
oil south of the Ohio river. He said
the Kentucky company obtained Its
oil chiefly from the Standard Oil COM
-pany of Indiana.
L IT.