The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-09-17
{. c. BENEDICT
on THE STAND

Continued from Page One).
Mr. Benedict did not say where the gas
edict said he sold his interest in the gas
company. He added that the Standard
OIL company had furnished oil TO the gas
compa MES after the Manhattan Oil COM
pany had been disposed OF. Mr.. Benedict
believed he had spoken TO III. III. Rogers
regarding the Manhattan company In
casual way about the time OF the sale.
Mr. Rogers was distant relative OF his
by marriage.
Mr. Kellogg asked the witness to pro-
duce later the contract between the Man
haitian OIL company and the gas COM
panies Mr.. Benedict was not cross-ex-
amined
PRATT ALSO HEARD.
Charles NJ. Pratt. a director OF the
Standard Oil company, the next witness.
said that he had been an officer or the
Standard Oil company since 1893. Is now
secretary and has charge OF the books.
Mr. Kellogg showed witness a list OF se-
curities held by the Standard OIL COM
pany on Sept. II. 1907. which had been
furnished on subpoena by the company.
Mr. Pratt said the list was made up IN
| the controllers Office. and ne could not
say whether the statements SHOWN MN
were correct or not.
Mr.. Pratt said that C. III. Brainard was
the comptroller of the company and Wade
Hampton was general auditor.
LAS secretary of the Standard OIL COM
pany do you know anything about It's
asked.
Not necessarily" replied Mr.. Pratt,
who added thai his knowledge OF the COM
pany's holdings was only general. He
said he knew little about the Manhattan
Oil company or the Solar Refining COM
pany. Witness admitted that the Stand
ard Oil company controlled the Ohio COM
pany. Mr.. Pratt said that the Standard
owned 1894 shares OF stock of the Solar
Refining company. which was all but six
shares of the compauy's entire stock
issue.
STATEMENT ASKED.
Mr.. Kellogg then asked Mr.. Pratt to
produce statements showing the officers
and directors of the Standard OIL COM
pany of all its subsidiary companies. to-
gether with the officers and directors of
all companies in which the Standard Oil
campany had stock interest and state
nnent of capitalizations of the various
companies.
Mr.. Pratt said he was an officer OF the
Standard OIL company of Kentucky, whose
principal business was the disruption OF
oil south OF the Ohio river. The Ken
lucky company obtained it's oil chiefly
from the Standard OIL company OF Indi-
ana.
MIR. Pratt said he knew no one In the
Standard OIL company who could give any
information about the Manhattan OIL COM
pany.
In reply TO questions, witness said the
c. NJ. Pratt Investment company the
stock OF which was shown to be held by
the Standard company. represented the
stock of the Waters-Pierce Oil company
OF Texas OF which he was holding for the
Standard oil company. The c. M. Pratt
Investment company came int oexistence
at the time the Waters-Pierce OIL COM
pany was having difficulties In Texas.
Mr.. Kellogg then asked Mr.. Pratt II the
Standard Oil company and its subsidiary
concerns were not governed by commit
tees. Mr.. Pratt said he did not think so.
He said that In the early days OF the
trusteeship OF the company. II was likely
that the company was controlled by COM
mittees. Mr.. Kellogg was anxious TO know
about what records were kept by the
trustees showing the manner OF liquida-
ton in the period between 1892 and 1902.
Mr.. Pratt. as one OF the liqudating trus-
tees OF the Standard OIL company. said
there were books kept but he could not
recall in whose possession they might be
found.
STOCK INCREASED.
Mr.. Pratt said that in 1899 the stock of
the Standard Oil company OF New Jersey
was increased from $10,O00,000 to about
800. 900, but before this they owned
stock in 20 various companies.
Mr.. Pratt was asked further about the
records of the liquidation and he replied
that he knew nothin concerning them.
Neither did he know anything about the
organization of the Standard OIL COM
pany.
Mr.. Kellogg asked the witness IL II
was not fact that at the time the Stan
dard Oil trust was liquidated that there
were 970,5O0 outstanding trustees certif-
Gates which had been issued for tho
stocks of the subsidiary companies. and
that in 1892 when the Standard oil trust
was dissolved. the Standard Oil company
of New Jersey exchanged its stock for
the certificates of the trust share for
share.