Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-04
TRUST FIGHTS
FOR ITS LIFE
STANDARD OIL COMPANY MAY
BE DISSOLVED
RESPITE TAKEN IN CASE UNTIL
THURSDAY
Great Attorneys VIII Defend Octopus
from Attackc of Government
Prosecutors, Led by
Kellogg

By Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Sept. S.-The hearing Of
the suit of the gov rnment against the
Standard Oil company was postponed
today until next Thursday.
This case is the suit in equity brought
by the government in st. Louis against
the Standard Oil company. by which the
government seeks to dissolve the Standard
Oil company of New Jersey and to en-
join it from receiving rebates and dis
eliminating rates.
The defendants are John D. Rockefeller,
William Rockefeller, John c. Archibald,
H. H. Rogers, G. M. Pratt and seventy
corporations of which the New Jersey
corporation is the holding company.
This includes the Standard Oil company
of Indiana, which was recently fined more
than $29, 600, COO by Judge Lands.
Former Judge Franklin Ferris, ap-
pointed by the United States circuit court
of st. Louis. will sit as master TO hear the
testimony that is to be taken In this
city. The governments chief lawyer is
Frank B. Kellogg of st. Paul. who has
been appointed a deputy attorney general
for the purpose of conducting the ex-
animation of witnesses
The Standard Oil company will be repre-
sented by a distinguished array of coun-
sell The proceedings, it is stated, will
involve the very life of the Standard
OIL company so that battle royal Is
expected.
The principal feature of the brief ses-
sion today was the making public OF
partial list of witnesses which indicated
the Importance and the wide scope of tes-
timony expected to be taken here. Head
ing the list will be William G. Rockefeller,
a director in most of seventy affiliated oil
companies named as defendants in the
governments suit, and K. c. Benedict,
banker and lifelong friend of former
President Cleveland. Mr.. Benedict was
present today in answer to subpoena,
while attorneys for the Standard OIL COM
pany entered an appearance for Mr..
Rockefeller.
The testimony desired by the govern-
ment will have to do largely with the all
legged rebates and determinations in
freight rates, as indicated by the number
of prominent railroad officials included in
| the list of witnesses. Among these are
| Jefferson Justice, assistant controller of
the Pennsylvania railroad; r. w. Down
! ing. ex-controller of the Pennsylvania
lines; w. T. Mccullough, auditor Of freight
ldepartment and w. G. Harris counsel -
| the New York Central. Wade Hampton,
general auditor of the Standard Oil COM
pany of New Jersey, is under subpoena, as
are C. M Pratt and d. @. Barstow, direc-
| tors of the defendant companies; John p.
Logan, formerly an officer of the Stand
ard w. P. Hoge, p. S. Trainer and Chas.
w. White, all associated with the de-
fendant companies.
When the taking of testimony is begun
on Thursday it is said that fifteen to
twenty special attorneys may be present
for the defendants. Aside from the
seventy alleged Standard Oil corporations
named by the government the individual
defendants are j. D. Rockefeller, William
Rockefeller, H. H. Rogers, j. D. Arch
bold, H. M. Flagler and Charles M. Pratt.
Hearings will be held in several cities
after the work is over.