Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-06
HOT CROWDS FIGHT
TO WATCH OIL KING
Strenuous Day in Judge Lands
Chicago Court.
POLICE RESERVES CALLED
Rockefeller Alone Seemed to Keep
Cool.
IGNORANT AS TO THE STANDARD
Said for Ten Years He Had Been Only
the Honorary President Of
-
the Company.

| CHICAGO, July 8.-Inquiry, conducted by
Judge Lands, into the standing and flnan-
cial resources of the Standard OIL Com
pany. commenced and was finished today
| inside of two hours.
The chief witness was John D. Rockefel.
Ter, president of the Standard Oil Company
Of New Jersey. Very little information
was derived from him. He declared that
| he had not been in active business fer
twelve years, and said that he had not been
| in the offices of the Standard Oil Company
! for eight years. He declared that the capt.
| tai stock of the Standard OIL Company OF
New Jersey was about 500, 600, and that
| its business was the refining of oil. He
said that he did not know that the COM
pany had any other business beyond the re-
| filming of oil, and If the Standard OIL Com
pany of New Jersey was interested in the
| ownership or operation Of any reflnertes
outside of the state of New Jersey he knew
| nothing of it.
From other witnesses Judge Lands de-
rived the information that the Standard
Oil Company of New Jersey Is the owner of
a large proportion of the stock OF the
Standard Oil Company of Indiana, which
was recently convicted Of rebating In con-
nection with the Chicago and Alton rail-
road. 1t also owns large share OF the
Union tank line.
William Rockefeller and John D. Arch
to the stand.
~ Crowd Fought Police.
An hour before the usual hour for OPEN
ing Of court a crowd Of people was gathered
in the hallway outside the courtroom, pack
ing the narrow hallway to the point of suf-
location A squad Of deputy marshals and
detail of police officers were placed along
the hall and before the doorway of the
courtroom. The police and deputies time
and again were compelled to use strenuous
measures to hold the crowd in check. The
insistence OF the would-be spectators was
SO great, however, that the police were
nearly swept from their feet by the con-
slant surgfng and pressure. The jam around
the door when it opened at $40 was
terrific. The majority Of the spectators
were in and seated when Mr.. Rockefeller
made his appearance at the end of the
hall attended by few friends and his
counsel. A passageway was opened for
him by the police. and he walked slowly
down the hall toward the courtroom, the
crowd closing in behind him, eager to catch
a glimpse of the so-called richest man in
the world
Comfortable, Mr.. Rockefeller"
Mr.. Rockefeller was shown to a seat on
the left of the judges desk. HIS pres
ence in the courtroom was almost unno-
ticed by the spectators in the room until
he was well up the side aisle. Then a buzz
went up from the sweltering crowd packed
In the rear of the room and a rustic and
movement as each one tried to get q
glimpse of the oil magnate.. There was no
demonstration, however. Mr. Rockefeller
looked curiously around him for mo-
ment as he settled in his seat, and then
commenced a whispered conversation with
one of his attorneys.
Are you comfortable here, Mr.. Rookie
feller?" asked Marshal Hoy.
Perfectly, thank you" answered the Oil
magnate.
William Rockefeller, who had been sitting
In the rear of the party, came forward a
moment later when beckoned to by his
brother, and took seat at the latter's side.
They conversed a moment, then quietly
turned to watch the proceedings before the
calling of the Standard Oil case.
Only Cool Man There.
The oppressive heat of the courtroom
made the crowd uneasy, but it quieted when
Judge Lands threatened to have the court
room cleared. VIM. Rockefeller welded his
soft straw hat as a fan as the clerk droned
through the call of some minor cases, and
attorneys for the same minor criminals
pleaded briefly for leniency for their con-
victed clients, but John D. Rockefeller, APP
rarently suffering no Inconvenience, listened
and watched Judge Lands closely, leaning
forward the better TO hear as the Judge
pronounced his sentence on prisoner con-
victed of improper use of the malls.
Immediately after the entrance of Mr..
ockefeler to the courtroom pandemonium
broke loose in the hallway. The crowd
pushed at the policemen and the policemen,
gasping and perspiring, showed back in
desperate fashion. From struggling with
the police two members of the crowd soon
turned upon each other. and a few spon-
taneous punching matches enlivened the al
ready strenuous proceedings in the hall.
Called Police Reserves.
So serious did the situation become that
United States Marshal Hoy was compelled
to telephone to police headquarters fo- ad-
ditional help. The parallel of such a s.tua-
ton was never before witnessed in or about
federal courtroom in Chicago. Inside
the courtroom proper the jam YVES nearly
as bad as in the hall outside The walls
were lined with spectators unable to secure
seats. Others filed the window seats
damned the doorways. sat upon chairs in
couples and even squatted on the floor
Oil Case Is Called.
The Standard Oil case was called at 1927
by Judge Lands. District Attorney Sims
briefly stated the facts in the case as pre-
viously outlined.
Attorney John S. Miller, for the Standard
OIL Company then announced that Mr..
Rockefeller and other witnesses summoned
by the court were present and prepared to
answer the questions of the court. Mr..
Miller then entered motion in arrest OF
Judgment in the case.
''Overruled." said Judge Lands shortly.
Fred A. Wann. former general freight
agent of the Chicago and Alton railroad
during the time covered by the indictment,
was the first witness called to the stand
He was asked by Judge Lands If he had
given any Instructions that the rate on oil
between Chcag go and East st. Louis should
apply via Whiting, Ind He declared that
he had no personal recollection of such in
structions. The judge asked several addi-
tional questions all Of which Were objected
to by Mr.. Miller and promptly overruled.
Il. f. Felton,, president of the Union Tank
Line, was then called. Judge Land asked
if he knew anything of the payment. OF