The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1907-09-19
TESTIMONY N OIL SUIT
Hearing in the Government Case
Against the Standard Begins
in New York.
CASE WILL LAST TWO WEEKS OR IOR6eR

Prepared by Standard Oil Officials
Are In Federal Attorneys Hands
Government Experts Verifying Re-
ports-Addltlona subpoenas Served.
New York Sept l7.-Testimony
was heard Tuesday 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 December has twice been
adjourned at the request Of counsel
for the defendants, In the meantime,
However. Frank B. Kellogg. who Is in
charge Of the government case has
obtained many books anu papers from
the Standard Oil company which has
enabled him to proceed expeditiously
with the case. Mr.. Kellogg minated
Tuesday that the government would
also inquire into the character and
nature of holdings Of the Standard Oil
company of New Jersey as we'll as its
affiliations. II any, with railroads.
The government has named not only
the Standard OIL company of New Jer-
sey as defendant but also 70 sub
sidiary companies Of the main corpora
tion and the following individuals:
John D. Rockefeller, William Rockefel-
Ter. Henry II. Rogers, Henry NJ, Flag
ler. oliver II. Payne, Charles NJ.
Pratt aud John d Archbold Only
William q Rockefeller and Charles M.
Pratt have been subpoenaed to appear
before the hearing though Mr.. KEEL
logg may subpo ma the Others later.
Much of the evidence Mr. Kellogg
will have placed on the record during
the early stages of the hearing will be
in the form OF statements from the
companies records, prepared by
Standard Oil officials, who have been
ubpoenaed in the last few weeks.
Many of these statements have al
ready been placed in the hands of Mr..
Kellogg and his two assistants. J. Har-
wood Graves of Washington and C. b.
Morrison OF Chicago.
All day Monday staff of experts
were busy verifying these records.
Not all Of the statements called for by
the subpOenas have been received, but
Mr. Kellogg expects them. He de-
clined to say which of the statements
had been sent to him or whether his
experts had found any discrepancies
In them The taking OF testimony will
occupy at least two weeks, perhaps
longer, About IS witnesses have been
subpoenaed, and many more will
doubtless be called as the hearing
progresses.
-Four additional subpoenas were SER
we'd Monday on II. E. FELTON,, traffic
manager Of the Standard Oil COM
pany; w. H. Tilford, treasurer Of the
company; NJ M. Van Duran, a son-in-
law of John Archbold, one of the in
dfvidual defendants in the govern
ments suit, and George Chesebro, who
Is expected to tell of the Standard
Ofl's affiliation with other oil con.
Germs.
Unless something unforeseen is de-
vetoped by the evidence, 1t Is not
probable that John D. Rockefeller,
Henry H. Rogers or Henry M. Flagler
Will be summoned. The other individ-
uA defendants who will be called to
testify are John d. Archbold, oliver
H. Payne and Charles NJ Pratt.
There will be no more adjourn
ments." said Mr.. Kellogg. "All Is
ready for the taking of evidence We
will first show ownership and control
by the Standard Oil company of New
Jersey of large number of corpora
-ttieas.-AAaHy of these will be shown by
statements ordered by the subpoenas.
Others will be shown by direct testi-
mony."
Profits aggregating s490,315,9 1874
were made by the Standard Oil COM
pany In the seven years from 1899 to
1906. Test nony to this effect was
given by Assistant Comptroller Fay
Of the company in the Federal hearing
>here Tuesday. In the same period
the company's gross assets increased
from $2oO,791, 623 to 1911, 664,531. This
Is the first time the company's earn
ngs have been made public.
A list of securities owned by the
Standard Oil company Of New Jersey
presented Tuesday shows that that
corDOratiOn owns 1890 shares of the
stock of the Standard Oil company Of
Indiana, which company was recently
sentenced by Judge Lands in Chicago
to pay fine Of s29, 100000.
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