The Washington herald., 1907-09-25

general auditor for the Standard OIL Com
pany of New Jersey since its orgauiza-
ton in 1887. and previously auditor for the
Hquidaung trustees who had the affairs
Of the Standard oil of Ohio in their
charge after the dissolution of that cor
poraJion in 1892. testified to-day that he
had no knowledge OF what had become Of
the books of the trustees containing the
records of the exchange of old trust GER
tifcates for stock in the New Jersey
company.
When Prosecutor KelIogg, who is ex-
amining witnesses before Referee Ferris TO
obtain testimony for use in the Federal
governments suit entered In the Circuit
Court at St Louis, asked Hampton cate
gOricalIy where the books that he had
kept during the transitional period We're
at present the witness replied that he
had not seen them since he took office as
auditor Of the New Jersey company.
Same Elusive Records.
The books referred 10 are the same
elusive records that the prosecutor had
previously demanded of Assistant Comp
troller Fay and OF Charles NJ. Pratt. sec
retary OF the Standard oil Company OF
New Jersey Both had discIaimed knowl-
edge of their whereabouts. When Hamp-
ton told kellogg to-day that he had made
entries in the stock register during all the
time thar the Equidatiug trustees of the
standard OH trust Of Ohio were in power.
but that he did not know what had be
come Of the records. the governments
prosecutor became exasperated.
you kept those books until practically
all the transfers Of stock from the old
OHIO company TO the New Jersey COM
pany had been made. and vet You have
no knowledge of what became of those
records after you became auditor OF the
new c0lpanl2 Gueried the prosecutor.
InSiuuotes Trust Destroyed Books.
The witness said that he had not
When Kellogg intlmated they had been
destroyed for good reason. Attorney Mil
burn. chief counsel for the Standard oil
Company interpos-d mild objection
against the insinuatiou
No evidence has been submitted i'm
this case to show that the records which
You have demanded have been destroy
ed" said Nilburn.
Wei. then rejoined Kellogg. hotIy.
'if they have not been DESTROYED. prc-
duce them"
You know the best way to produce
Them" returned the St8ndardv counsel
u assure you that the officers Of the
Standard oil Company Of New Jersey
have never seen the books. or we would
have them here for your inspection
Challenged 10 Produce Records.
KeiloEs said that he aad tried 10 ger
information about the missing books from
every witness VINO had been calculated
10 know something about heir where
abouts. and failed Therefore he would
serve categoricaIiy "a notice on the counsel
for the Standard people To produce in
court the certificate books. stock leIgsr.
ana stock register. covering the period
of the liquidauug trustees from March.
1892, down to and including the year 1851.
OF all the demands De had made through
subpoena upon the Offices of the Stand
ara company. Kellogg said privately
after the adjournment fer the day, this
one alone important as establishing.
through the records sought. the fact that
the Standard trust acted in coptemp- rf
The dissolution order OF the Ohio court.
had not been fulfilled.
Does "a Kindness to Waters-Pierce.
Through the auditor Of the Standard
kellogg learned some facts concerning
the relations between the Standard OF
Company of New Jersey and the Waters
Pierce Oh Company Of Texas in 1900. at
the time when the latter concern had
been driven out of Texas by court order
and when, according TO the testimony OF
previous witnesses in the present hear
ing, the Standard company had no in
terest in the interdicted concern. Hamp-
ton had said that previous TO 1900 it had
been the custom of the Waters-Pierce
concern 20 send annual reports Of its
business to him as auditor OF the stand
ard Of New Jersey.
After that date YOU did not receive
such reports queried Kellogg Hampton
said that he did not
Yet you sent auditors from vour of
fee 10 do the annual auditing of the
Waters-Pierce Oil Company
"Yes, We did that merely as a help to
the Texas company and at its request 80
Hampton Cannot Recall.
KeIIogg then read letter from Hamp-
ton 10 J. +. Gruet vice president OF the
Waters-Pierce Company. dated February
s. 1901, in which Hampton informed the
Waters-Pierce official that he was send
Ing an accountant to audit the affairs of
the company and advising that Gruet
enter his name on the Waters-PierCe pay-
roll and consider him an emplOye Of his
company during the time of his labor IN
ST Louis. This was advised "for rea-
sons that you VIII undoubtedly appreci-
ate
What did YOU mean by this latter
phrase in your letter." asked Kellogg
y cannot recall" replied the witness.
''You did not mean that II was unwise
10 allow any evidence to appear that the
Standard oil Company had any connec-
Hon az that time with the Waters-Pierce
Dill Company"
Il really cannot tell what I meant
now said Hampton, evenly
You know that in 1901 the Standard OIL
Company denied that it had any interest
ln the Waters-Pierce oil Company"
4 don't know what the Standard COM
pany assumed or denied" replied Hamp-
on. that was out of my department"
The BEST Company, the ''Northwcst-
s. lrn." Huske & Smith, General Agents.