New-York tribune., 1908-09-17
RED OIL SOLD In SOUTH
Standard Agents Say Ignorant
Traders Want 1t.

The Standard on hearing. before Franklin Ferris.
referee. In the Custom House. was taken up again
yesterday with the testimony Of Standard super
intendents and statesmen regarding the methods EN-
ployed by their competitors in the territory con-
tiguous 70 Baltimore, Norfolk and Richmond All
the witnesses who we're examined by Moritz Rosen-
thai the defendants attorney, said the standard
had never initiated cuts in prices
Robert L Purse, formerly an independent OH
dealer of Seaford Del who had originally bought
his oil from the Atlantic Oil Company. Standard
subsidiary, admitted cross-eNamination that Oh
sold IN Seaford for cents q gallon, while L cents
was charged In Fredericksburg. Nd, few miles
away He also admitted following rivaFs wagon
to Fredericksburg find out to whom he was
selling. -,
]. ". Dalng. of Clifton Forge. Va. a special
agent Of the Standard, said that last fan the heu
stC- OIL Company. rival. made general cu'
of of cent 20 cents gallon all over his terri
, tory simultaneously with conference between Mt.
wetzel a Red &C" official. and the federal lawyers
In the present suit. Mr.. Kellogg, the government
attorney objected the testimony, but 1t went on
~. -ecord Another reduction was made by the
game company last summer, according to the wit
ness. ., :
THAT was after Mr.. wetzel had testified for the
government in the case, was it notg' asked MI
Rosenthal .,. >,
''You had better 60 on the staho anu ''h''
suggested MFR. Kellogg.
Il don't need TO testify 10 these facts retort
es Mr Rosenthal; Il can prove them easily ehouen u
without"
Fssward G. Eitel. Standard special agent at
Richmond testified to cuts by competitors. ana
said the Red &C. company colored It's proouo'
with a red dye telling ignorant traders that the
red OIL made better and safer iluminant-
The Standard sells red oil. too. doesn't hF
ssLed Mr. kellogg on examination
.ert does to meet the demand for it, answered
the witness
After the noon recess Frank NJ. Hewitt post
master OF Silver Springs, Nd, said that he was at
one time an agent Of the Dixie oil Company ana
had as his principal competitors the Red c. and
Standard He had heard. he said, that the Dixie
Oil Company was secretly owned by the Standard.
but he didn't believe ii. he had instructions TO
get customers away from the Standard as well as
from the Red C.
V H Brown. q Standard salesman at Norfolk,
testified numerous cuts by his competitors
chiefly the National Oil Company, naming the
deviations from the Standard prices and the Gus
toners which had been enticed from the latter.
" V. warley a Standard salesman. of Lynch
petitors who. he said. had also given rebates in
certain instances, allowing jobbers TO buy barrels
containing forty-nine gallons of oil and bill them
at fifty their customers. He had gauged a
large number Of competitors barrels he said, and
frequently found them overgauged-
Robert Franklin Eperson. general salesman of
Bristol Va, said the Standards competitors al
lowed q l per cent reduction for cash which the
Standard would not allow. W. l. Blackwelder, a
Standard salesman Of Charlotte. N G. told of
sweeping reductions in his territory by the Red
&C. company. The latter he said, stood ready to
shave any concerns oil prices, matter what
they were. 10 get order.
The hearing viii be continued to-day.