Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-11-21

New York, N. Y-Testifylng with
the air Of country gentleman OF
kindly mein engaging host of friends
with incidents OF days long past, John
d. Rockefeller, president Of the Stand
ard Oil company, on Tuesday reviewed
the history of the early oil trade and
the evolution OF the first companies
into the present so-called oil trust, Mr..
Rockefeller was a witness for the de-
fence more than two hours in the suit
to dissolve the Standard OIL company,
which iS being prosecuted by the Unit
ed States government, and his appear
ance at the hearing before former
Judge Franklin Ferris, the referee,
brought large crowd to the customs
building.
The once active head of the big oil
combine was surrounded by an impos-
Ing circle of counsel, and when he be-
gan his testimony he gazed compla-
Gently upon a swarm of newspaper
men, close behind whom pressed q
throng OF persons. Mr.. Rockefeller ap-
peared at complete ease, and when
John G. Milburn of counsel for the
company propounded his first question
the witness spoke out in full tones, as
If he desired the most distant spectator
In the room to hear.
Then. in a manner that indicated
pleasure at what he was about to tell,
Mr.. Rockefeller described his begin
ming in the oil business and how under
adverse conditions that business grew
to the proportions of the Standard Oil
company of Ohio, with its capitaliza-
tlon of 100000.
Mr.. Rockefeller's eyes kindled in re-
fiecting on that early financial organ
ization, and speaking of its 100000
capitalization with almost boyish en-
thusiasm, he said:
"It seemed very large to us, we be-
gan with only $4,000 in 1862"
Indeed, the proceedings lost in q
sense their judicial aspect because of
the manner which Mr.. Rockefeller dis
played, and his answers now and then
contained flashes of kindly humor. A
glow of health shows in his smooth
shaven face, and to inquiring newspa-
per men he replied that he never felt
better. The president of the Standard
Oil company was dressed in a plain
dark business suit, and across his vest
ran heavy gold watch chain. A dark
purple necktie, in which large pearl
pin was set, snuggled close to high
collar.
The development of Mr. Rockefeller's
testimony which carried him to the
organization of the Standard Oil COM
pany OF Ohio indicates that one of the
lines of the defence will be that the
Standard Oil company is not the re-
suit OF an aggressive policy to obtain
mastery of the oil trade as charged, but
rather the natural outcome of the exi-
Rencies of the oil industry.
During a brief recess Mr.. Rockefeller
chatted with the reporters on the
Standards growth, saying.
What a wonderful thing it all has
been--the growth Of this business. 1t
all seems like dream to me, and here
I am accused of doing the very wicked
thing of selling good article at a low
er price than anyone else.
"This testimony here brings back to
my mind so clearly early days in
Cleveland, where we were all friends
and neighbors together. How we'll |
remember that day in Cleveland when
| went into the bank of T. p. Handy,
who afterward became one OF my dear
ut friends. l wanted to borrow
Ioney, but didn't have any collateral,
or anyone to indorse my note.
II told him what l wanted to do
Nth it, and then he asked me how
luch wanted. need $1,000 said,
and got it. To that loan | attribute
whatever success l have had in life
since"