The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-24
ROCKEFELLER
NOT CREATOR
Of THE TRUST
Oil Magnate Gives Henry M.
FIagIer and Samuel c. 7.
Todd Full Credit.
ARDUOUS DAY SPENT IN
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS TAX
ING WITNESS OVER WHOLE
FIELD OF OPERATIONS.

New York, Nov, 23.-Credit for the
creation Of the Standard Oil trust.
which counsel for the federal govern
ment claims still exists as the Standard
oil company Of New Jersey. was given
by John D. Rockefeller, as a witness
today under cross-examination in the
federal suit TO dissolve the Standard,
10 two men-Henry NJ. Flagler and
samuel c. T Todd.
To these master architects Of The oil
combine Mir. Rockefeller gave full cred
II. saving that he was sure IL was not
himself. as he did not possess the abii-
ity for so progressive move
Trying Ordeal for John D.
Mr.. Rockefeller spent an arduOus day
on the stand, under the incessant ques-
tioning Of Frank b. Kellogg. the gov
ernments counsel and when adjourn
ment was taken until tomorrow he gave
every evidence of delight that the day
was done. Counsel hopes to conclude
AIr. ROckefeller's denomination to-
morrow, when 1t is planned to place
John d. ArchbOld. vice president Of the
Standard on the stand. Frank q. KeI-
logg, who with other government inves-
tigatOrs, had been endeavOrinS for over
q year TO locate the missing stock
transfer books of the Standard Oil
trust, sought 10 do so today through
Nc. Rockefeller, who promised TO do
what he could to find them. Mr.. Rock
efeller's examination today carried him
through the period OF the standard on
trust and the years Of its subsequent
liquidation which lasted from 1898 10
1899.
Memory Not Always Clear.
Mr. Rockefeller's memory at times
was not clear on the definite details of
this trust liquidation period. and he
told counsel that he could not recall
many Of the incidents and develop
ments of that time. During the day
Mir. kellogg developed from Mr. Rock
efeller that early in the industrial ex-
3Stence OF the STANDARD toe presidents
OF two rahTOad COMPANIES. together
with their directors. were stockholders
in the oil combination.
After adjournment tonight Mr.. Rock
eteller told an inquiring audience OF re-
pOrteTs that there were better things in
the world than making money, and
since 1891 he had been gradually retir-
ing from business. He added:
There is more important work than
making money. and there is much for
me 10 do. l belong to the brotherhood
Of man."
Whole Subject Opened Up.
Ii had been the plan of the Standards
attorneys 10 have Mr.. Rockefeller tell
only of the comparatively early years
Of the company's existence, and his di-
rect examination included no reference
10 any happening later than 1882. 1t
vas announced at that time that the
remainder Of the Standards story
would be told by John d. Archbold and
other officers Of the company who are
more familiar than Mr.. Rockefeller
himself but one Of his answers made
ii possible for the government TO go
as far as it likes in the cross exam
nation. In his direct examination Mr..
Rockefeller had said that the business
Of refining oil was a hazardous one.
IT. his CTOss-eXamination Mr.. Kellogg
asked him how he could regard as
hazardous a business which had re
turned such enormous profits. Mr..
Rockefeller replied that the fact that
a business had been profitable was TO
argument against a contention that il
was hazardous and he reiterated that
OIL refining was a hazardous business,
even up TO the present time"
Mr.. Kellogg maintained that Mr.
hockefener's gratuitous statement that
the business is hazardous up to the
present time opens up TO him the
whole Of the Standards history
Mr.. Rockefeller returned to the city
Today from his country home, Pocantico
HlAs. where ne had rested over Sun
cay He exercised yesterday by walk
ias home from the Baptist church, a
distance Of TWO miles.
heGreshed by a days rest Mr.. Rock
t-eLer was smiling when Frank B. Kel-
i'gg. special assistant attorney gen.
r'dI, resumed his denomination.
Went on Stand Smiling.
Mr.. kelloggs first inquiry was
whether all the stockholders Of the
SCUM Improvement company after
CNnFfpnaI