The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-19
Tells How From Meager Start
In Ohio Business First
Grew to a Million Dollar
Corporation.
STARTED ON A SMALL SUM.
So 900 SECURED IN CLEVELAND
STARTED ROCKEFELLER ON
ROAD TO SUCCESSFUL HANDS
OF KELLOGG FRIDAY.

OF KELLOGG FRIDAY.
New York, Nov. 19.-John d. Rock.
efeller was again before Commissioner
Ferris today. The Standard Oil COM
pany lawyer, Milburn. handled him
tenderly, with long series of ques-
tions which brought out his story of
the many uncertainties encountered
by the oil company while piiing up its
millions.and millions OF dollars.
Tomorrow Frank B. Kellog. the cell
ebrated trust buster. will take Rookie
feller in hand and will probe and dig
into the very vitals Of the trust in the
endeavor to bring about the dissolu-
tion of the big corporation.
Today's testimony showed the gob-
bling process or the controlling of
many important refineries and reports
from time to time. which John ID. ex-
pxained was necessary for the purpose
OF further progress and extension OF
his company's business. So many
concerns were bought out that he had
some difficulty in recalling some OF
them.
Rockefeller's own story of the up
building of the great Standard Oil
company, and his immense personal
fortune, has given tremendous public
interest to proceedings in the govern
ment's suit.
His counsel said that Rockefeller
would probably be on the stand all
day
1t was announced that after Mr..
Rockefeller had been cross examined
by the governments counsel, John d.
Archbold, vice-president OF Standard
Oil, would take the witness stand.
New York, Nov. 13.-John ID. Rock
efeller spent more than two hours on
the witness stand Wednesday after
noon. telling the earlier history OF the
oil business in the United States.
He related his story with the air OF
country gentleman OF kindly mien
entertaining a company of friends with
incidents of days long past.
The examination before Referee
Franklin Ferris is part of the proceed
ings before the trial in the govern
ments suit for dissolution of the STAN
dard Oil company. He was on the
stand not at the behest OF the govern
ment, but on behalf of the defense.
In Friendly Mands.
Mr.. Rockefeller was examined by
John G. Mulburn, one of the Stand
ards counsel. Frank B. Kellogg, the
governments special counsel. sat qui-
etly through the session, never inter-
rupting even with an objection.
Wishes All TO Hear Him.
| The head of the big oil combine was
surrounded by an imposing circle OF
counsel, and when he began his testi-
mony he gazed complacently upon
swarm of newspaper men, behind
whom pressed close throng of people
that filled the room. Mr. Rockefeller
appeared at complete ease, and when
Mr. Milburn propounded his first ques-
tion the witness spoke out In full tones
| as IL he desired the most distant spec
tator in the chamber to hear.
/ Then. in manner that indicated .
pleasure at what he was about to tell
| sPohC VI NE cldIt Az
the oil business and how, under ad-
verse conditions. that business grew to
/ the proportions Of the Standard OIL
| company of Ohio, with its capitaliza-
| ton of S1OO0.OOO. Mr.. Rockefeller's
! eyes sparkled in reflection on that ear
ly financial organization and, speak
| ing OF its million dollar capitalization
with almost boyish enthusiasm, he
1 said:
1T seemed very large to us, who be-
gan with only $1,000 in 1862
Natural Growth of Trade.
4 The development of Mr.. Rockefel-
ler's testimony which carried him TO
the organization Of the Standard Oil
company of Ohio. indicated that one
Of the lines of the defense would be
that the Standard Oil company Is not
the result of an aggressive policy to
gain the mastery of the oil trade as
charged, but the natural outcome Of
q an economical development which the
Il exigencies of the oil industry demand
4 ed.
i During a brief recess Mr.. Rockefel-
Ter talked on the Standards growth,
!, saying:
i What a wonderful thing it all has
been-the growth of this business. Il
- :.