The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-20
ROADS TO BLAME
FOR RELATING
SAYS JOHN D.
Head of Standard Oil TeStifieS
in Government Suit
FAMOUS TRUST AGREEMENT
Corporation Attorneys Claim Compact
Was Made in 1879, Anti Dating
the Sherman Act
FAMOUS TRUST AGREEMENT

New York, Nov 20.-John ID. Rookie
fener carried his slOly OF standard Oil
down 10 1919 yesterday and there
cropped 1t aDrupul, Iedylng John ID.
ArchDold ana Mllnam Rockefeller to
compete the history OF Il corporation
which has played 81 important a part
in the aifairs OF the country
Today MI Rockefeller is facing
Frank Is. kellogg, the man chosen by
the government as its representative
in the effort to dissolve the Standard
Oil company OF New Jersey under the
Sherman antitrust law
Mr. Kellogg is exercising all his in
genuity to break down Mr. Rockefei-
lers direct testimony under cross ex-
aminatons and TO wiring from HIM adj
missions which may strengthen the
government case
Before leaving the witness stand in
the Custom House where Mr. Rookie
feller appeared first on Wednesday
to testify in his own behalf, he told
some important facts yesterday about
the manner in which the Standard
gradually absorbed its competitors In
the oil business between 1870 and
1879. The Government contends that
II was in 1882 that the famous trust
agreement was signed-the agree
ment upon which the Governments
lawyer has laid so much stress In the
progress of the suit.
But yesterday, just before the hear
ing came to a close John c. Milburn
one of the Standards lawyers, pro
.IttggN tash 1.. nrft "a
trust agreement 1t bore the date Of
! 1879 and was identified by Mr. Rookie
feier
This came as a surprise to the Gov
ernments lawyers. 1t may prove one
OF the strongest points for the Stan
dard Oil Company in its defense, for
! It's lawyers assert that the document,
having been signed in 1879, does not
come within the pale OF the Sherman
antitrust law
Just why the Standards lawyers,
Mr. Milbum and MOriz Rosenthal,
called Mr. Rockefeller OH when he
had reached this important year was
not made plain
The witness had told of the remark.
! able pool entered into by most of the
! large Eastern raihLads along In the
/ seventies by which shippers We're 10
receive drawbacks or rebates, late
! 100 the afternoon, and was apparently
! ln the fuil swing of his story. when
/ there was an unexpected halt al 4 o.
! clock Tor a recess. A hurried consul.
tation of the trust lawyers was held
/ IN the hall just outside the hearing
! room. Then they entered the room
and asked that the hearing be adj
iourned for the day ID was half an
hour before the regular hour for ad
journment
Mr.. Rockefeller was on the witness
stand four hours. but apparently was
/ as strong az the finish ass he was at
the start He told how Charles
Pratt. John D. Archbold and III. H.
Rogers. three of the prominent figures
IN Standard oil. came To- enter the
company He told how the STANDARD
reached the seaboard during the early
years. how the company. then known
as the Standard of Ohio. bought up the
many smaller concerns which hac
made successes in the oil business
He told. TOO. how the railroads war
red with each other over the carry
ing OF oil. and how the Pennsylyani,
Railroad al one time, through minol
company refined lbs own oil and en-
tered into a compact as Mr.. Rookie
Teller expressed 10. TO discriminate
against us by giving preference TO iyi
own OH rather than that OF outside
companies
lt was an absorbing tale as he tol'
| &c. hating now and then 10 await
cue from Mr. Milburn who carefully
led him over the route that had beer
mapped ont Ia the Offices of the stan
dard oil Company
Once. during an intermission MI
Rockefeller talked to the assemble
newspaper men. telling them TO b.
careful OF their stomachs II they yalu
ed health In old age lie adviseO
them 10 be as much as possible In tn
open air. and TO take all the eNercis
they could.
II have always taken care OF M
stomach. and ! have reason TO b
glad OF IT, he said.
When asked if the witness stan
was not iatiguing he replied.
IT is not what ! have been accu'
toned TO lately. but am getting alon
very we'll. ! have been out of door
as much as possible in the last FEY
years ] never felt better than | d
now. 70 Is the outdoors and the e'
orcisc and the healthy food