The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-22
Real Birthday of Standard OiI Trust Is Shown By Rec
 ords Just Found
AGREEMENT IDENTIFIED
 By JOHN ), ROCKEFELLER
As Shown In Court, the Standard oil Company Was First Formed In April, 1879, Three Years
 Earlier Than Announced.

New York November 21-(special.) )-The real birthday of the Standard Oil trust was for the first time discovered today. The greatest of monopolies is really three years older than any of it's many his- torians and investigators has ever been able to prove.
 April 8, 1879, was the date when the greatest and most secret of trusts was really formed, instead of 1882 the birth day date that has been accepted for years.
 This fact was established today after a careful examination of the documents and exhibits put into the records of the pending suit by John G. Milburn, Moritz Rosenthal and John s. Miller, attorneys for the trust and John D. Rockefeller. For several years government investi- gators have suspected that the famous trust agreement of 1882 was not the real beginning of the Standard oil trust They were absolutely unable to prove it Not single document or trust agreement be- fore that date had been found. The state authorities who have instituted ac- tons against the trust in Ohio, Missouri and other states were quite as unable to find proof that the Standard oil trust was more than 2s years old.
 Agreement Locked Up.
 This first trust agreement was locked up in the innermost secret vaults of the Standard oil company. It remained there until last Thursday, when John G. Mill atIYn fad md ocf. iaH ffa hn custom house. where the Standard Oil trust has been on trial. In quiet pe- riod of the hearing MT. Milburn passed the famous first agreement to MT. Rocke- feller and asked him to identify as many of the signatures as he could.
 The agreement was not read, and al- though there were 40 newspaper men in the courtroom at the time, MT. Rocke- feller's perusal of it did not attract enough attention for anyone to examine the document
 It was formally put into the records ana must stand from this on as the first chap ter of the history of the Standard Oil trust. As historical document it is of equal importance with the trust agree ment of 1SS2 which was prepared by M-. Dodd, who until his death several years ago was the chief solicitor of Standard oil.
 Original Holdings.
 It sets forth in detail the exact original holdings of everybody concerned in the formation of the trust. It shows that from this earliest beginning John D. Rocke- feller held more than one-fourth of the shares. He actually owned S9S4 shares out of 35,000.
 Henry M. Flagler was the second heaviest holder, with 5000 shares. Then in the order named came s. V. Hardness, Charles Pratt, 0. H. Payne, J. A. Bost- wick and William Rockefeller.
 Here IS the long hidden document as it was slipped into the record as part of the Standard oil defense:
 Whereas, the Standard oil company of Cleveland, O., holds the possession of certificates for certain stocks and inter- est which 1t is desirable to distribute among the parties entitled thereto, and, 'sWhereas, such stocks and interests now stand in the name of several per sons, and it is desirable for convenience A in dividing them that all shall be trans ferred by the Standard oil company, by each party holding the same and by every person holding or claiming an interest therein.
 Now in consideration of the foregoing and of the sum of one dollar, to us paid, and other considerations satisfactory to us, we, the undersigned, hereby grant, as sign, transfer and convey all our right, title and interests and all the right, title and interest of each and every one of us of whatever name and nature in and to all and singular the following described stocks and interests, to-wit:
 List of Stocks.
 T T-f,x. n company.
 TWO thousand, seven hundred shares capital stock of Devoe Manufacturing company.
 Entire capital stock of Charles Pratt & Co.
 "Five thousand and fifty-nine shares capital stock of the Baltimore United Oil company.
 rive hundred and twenty-five shares capital stock of Keystone Refining com Entire capital stock of Stone & Fleming Manufacturing company, Ltd.
 "Enttre capital stock of Atlantic Re fining company. Entire capital stock of Standard oil company (of Pennsylvania).
 .'Entire capital stock of Model Oil com pany ''One thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five shares capital stock of Amer ican Lubricating oil company;
 Entire capital stock of Camden Con solidated Oil company.
 Two thousand. two hundred and sixty eight shares capital stock of Central Re- fining company.
 Seven hundred shares capital stock of Maverick oil company.
 'Entre capital stock of Republic Refin- ing company.
 -Four hundred shares capital stock of Waters-Pierce Oil company.
 'Three hundred shares capital stock of Consolidated Tank Line company.
 ' Entire capital stock of American Transfer company.
 "Forty-one thousand, five hundred and ninety shares capital stock of United Pipe lines.
 '.Entire capital stock of American Co.,, Ltd.
 "One hundred and forty-fve. one hun dred and seventy-tifths, of entire interest
 
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