The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-19
Reviews History of Founding of Oil Trust in Federal Suit to Dissolve
 Company.
B0YISHLY ENTHUSIASTIC
Defense Trying to Show That Trust Was Natural Growth. Not tic Result of Aggressive
 Policy.

New York, Nov lS -Testifyng today with the air of a country gentleman of kindly mcn engaging host of friends with incidents of days long past, John n Rockefeller. president of the Standard oil company reviewed the History of the early oil trade and the evolution of thc first companies into the present so-callrd oll trust. MT Rockefeller was a witness for the de- fense for more than two hours in the suit Co dissolve the standard oil com- pany, which Is being prosecuted by tht United states government and his appearance at tho hearings before for Inner Judge Franklin Ferris inc referee, brought a large crowd to the customs buildings.
 The once active head of the big oil combine was surrounded hy an impos- ing circle of counsel and when he be- Igau hls testimony Inc ga2el complac- entity upon a swarm Of newspaper mon close behind whom pressed throne of people Mir Rockefeller appeared at complete ease and when John c Milburn or counsel for the company ipropoundrd hi4 Hrat question the wit ness spoke out m rll tones as f he desired tho most distant spectator in the room Co hoHr
 Then in a manner that indicated pleasure at what he was about Co tell Mir Rockefeller discussed bis begin. ming in the of business and how under adverse conditions that husiuess grew 10 the proportions of the standard OiI company uf ohio with its capitalization of t.0ooooo Mr RockofrlIcr's eye, kndled in rcncctue on that carly fin. Ianuial organization ud spoll>inc uf ita lmilllon dollar capitalization wiih a- l lmos' hoysh enthusiasm hc aid It semad very large to us, who began witt only sto0Q in 1882
 ] Indeed thr proceedings lost In sense their judicial aerect because O l the manner in which Nr Rockefeller 1 displayed and his answers now anc then contained flashes of Kindly bumor
 A glow of health shows In his amootl shaven face, and to inquirug newsna
 per mon ho replied that bo never fel i better
 The president of the standard oi i GO was dressed iu a plain dark bust ness suit and across his vest ran , heavy gold watch chain. X dark pur pie neckilp, An which large pear l pin was set suucelc1 close 10 a hel i collar
 The development of Mr Roakfelleri
 testimony to-day, which carried hin ] to the organization ol fine Standard oi
 Co Of ohio. indicates that ono of tn l. lines of the defcnso will be that tn
 standard on Co is not tho result of al aggressive policy to obtain a maslow
 of the oil tradc aa charged but rafhc
 the natural outcome of the exigencio ! of the oil industry,
 During brief recess this afternoon l Mir Rockefeller chattcd with the re
 portors on the Standards growth, say . Ing: What a wonderful thing tt al
 has been the growth of this business It all seems like q dream to me and am accused of doing the very wicked
 thing of selling good article at
 lower prlca than any one else.
 This testimony here to-day bring back to my mind SO clearly early day in Cleveland, where we were an friend
 and ncighbors together. How well
 remember that day u Cleveland when
 went into the bank of T, r. Handy win aftervard became ono of my dcares
 friends. l wanted to borrow money
 but l didn't have any collateral no
 any one to endorse my note. 1 told hi
 what | wanted to do with lt and the
 he asked mo how much [ wanted.
 "ro that loan attribute whatcve
 success have had m life since"
 Tho taking of Mr. Rockcfcllrr's testi
 mony will be continued tomorrow.