The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-04
Uncle Sam Oil Company Pro.
moter on Witness Stand.
Weeps as He Tells Story Of
His Struggle.
WAS NEVER DISHONEST
Kept Nothing for Himself in
His Deals.
People Resent Expressions of
Standard in Kansas.

Standard in Kansas.
Amid sobs H. H. Tucker, jr., secre-
tary-treasurer and general manager of |
the Uncle Sam Oil company, told Sat
urday afternoon the history Of the COM
pany which has had such a checkered
career.
He covered the indictments that
were returned against him and as he
termed the determined efforts made to
wreck the company by the enemies
who were alleged to be fellow con-
spirators along with the Standard OIL
company.
HIS testimony was in reality a recital
or history and Of the grievances of
personal nature which he held against
tnose who have been arrayed against
him in the fraud order PROCEEDINGS It
was only broken into at intervals by
his attorney who permitted Tucker to
tell the story in his own way. The
latter would argue his position to the
jury. defending himself against the
testimony that has been presented by
the government.
| He denied that he had ever intended
| to defraud by organizing the Uncle
! Sam company that he had always
been inspired by the best of motives
and that his interests had always been
one with those of the stockholders.
IF I had wanted to be dishonest
| could have drawn $4,000 out of the
| companyS treasury at any time and
kept it with immunity under the ten
per cent stock sales CONTRACT he said
with feeling. "Just as we were maxi
| ing a success of the company a lot of
| knockers came around and tried to
! wreck 1t. All OF the people of Kansas
| resent the oppression of the Standard
in the Kansas oil fields except the at
torneys, both state and federal, whose
| ia fn ant
/ He gave a sketch Of the organization
Of the Uncle Sam company. stating
! that the idea came to him through the
| operation Of the Publishers Oil COM
/ 1904 and 1905 to the Standard Oil
| company until the oil troubles of those
years caused them to practically sus-
i pend business, the Standard Oil COM
the Prairie Oil & Gas company, hav-
/ ing boycotted the Kansas fields. The
/ Publishers company was financially in
| a tight place, said Tucker, and as a
I way out he conceived the idea of a
rival Independent organization, the
/ Uncle Sam company. He had organ
lied this first with a capitalization of
100000 and he had always been
sorry since, he said, that he had not
left it at this amount. He asserted
that the apportionment of 100000
share of preferred stock IN the COM
pany to himself was done solely in the
interests of the stockholders. as a
trust arrangement, to guarantee to the
investors that no outside ring or COM
pany would come in and purchase a
controlling interest to the detriment of
the original stockholders.
Though he did not pay for his stock
in cash, $11, 900 being charged against
him on the books on this account,
Tucker stated tina he had partially
paid for this stock by standing person
ally responsible for the advertising
!. q inn xUh ma W "a n
no financial standing.
Peter Goebel, at present trustee. and
banker Of Kansas City. Kansas,
thought that the company if properly
managed could pay a reasonable divi-
dend on the investment provided the
paraffine plant at Atchison and the
, pipe line we're constructed. He stated
that 200 in profits had been made
thought good markets could be Sc
cured for the products in time.
Tells of Dividends.
"I honestly believed from the oil that
was sold that we had earned that
money to pay those dividends and
think so yet" said H. H. Tucker, Jr.,
who was again placed back in the wit
, ness chair this morning and continued
there in the afternoon.
Though at the time we declared
those dividends we didn't set aside SO
, much money from the profits made by
, the company to declare dividends
knew that we were making the money
to pay these dividends though 1t might
not come just that day from that place
If we put the money back into the
treasury from the profits the next day
: didn't see where there was any
wrong in it morally and don't see II
J yet either.
'sIf we wanted to declare dividends
just to sell stock we could have declar.
, ed a great big dividend or $oO,OOo; we
, had the cash. too.
= "I never did draw any dividend or
Z the treasury or preferred stock held by
Z me- If had I would have turned II
right back into the company because
1 was backing it up"
: Notices were sent out persons whose
d names appeared on fuckers mailing
Y list during the management OF the com
: pany asking these parties to return
e their names along with the amount O
e stock owned by them in preparation
n for a dividend to be declared
Il In a number Of instances. parties re
d turned their names, filling out tn
o blanks, who either represented thei
holdings as larger than they reaii!
were or who gave it that they oWnet
stock when as matter Of fact the!
[. did not possess any.
8 sWhv did you send out these notice
q or blanks? asked Wilson, fuckers at
: torney. w
v wanted to let the people know that W
e were going to pay dividends" sail
tucker. He stated that it was known
at the office that these blanks wer
mailed to some that were not stock
n holders for the reason that they wishe'
r to make it known as far as posslpl
r that the compay intended declarinI
: dividends and paying them.
II don't know of but two or thre
mistakes made that way" Tucker sal,
+ with regard to the dividends wh1cl
It were paid to those who had niled gu
s | sifns when they should not have receiv
# ed the amount Of the dividends paid
/ filling out the slips irregularly.
+ tucker brought up big mass Q
books used In the accounts department