The Washington times., 1908-11-20
Standard Oil Attorneys
Work Neat Trick on Fed
eral Prosecution.
STOPS TESTIMONY
WITH YEAR 1881
No Questions Can Be Asked
of Transactions Since
Then.

NEW YORK Nov. 20.-JOhn ID. R8cIzt
feller did not look Ike a man vino ex-
pected TO be put on the griddle today
when he walked with that stealthy
tread into the custom house building.
where evidence IS being heard looking
10 the undoing OF the Standard Oil
Company Of New Jersey.
Mr.. Rockefeller IS TO go under the fire.
OF Trust Buster" Frank b. Kellogg, ths
Governments special counsel, today.
but the hgh-priced lawyers for the rich
est trust IN the world seem TO have
stolen a march on Uncle sam and his
trust buster in that Mr.. Kellogg viii
not be permitted TO cross-examine the
head Of the gigantic monopoly as to
events that occurred after 1852.
It was in 1EsZ that the trust agree
ment was entered into by Mr.. ROcke-
feller and his assistants. Up 20 that
time It was the Standard Oil Company
Of Ohio Mr.. Rockefeller has already
told how he and his company dealt
fairly % man and woman, 10 rich rival
and street-corner competitor" Mr..
Rockefeller and his lawyers managed
to get the exciting history OF the COM
pany which he was unfolding stopped
after the Standard became an ectual
trust
Stopped on Safe Ground.
In doing this the probe which Mr.
Kellogg had sharpened for AIr. Rookie
feller has been duued. -sir. RockefeI-
ler's lawyers withdrew him from the
witness stand when he began tTeaQiug
on thin ice. and the attorney for the
Government VIII not be able 10 drag him
10 those deep waters They can cross .
question him as Tar as he has gone with
his WOudrOus story Of how the Standard
OIL Company Eunded its mountains OF
gold out OF a borrowed 5000 and they
can ask him a few questions about how
he and the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany entered into An arrangement by
which he drew rebates from the rail-
road company. But beyond the vital
year-lSSz-Nr. Rockefeller has told no
story ami Air. KeiloEE cannot hUrl Ques-
tons at him regarding The truth or
faisity CT the same.
1t was all very clever. Some persons
had looked for some trick move on the
part Of the Standard oil attorneys, but
they did not expect just what came or
Yesterday afternoon. II is little wonder
that Mr.. Rockefeller was smiling, stiu
amiable. talkative, today
Begins CTOss-ExaminatiOn.
Mr.. Kellogg plunged at once into his
cTOss-eXaminati0u when the oil king
took the stand.
Q.-I believe you stated, MT Rookie
feIler. that the oil business was a busi-
ness of great hazard?
O.-The element Of that hazard which
you mention was the uncertainty OF
producti0u2
A--Tes-
Q.-That was the principal element
A.-The element which I mention had
reference to the instability of the in
VeStment in oil, there being no EuOWI-
edge when the supply would cease.
Q.-NOW, In the Pennsy lVaula neld.
while certain ! -tt7nS Of the field have
decreased. theT g a general increase
from 1860 to IS, vas there nOt2
Al could not give the production
in the various years.
Production at High Tide
Asked If the oil production this year
was not the largest in the history Of
the country. 1Ir. Rockefeller replied.
1T is many times greater now than
ever before. The general production to-
day is much larger than when I was
actively in business
Q-You say the oil business is ex-
tremely hazardous. Do you consider a
business hazardous that has since 1871
increased its capital stock ~ S5ls sJ00,0uJ
and added to its earnings $55l, ,OO0, ,0gJ,
besides having a surplus Of 10000, GJJ2
Al 90 not consider that the question
OF the amount made deLerni5 es Wheth-
er a business IS hazardous or not.
Q-When the thlrJy-nine corporations
was S70,0O0000?
Ayes.
Q.-They are the same as were set
forth in the trust agreement?
Odd you not at the time take in
those stocks at an actual value OF S55,-
no 69S.242
$50 that the stock of the trustees
that is, the trust certincateS-Were is
sued for stock dividends or additional
n-aur# HaH=.raH
Mr., AlnbuTn objected. but was over
After a wrangIe among counsel, AIr.
Rockefeller replied: Il suppose So
Q.-The stock dividend which was paid
was paid on December 81, 1856 in addI-
tional certificates amounting 20 Sl5.-
S2S,200g
Mr.. Mnburn objected. but was over
ruled, and Mr.. Rockefeller replied: yes,
think so.
Present Capital Stock.
Q.-Then the stock of the Standard
OIL Company now is S9S.33S,O00?
Mr.. MiIburn again objected, and was
again overruIed.
A.-Yes.
Of IN 1877 the company had S10,0Jo.-
900 and there was a dividend Of S15,0)0,OJ0
and the stock at present Is S3e OJj,0JJ,
then that would leave SI8 10000 for the
properties of the company
Al cannot tell how much stock was
issued for the properties.
-Q.-That would make the actual cash
investment of Standard oil at present
SIS, ,000, 900?
Again there was an objection, which
was overruled, and Mr.. Rockefeller re-
piled. Il don't know where you get
your SG9, .O0O 7 think 1t would make
Sg6 O0O. 600 1 think the book value is
about SCI. 1000, 600
Q-Yes, about S65, 10000. You said
there was an APPRAISAL
A-Yes and IL was entered on the
books.
O-Since then you have added Sl3,S10,0J0
for trust certificates and stock in
Standard oil?
Al don't know the exact figures.
O-That would make SO 9000, ,000?
A-You are ali right about the sd. 090.-