The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-11-25

Ing, buying, refining, transporting and
selling petroleum and its products and
they were conducting about 80 per
cent. OF the production of the crude
oil and more than IS per cent. of the
business Of purchasing, refining, trans.
porting and selling petroleum and its
products in this country. Many of
them were engaged in in
these articles, among the several
states and with foreign nations, and
were naturally competitive.
Competitors Disappeared.
During the 10 years prior to 1879
the seven individual defendants had
acquired control of many corporations,
partnerships and refineries that had
been competing in this business, had
placed the majority of the stock of
thpse corporations and the interests in
property and business thus obtained in
aed by them for the stockholders of
the Standard Oil Company, of Ohio,
one of the 10 companies in which the
Individual defendants were principal
stockholders, and had thereby sup
pfssed competition among these cor
pNations and partnerships.
Tin 1879 they and their associates
caused all the trustees to convey their
interests in the stock, property and
bGiness of all these corporations TO
FIVE trustees to be held, operated and
distributed by them for the stockhold-
eB of the Standard Company of Ohio.
Fpm 1879 until 1892 they prevented
tise corporations and others engaged
I'M this business, where they secured
cGtrol, from competing in this COM
mSrce by causing the control of their
otrations, and generally of a majority
oftheir stocks, to be held in trust for
tb stockholders of the Standard COM
p8y, of Ohio, and from 1892 until 1899
THY accomplished the same result by
a limilar stockholding device and by
thu joint equitable ownership Of the
majority of the stocks of the corpora
tids.
All Merged in 1899.
In the year 1899 the sever individ-
ual defendants and their associates
catsei the majority of the stock of
the II corporations to be transferred
to The Standard Oil Company of New
JeBe, in exchange for its stock, so
that he latter company thereby ac-
CURED The legal title to a majority of
the stick of each of the 19 companies,
the cQtrol of these companies and Of
all tn companies which they con
trolleoa and the power to fix the rates
of transportation, the purchase and
selling prices of petroleum and its
produes, which all these corporations
shouldpay and receive in the conduct
Of the business in commerce among
the sites and with foreign nations.
Sine that exchange of stock the
seven adividual defendants have been
and ae stockholders and officers of
the Stndard Company of New Jersey,
which las exercised and is still using
that p@er, and by it's use it has pre-
ventedand is still preventing competi-
ton incommerce among the states
and win foreign nations among these
corporations.
Branded "Conspiracy."
"Hld,l the transaction constituted
a combination and conspiracy in re-
strant of and to monopoliZe commerce
anong the states and with foreign ma
tins in violation of sections / ano =
OF. the antitrust act of July 2, 1890,
am the government is entitled to an
~inlnction against the further continu-
ane and operation thereof"
The decree ~enjoins the seven indi'
vidal defendants, the Standard Oil
| Company and it's subsidiary corpora
tios, from continuing or carrying in
to fleet the Illegal combination they
hap formed and from entering into
any like combination or conspiracy
th%eeffect Of which will be to restrain
interstate commerce IN petroleum or
it's PRODUCTS, or to prolong the unlaw-
full monopoly Of such m OBJ.
taisd by the defendants as stated in
the decree, and they are forbidden
fror engaging or continuing in inter.
stat, until they discontinue
thei illegal combination. The decree
take effect 80 days from the date of
it's ling unless suspended by an APP.