New-York tribune., 1911-11-24
Statement Issued from Standard
Oil Building Declares Instead
He Furnished Brothers
with More Money the
Following Year.

Missabe &; Northern Railroad.
The statement was issued from the
Standard oil Building, No. % Broadway.
and it included a copy Of paper signed
on January -, 1897. by Alfred and
Leonldas Merritt, who testified before
the Stanley committee. and "all other
members Of the Merritt family This
paper, referring 10 the Lake superior
Consolidated Iron Mines. says: No mis-
representation was made or fraud COM
mitted by Mr. Rockefeller, or by his at
torney or attorneys for him.
Mr.. Rockefeller sets forth what he
SAYS are "the facts with regard 10 the
loans" of S420,O00 which the Merritts
testified he called during the panic OF
1898. He denies that he called these
loans, adding that instead he furnished
an additional sum of S4s0,0o0' In 1894.
The statement follows:
rs Broadway.
New York.
November %. 1911
In the matter of the evidence or ths
Merritt brothers before the Stanley com
mittee in Washington. D c., rejecting
upon Mr.. John d. Rockefeller in connec-
ton with some ore and railroad proper
ties on the Mesaba Range, Mr.. Rocke-
feller authorizes the following state-
ment:
Mr.. RockefeIer's Statement.
Referring to the testimony of the Mer-
rift brothers before the Stanley commit
tee. in which they charged fraud and
misrepresentation by Mr. Rockefeller
and Mr. Gates IN connection with the
Lake SUPERIOR Consolidated Iron Mines,
and that they were deprived Of their in
terest in that company by means OF a
loan made them by Mr.. Rockefeller or
s420, 900. which he called during the panic
of 1893 all OF which statements were
denied under oath in the United states
courts at the trial of the litigation IN
1895. IL would be absurd to try In the
newspapers at this late date the issues
I'm thac case, but II is significant that
upon the settlement which was made ar
the close Of that litigation both Alfred
and Leonidas Merritt. the two who tes-
titled before the Stanley committee to-
gethe~ with all the other members or the
family, gave Mr.. Rockefeller the follow
ing paper:
existed between the undersigned and Mr..
John d. Rockefeller, and a certain lltl-
cation has been pending between the
undersigned Alfred Merritt and Mr..
Rockefeller. in which litigation II was
claimed that certain interpretations
were made by Mr.. Rockefeller and those
acting FOR him concerning certain prop
critics sold by him to Lake Superior Con-
solidated Iron Mines. II is hereby de-
clared that from recent independent IN
vestigations made by us or under our
direction VIC have become satisfied that
no instrumentation was made or fraud
committed by Mr. Rockefeller or by his
agents or attorneys for him, upon the
sale by him OF any property 10 us or
any of us or to Lake Superior ConSoll-
dated Iron Mines, or upon the purcnase
by him from one or more or us or any
stocks or interests in any mining or rail-
way company or companies, or upon the
pledge by us or either of us 10 him or
stocks and securities belonging 10 one or
more OF us: and we hereby Withdraw all
such charges and claims and eXonerate
Mr. Rockefeller and his agents and at
torneys therefrom.
ALFRED MERRITT,
JANE A. MERRITT,
"LEONIDAS MERRITT.
ELIZABETH E. MERRITT,
"ANDRUS r. MERRITT,
ELIZABETH d. MERRITT.
LILLIAN MERRITT,
MAY l. MERRITT.
John f. MERRITT.
ETA NJ. MERRITT,
WILBUR J. MERRITT,
IDA MERRITT.
"ANDRUS r. MERRITT,
"As surviving partner of the late f1rm OF
c. G. & A. r. Merritt,
ELIZA NJ. MERRITT,
HANSON E SMITH,
"As administrator estate of Cassius c.
Merritt, de'd.
"NAPOLEON B. MERRITT.
MATILDA T. MERRITT,
EUGENE T. MERRITT
ANNA MERRITT,
THOMAS A. MERRITT,
JENNIE s. MERRITT:
Duluth, Mimi. January 22d. 1891.
in the presence of Merrill NJ. clark
Joseph b. Cotton
The facts with regard to the loan were
as follows: The loans aggregating Si2O,-
900 were made by Mr.. Rockefeller In
various amounts during the summer or
1Sg3 Mr. Rockefeller never called these
loans. In February. 1894, the Merritt
brothers. being pressed by other credi-
tors. applied TO Mr.. Rockefeller for tur-
thor assistance. Instead OF calling his
loan, as they charge he turhished then
an additional sum OF $4SO,OOO. They sold
him 90 900 shares OF stock at so "A share.
amounting TO $4,000 the several mem-
bers or The family contributing different
nronortions For one-half OF this, more
than enough TO cover his loan 10 them
no gave TO each of them an option TO re-
purchase I'm a year at the price that they
had sold il to him. with s per cent in
terest Prior 10 the expiration OF the
wear Alfred Merritt. one of the brothers
Who testified before the committee,
brought suit against Mr.. Rockefeller, and
ne and several of the others never en-
deavored to exercise the option. Another
brother and nephew, at the expiration OF
The option, applied for an extension OF
II on their stock which was given, ana
tba,, suhseouently took back their stock,
o1n1unting 60 10000 shares. and on the
formation of the steel Corporation sold
Il to that company.
May Quit Oil Presidency
II was reported from Boston yesterday
that John d. Rockefeller would retire as
nresident of the Standard oil Company
of New Jersey as soon as the reorgani-
zation of the company In accordance
with the decree of the United States Su-
nreme Court was carried out. which will
no ON December l. The report was con-
sidered i'm Wall Street to be not improb-
able I'm view of Mir Rockefeller's age-he
Is now In his seventy-third year-and
the fact that he has not been active i'm