Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-11-23
HOW OIL KING
TURNED A DEAL
OIL MAGNATE TO BE GIVEN A
CHANCr TO TELL HIS SIDE
OF THE CASE.
tale Was VERY DRAMATIC
Rockefeller, With His $500, ,0OO, ,00v,
Could Not Mako Us Steal"
Said Merrill.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 22.-John d.
Rockefeller and his alimoner, the
Rev. +. ID. Gates of Mont Clair, N.
j., will be invited by the house COM
mittee OF inquiry into tho United
States Steel corporation to reply to
testimony given yesterday and today
by Alfred and Leonldas Merrill of
Duluth, Mimi, charging that Rookie
feller, through Gates as his agent.
took from them In 1898. $4,000, 900
in Misable Iron Mine and Duluth.
Misabo and Northern railroad secur-
tiles to satisfy a call loan Of $420. 900.
These securities were afterwards
sold to the United States Steel cor
poration and are today part of that
corporations vast holdings.
Give Rockefeller Hcaring.
fled today that he had gone to New
York with s10,0O0,OO0 in securities,
had met Mr.. Rockefeller and two
months later had negotiated nothing
except a "chance to walk from New
York to Duluth on the Ties" the steel
committee had an executive session.
Chairman Stanley had announced
that Mr.. Rockefeller would be sub
ponaed. The committee decided,
however. to ask Mr.. Rockefeller and
Mr.. Gates II they wished to appear
and to give them an opportunity to
be heard. ''If Mr.. Rockefeller does
not wish to come before the commit
tee" Chairman Stanley announced,
"the committee will not issue a SUBJ
poena for him. The same applies to
Mr.. Gates"
The committee adjourned tonight,
probably not to meet until after con-
gress convenes. The objection of the
steel corporation to a continuance of
hearings because of the government
suit against the steel trust will be
taken up by the full committee.
Merrill Tells His Story
In a voice that rang with bitter
ness and pent-up rage, Leonidas Mer-
rill told the Stanley steel trust COM
sonal dealings with John d. Rocke-
fellow and how Rockefeller had
forced him out Of business in Mime
sofa.
Mr.. Merrill declared it was after
he had turned down a proposition
from Mr.. Rockefeller, which he char
acterized as Stealing" that Mr..
Rockefeller called upon him to pay
million dollar loan and brought
about his downfall.
The proposition. Mr.. Merrill said,
came through Rev. DR.. Gates, Mr..
Rockefeller's almoner.
Listened In Amazement.
81 listened In amazement to IT,"
said Merrill. 1T meant that several
men would be thrown out OF the
company and their stock taken. /
turned to Gates and said:
>" Mr.. Gates. you came from John
D. Rockefeller; go back to John d.
Rockefeller and tell him that when
steal for a living, / will steal for
myself
AT one time during the remarkable
recital of his dealings with Mr.. Rock
efeller. an encounter between the
witness and George w. Murray, coun-
sci for the Standard Oil magnate, was
threatened.
The Preacher Lied.
Mr.. Merrill said that Gates told
him Rockefeller was hard up" He
believed it at the time, but today he
said the preacher had lied"
Merrill related how in 1898 he
went to New York with Rev. S. d.
Gates. Mr.. Rockefeller's almoner.
Gates urged him to accept the con-
solidation of interests proposed by
Mr.. Rockefeller.
Gates took me to Rockefeller"
said Merrill. II felt honored by be-
ing called before such a magnate.
file seemed to be a kindly, brotherly
sort of fellow. He talked about the
weather and asked after my family.
He told me that my brother and
were all right, for he had looked us
up, and that we had done great work
in Minnesota. He said If we would
agree to the consolidation he pro-
posed. he would be proud to be my
partner and backer.
He also said he never speculated
and for that reason would not take
any stock In the consolidation.
Rockefeller Kept the Bonds.
"He would just keep the bonds In
the proposed Lake Superior Consoli-
dated Iron Mine company that we
we're organizing. His talk captured
me. and l told him / would agree.
Then he turned me over again to
the Rev. DR.. Gates"
Here Mr.. Merrill took up the thread
Of his story again and described an.
other interview he had with the Rev.
Mr. Gates.