The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-23
COMMITTEE TO ASK ROCKEFELLER AND
 GATES TO TESTIFY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE D


 have gone to New York with millions and in four months have lost them all, and was standing there contemplating the wreck. I had gone there placing confidence in Mir. Murray as counsel.'
 T would like to interrupt here," said MT. Rocekefellers counsel, rising to his feet, ito have the witness asked if I ever acted as his counsel. Any such statement Is an absolute false hood"
 'T will answer that" said Merritt. Weren't you the counsel for the Con- solidated company and didn't you act with me throughout these proceed ings?"
 Here Chairman Stanley interrupted and said he did not propose to have witnesses insulted, but he permitted the question as to whether MT. Murray had ever acted as Merritt's personal counsel and the witness said he had not.
 Representative Bealle asked Merritt if he understood when he put up his col lateral with Rockefeller that it was only for short time, and he said he so under stood
 T was assured all the time,' said Mer- rltt, that the collateral would be up only a short time. Gates told me that
 
 Value of Securities
 What was the value of your securi- ties put up to cover that Rockefeller loan?" asked Mir. Bealle.
 About $1O,O00,00O," Merritt answered
 'Then your negotiations with Rocke- feller lasted only a few months?"
 "Yes."
 .'At the end of that time did you own the railroad?"
 "No."
 Did you own any of the milling stock or any of the mines?"
 "What did you have?'
 "I had a chance to walk from New York to Duluth on the ties. That was all [ had in sight,"
 New York with Rev. s. D. Gates, Mr. Rockefeller's almoner Gates urged him to accept the consolidation of interests proposed by MT. Rockefeller.
 Gates took me to Rockefeller" said Merritt, "and felt honored. He seemed to be a kindly, brotherly sort of fellow He talked about the weather and asked me about my family. He told me my brother and I were all right for he had looked us over and he believed we had done great work in Minnesota. He said if we would agree to the consolidation he proposed he would take care of us.
 He said he would be proud to be- come partner and packer. He also said he never speculated and for that reason would take no stock In the consolidation. He would just keep the bonds in the proposed Lake Superior Consolidated Iron Mine company that we were organizing, he said. His talk cheered me and I,told him I would agree. He then went Ever to Dew Dr GateS'
 MT Gates told him MT. Rockefeller twas hard up," witness said.
 By golly," said Merritt, "I believed him then but now believe Gates lied." Arrangements for the taking over of bonds by MT. Rockefeller were delayed for some time.
 Tt was brutal" said Merritt, the way we were held back by George Wellesworth Murray, MT. Rockefeiler's counsel, and Pastor Gates. In the meetings Gates tried to talk the time away. One entire meeting cost me $60 in lost time of useless listening I did not realize then the delays were just an excuse to hold us off. Finally went to a director of our company, an honest woodsman whom I had known for years. He had been to see Mr. Rockefeller and this is what he