Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-11-24
Oil Magnate Declares That
Charges Made by Merritt
Brothers Were Repudiat-
ed by Them Sixteen Years
Ago.
GIVES OUT A
SIGNED PAPER
It Would be Absurd, Says
Mr.. Rockefeller, to Try a
Case Through Newspa-
pers in Which he Has
Testified.


Rockefeller. in a statement given out
tonight. replied To charges made by
Merritt brothers before the Stanley
steel investigating committee regard
ling methods used by Rockefeller in OBJ
tanning control of the Mesaba ore
mines and the Duluth. Mesaba and
Northern railroad, and pointing out
that these charges were denied under
oath as long ago as 1895 in litigation
over the Lake Superior Consolidated
| Iron mines.
| He submits the text of paper dated
January -. 1897. TO which are attached
the names Of Alfred and Leonidas Mer-
.ritt. and "all other members of the
family" declaring themselves satisfied
that neither Rockefeller nor his agents
committed fraud or made misrepre-
sentati ons in the matter in question.
Rockefeller sets forth what he says are
facts with regard to the lOans,'' to
which the Merritts testified, and denies
the loans in question were ever called
lin BY him" The statement. which was
issued from No. 20 Broadway. follows
In the matter of the evidence of
Merritt brothers before the Stanley
committee in Washington. ID. G., re-
Iflecting upon Mr. Rockefeller. in con-
nection with some ore and railroad
properties on the Mesaba range. Mr..
Rockefeller authorizes the following
statement:
Referring to testimony of Merritt
in which they charged fraud and mis-
representation by Mr.. Rockefeller and
Mr. Gates IN connection with the Lake
superior Consolidated iron mines and
that they were deprived of their inter-
est in that company by means of a
loan made to them by Rockefeller of
S420. 900. which he called during the
panic of 1898, all of which statements
were denied under oath in the United
States courts during litigation in 1895,
it would be absurd TO try in the news |
papers at this late date the issues in
vOlved in that case. But ii is signifi- |
cant that upon the settlement which |
was made at the close of that litiga- !
tion. both Alfred and LeOndas Merritt, |
the two who testified before the Stan |
ley committee, together with all other
members of he family, gave Rockefeller
the following papers:
Certain matters of difference have !
existed between the undersigned and
John ID. Rockefeller regarding court
litigation. which has been pending be-
tween Alfred Merritt and Rockefeller.
ir which it was claimed certain mis-
were made by Rookie
feller and those acting for him con-
cerning the properties sold by him to
the Lake Superior Consolidated iron
mines. 1t is hereby declared that from
recent independent Investigations made
by us or under our direction we have
become satisfied that no misrepresen-
were made or fraud committed
by Rockefeller. his agents or attorneys J.
upon sale by him of any property to
us. or to any of us, or to the Lake
Superior Consolidated iron mines.
Nor was any misrepresentation
made upon purchase by him from one
or more of us of anv stocks, interests
in any mining or railway company or
or upon pledge by us. or
either of us to him of stocks and secur-
tiles belonging To one or more of us,
and we hereby withdraw all such
and claims and exonerate
his agents and attorneys
therefrom.
Duluth. Mimi, January %, 1897. In
presence of Merritt NJ. Clark, Joseph
r. Cotton.
Signed. Alfred, Jane. LeOnidas, EliZ
lbeth E. Andrus r., Elizabeth D.. Lii
ian. May l.. John. Eta. Wilbur, Ida NJ.
Merritt. Andrus r Merritt. a surviv-
ing partner OF the late firm of G. c.
and A. r. Merritt: Eliza NJ Merritt.
Hansen f. Smith. as administrator Of
The estate of Cassius c. Merritt; Ma
ooleon r. Merritt, Matilda Merritt, Eu
gene T Merritt, Anna Merritt. Thomas 4,
A. Merritt. Johnnie s. Merritt.
The facts with regard to the loan ,
ire as follows: Loans aggregating ,
;420. 900 were made by Rockefeller in ,
various amounts in the summer of ,
1898 Rockefeller never called the
oans In February, 1894. Merritt bro &
hers, being pressed by other creditors,
.pplied to Rockefeller for further as :
,istance Instead of calling his loan as ,
hey charge he furnished them the ad- r
litional sum of s4SO,000. They sold him
70. 900 shares of stock at SO a share, ,
mounting to 100000. several mem 9
,ers of the family contributing differ :
mt proportions. For One-half of this.
n. re than enough to cover his loan To ,
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