Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-11-23
SAYS MONTCLA|R
MINISTER HELPED
IN JOHN D. CRAB
Merritt Tells How He Was
High Financed Out
of 100000 900.
SAYS THAT CLERGYMAN
ACTED AS G0=BETWEEN
Victim Threatened With Ruin
Unless He Would DO What
Rockefeller Wanted.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-The Stan
ley committee hopes that john d.
Rockefeller will accept a cordial invi-
: tation to appear before it and tell how
he acquired the Mesaba range ore prop
critics in Minnesota, which he later
turned over to the United States Steel
Corporation. If he does no care to
appear the committee will not try to
force him, but hopes the public Will
think Mr.. Rockefeller has not answered
t. the charges of Alfred and Leonidas
Merritt, of Duluth, that Mr.. Rockefeller
high financed" them out of more than
SO, 600, 600 in less han two months.
Mr.. Rockefeller and Rev. DR.. Gates,
of Montclair, N. j., however, will be
asked if they want to appear. II they
do not that will end the matter.
Leonidas Merritt, brother of Witness
Alfred, who so graphically described to
the committee how he had been
trimmed" by John D., was before Mr..
Stanley and his associates practically
all of yesterday.
At times during his testimony, par
ticulariy when describing how he was
separated from his big fortune by MI.
Rockefeller and DR.. Gates, the tears
rolled down his cheeks and he choked
so that he could no. proceed.
Just think Of it, he cried at the
climax of his testimony as he waved
his fist in the air, when l went to
New Yor,,. to see Rockefeller my
brother, my friends and myself had
$40, 000, 600 worth Of property. / got
about S420, 900 from Rockefeller in loans
and put up S10,0 900, 000 worth of securi-
ties as collateral"
And what did you rave when your
four months of business dealing with
Mr.. Rockefeller were at an end?" in
quired Representative Beall, of Texas.
4 had a nance to walk from New
York TO Duluth on the ties-that's al"
4he witness replied, slamming his hand
on the table.
1t seems that when Leonidas went
to New York in the panicky days of
'93 to talk over the construction plan
proposed by Mr.. Rockefeller he was
met by DR.. Gates, but he refused to
accede to Rockefeller's proposition.
despite the persuasion of DR.. Gates.
DR.. Gates finally told Merritt that Mr..
Rockefeller wanted to see him. Wit
ness said he called on Mr.. Rockefel-
Ter and the latter treated him nicely.
Mr.. Merritt told the committee that
he and his brother might have saved
their millions if they had listened to
one proposition made by Rockefeller
and transmitted to them by the Rev.
>IEr Gates. The proposition was put
forward, Leonidas said. just as he and
his brother were about to be wiped off
the map.
This man Gates came to me-" said
the Witness, and this is what he said:
- come from John D.. Rockefeller.
He has made up his mind just what
he wants done and has the whole thing
planned. am proud to be able to tell
you about it. The other day 1 took
ST. 900, 900 of Mr.. Rockefeller's money
out West and gave it to the Chicago
University. | thought that was the
proudest moment of my life, but I am
even prouder now to be talking this
way to YOU
Gates told witness hat if witness
and his brother done as Mr.. Rookie
Teller willed they would be taken care
of. II listened in a~mazement," con-
tinued witness, when he said that If
Rockefeller protected us the stocks of
others must be thrown down. He
mentioned names. My brother who
was present turned to him and said:
Gates, we've got laws in our country.
To do what you desire would land us
in Jail. Mr.. Rockefeller with his $780,
600, 900 can't make us do that.
Witness told Gates to return to
Rockefeller and tell him that when L
steal for a living 1 will steal for my
self"
Witness Leonidas paused and mopped
his brow.
Gates seemed amazed" he continued,