Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-23

that by admitting the testimony OF the
! Merits. he had done a great service
/ TO humanity,
/ The committee adjourned, tonight.
probably not to meet again until after
| Congress convenes. The objection by
| the Steel Corporation To continuance
of the hearings because of the govern
! nents suit against it. will then be
taken up by the full committee. Rep.
| Liftletown of New York, a Democratic
member who is opposed to the COM
mittee proceeding further until the
House has been consulted regarding
! The situation. remained away from the
, committee, today Another witness. to-
dav. was p. II. Nelson of Duluth, al
mining operator, who said thai the
freight rates charged by the United
States Steel Corporation in the Lake
superior region, We're eXorbitant
The Steel Trust recently reduced the
Freight rates over their ore roads from
so cents to GO cents a ton" he said.
but the 60-cent rate is exorbltant.
agree with James J. Hin that 7 per
cent earning is enough for q raiir0ao.
To tring per cent. earnings on their |
ore roads the Steel Trust should Re |
duee rates to % or 50 cents a ton.
washington, Nov 22.-With a bit |
terness that lent emphasis to his Ut
terances and at times fairly beside |
himself with pent-up rage, Leonidas
Merritt told the Stanley steel Trust
committee. today. a personal narrative
of his dealings with John ID. Roeke-
fell and how the latter had foree7
him ollt of thc copper business i'm Min
nesota.
Mr. Merritt declared that it was aft
~ he had turned down a proposition
from Mr.. Rockefeller which ne char
aeterized as stealing that Rookie
teller called upon him to pay mil
ion dollar loan and brought about mis-
downfall The proposition, Mr.. Mef-
lit, came through the Rev DIR. Gates.
Mr. Rockefeller's aimoncr.
4 listened in amazement to it," sail
Merritt. 1T meant that several mellI
you'd be thrown out of the company
md their stock taken. turned To
3ates and said: Mr.. Gates, you came |
rom John d. Rockefeller. Go back
o John d. Rockefeller and tell him
hat when / steal for a living | will |
'tedl LOT myself
At one time during the remarkable
.ecital of his dealings with Mr.. Rookie
'elIer, an encounter between the Wit
ness and George w. Murray, counsel
for the Standard Oil magnate, was
averted.
Merritt turning suddenly in his
shaiir and facing Mr.. Murray, pounded
The table as he declared:
Il couldn't see how in hell l could
have gone to New York with millions
ard in these few months have lost
them ALL and was standing there con-
the wreck. | had gone there
placing confidence in Mr.. Murray as
I would like to interrupt here SAIL
Mr. Rockefeller's counsel, rising to his
feet. Ito have the witness asked if
ever acted as his counsel. Any such
statement is an absolute falsehood.
Ell answer that said Mr.. Merritt.
Were you counsel FOR the Console
dated Co? And didn't you act with me
throughout those proceedings p?
Here Chairman Stanley interrupted |
and said he did not propose to have
witnesses insulted, but he permitted
the question as 10 whether Mr.. Muir |,
ray had ever acted as Merritt's per |
sonal counsel and the witness said h |
had not.
Mr.. Merritt said Mr.. Gates told him
Mr.. Rockefeller was hard up" Re
believed it at the time but, today, =
said Mr.. Gates had lied"
During a controversy between At |
torney Murray and the witness, Chair |
man Stanley said:
Mr. Rockefeller ought TO be sum-
moned here and will be summoned.
At one point in Mr.. Merritt's recital, |
Reid. counsel for the Steel |
asked Chairman Stanley |
if he still thought this line of testi- |
mony competent III the inquiry.
1.-THE Chair feels that right at this min I
ute he is performing the greatest public |
service he ever did in his life" Mr.. stan |
ley replied.
I'm connection with the interstate COM
merce law" inquired Mr.. Reid.
"To humanity" was Stanleys reply I
Rep. Danforth, Republican, of New /
York. at the conclusion of Merritt's testi- !
mony. moved that all the testimony OF I
the Merritt brothers be stricken from the |
record on the ground that 1t was irrele- |
rant TO the inquiry. The motion was lost, |
Reps Stanley, Beal and McGillicuddy |
Democrats voting no. and Reps. Dan |
forth and Gardner, Republicans, vosinS /
yes Mr. Littleton. the only other mem |
Der of the committee in Washington, was |
not present.
The committee adjourned. at 9.25 p. NJ, |
and will not meet against I'M |
til after Congress eonvenes.