The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-24
ROCKEFELLER
MAKES REPLY
TO MERR|TTS
Shows That the Missabe Ore
Mines Matter Was ThreShed
Out in Court as Far
Back as 1895.
PRODUCES A PAPER
EXONERATlNG HIM
Gives What He Says Are the
Facts Concerning the Loan,
Which He Declares He
Never Called.

FEW YORK, Nov. e3.-Johu D,
IL Rockefeller, in a statement given
vi out tonight. replied 10 the
l charges made by the Merritt
brothers before the Stanley steel
Investigating committee. regarding the
methods used by Mr.. Rockefeller in Sc
curing control of the MiRsabe ore. mines
and the Duluth. Missabe & Northern
railroad. pointing out that these charges
were denied under oath as long ago as
1925 in litigation over the Lake Superior
Consolidated Iron mines.
He submits the text OF a paper dated
January %. 1897, to which are attached
the names of Alfred and Leonidas Mer-
rlt and ''all the other members Of the
family" declaring themselves satisfied
that neither Mr.. Rockefeller or his agents
committed fraud or made Inisreprcsenta-
tions In the matter in question,
MI Rockefeller then sets forth what
he says are the t'facts in regard to the
loans" TO which the Merritts testified.
and denies that the loans in question
were 'ever called by him"
Statement Issued.
The statement. which waE Issued to-
night from No. rs Broadway, follows;
'In the matter Of the evidence OF the
Merritt brothers before the Stanley COM
mittee in Washington, D. c.. refecting
upon JOHN ID. Rockefeller, in connection
with some ore and railroad properties
on the Missnbe range. Mr.. Rockefeller
authorizes the following statement:
referring to the testimony OF the
Merritt brothers before the Stanley COM
mittee, In which they charged fraud and
Misrepresentation 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 loan
made them by RI. Rockefeller OF S42O,o0o,
which he called during the panic OF 1893,
all OF which statements were denied un-
der oath in the United States court at
the trial Of the litigation In 1895. it would
be absurd TO try In the newspapers at
this late date the issues In that case.
but il Is significant that upon the set
tlep,cnt which Was made at the close OF
that litigation, both Alfred and Leonidas
Merritt, the two who testified before the
Stanley committee, together with all the
other members of the family. gave Mr.
Rockefeller the 1plloNihS paper.
Nc Fraud Committed.
Certain matters OF difference have eI-
listed between the undersigned and Mr.,
John D. Rockefeller and q court litigation
has been pending between the under
signed, Alfred Merritt and MI Rookie
felIer, in which litigation 1t was claimed
that certain Misrepresentation were
made BY Mr.. Rockefeller and those act
ing for him concerning certain properties
sold by him TO Lake Superior Consoli-
dated Iron Mines. It is hereby declared
that from recent independent investisa-
tiops made by Us or under direction we
have become satisfied that no misrepre-
senta tion was made or fraud committed
by MT, Rockefeller or by his agents or
attorneys for him. upon the sale oy
him Of any property To US or any OF US,
or tn the Lake Superior Consolidated
Iron Mines or upon the purchase by him
from one or more OF US OF any stocks
or interests In any mining or railway
company or companies, or upon the
| Dledge by us or either OF US 10 him OF
stocks and securities belonging to one or
more OF us; and we hereby withdraw all
| such charges and claims and exoncrate
| Mr. Rockefeller and his agents and at
\ torncvs theTcfronl.