New-York tribune., 1911-11-25


$500. the Merritts signing the cxonera-
ton made public by NJ Rockcfclcr FHS-
tcrday.
Told Same Story in 1895.
Tconidas and Alfred Merritt gave SUBJ
stantially the same testimony on the VII
ness stand i'm Duluth IN 1895 as that they
gave before the Stanley committee In
Washington. In manyN cases the'e was
hardly the change OF q word as they re-
lated the details Of various transactions
John d. Rockefeller and +. T. Gates wont
on the stand in Duluth i'm refutation Of the
Merritts. The suit OF the Merritts was
based or a contract signed on August ~
1893 by the Merritts and John u. Rookie
feller, which was the final contract by
which the Merritt properties were taken
into the Lake Superior Consolidated Mines
Company.
Mr.. Rockefeller contendcd that thst con-
tract was tho outgrowth Of two others
one signed on July l. 1893 and the other
on July II. 1925. He testified that he lid
not meet Leonidas Merritt until the middle
of July. 1899. and IT was the effort OF tho
defence 10 show that Mr.. Rockefeller couiG
nOl DFNF NFfflNFu l-bH. dH lilF 'Ni-'''''''
ton was under way before Nj. Rockefeller
mot Lon" Leonidas. or the other hand.
tes,' that no met Mr.. Rockefeller about
tho end OF June. 1898, and that while the
first contract was dated July ]. It was not.
In fact. signed until July s.
There were other essential points Of diff
ference in the testimony. Lon" said that il
was at tho request Of Mr.. Rockefeller, con-
voyed bv =. r. Gates. that he went 10 No.
26 Broadway to see Mr. Rockefeller lie
said that he was introduced to Mr.. Rocke-
leller by +. r. Gates who then left the
room and that the conversation lasted FOR
three-auarters OF an hour, Gates returning
during the last few minutes Of the talk.
Lon" Tells Of Rockefeller Talk.
Mr.. Rockefeller. said Lon talked for a
few minutes Of the weather and then
launched into the advantages Of the con-
soidation Of the Merritt properties with the
Penokee- Gosebic, Aurora and Spanish
American mines. in which Mr.. Rockefeller
held a minority interest. saying that the
three properties were solvent. prosperous
and owed practically nothing outside OF
their bonded indebtedness.
Mr.. Rockefeller and Gates both testified
that the interview lasted only five or ten
minutes and that Gates was present all the
time Gates said tha; the meeting was ar
ranged NJ the request Of 'Lon." who said
that he did not want to so back TO Duluth
and report to the family without having at
least seen Mr.. Rockefeller. who. according
to Gates. made the condition that business
should not be mentioned.
"Mr Rockefeller r. u crank on air" said
Gates. "and he compared the air of Mime
sofa with that Of New York"
Mr. Rockefeller testified that he talked
only about the weather. and that II was a
purely social meeting. that lasted not more
than ten minutes. Re said that he did not
speak of the solvency, prosperity or indebt-
cdness Of the mines In which he was inter
ested He said that he considered the con-
solldation a good thing for the Merritts,
because his mines were well known and
going concerns, while those of the Merritts
were rev and improved properties.
Gates testified that Lon" told him that
Charles W Wetmore. who was interested
with the Merritts, advised him TO keep
getting Mr. Rockefeller i'm deeper and deep
er. and finally he would have TO pull the
whole outfit through in order to save him
self.