The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-11-22
FORCED OUT OF
COPPER BUSINESS
Leonidas Merritt Testifies With
Bitterness Before Steel
Committee
BESIDE HIMSELF WITH RAGE
Accuses Rockefeller of Bringing About
His DownfaII-Nearly Clashes
With Counsei.

washington, Nov 22.-With bitter
ness that lent emphasis to his utter
ancc. and at times fairly beside him
self with pent-up rage, Leonidas Mer-
ritt. of Duluth told the steed trust
committee today the personal narrative
of his dealings with Rockefeller, and
how the latter forced him out of the
copper business i'm Minnesota.
Merritt declared it was after he had
turned down a proposition for ore
properties, which the Merritt company
owned from Rockefeller, which he
characterized as stealing" that Rock
cfeller called upon him to pay "a mil
lion dollar loan and brought about his
downfall.
The proposition. Merritt sald came
through Rev. DR.. Gates. Rockefellers
almoner. Merritt said he knew the
proposition meant thai several men
would be thrown out of the company
and their stock taken.
Il turned to Gates" said Merritt
"and said;
Mr.. Gates, you came from John ID.
Rockefeller. Go back to John ID. Rock
efeller and tell him when | steal for
living I'll steal for myself"
At one time during the account Of
his dealings with Rockefeller, AN en-.
counter between the witness and
George w. Murray. counsel for Rock
Merritt said Gates told him Rookie
fellcr was hard up" He believed IL at
the time, but was told, he said, that
Mr. Gates. had lied"
During the controversy between
Murray and the witness Chairman
Stanley announced Rockefeller would
be summoned before the committee.
Alfred Merritt of Duluth, first prcsi-
dent of the Duluth, Missabe &; North
eru railroad, who styled himself a
"lumherjack' unacquaintcd with the
methods of the money trust yester-
day told the house steel trust investi-
eating, committee that through loans
of less than Si,OOOOOO from John d..
Rockefeller he had lost his holdings in
the Mcsaba iron mines and the railroad
properties now owned by the United
States steel corporation, and estimated
to be worth today as high as $780,
10000.
Merritt ana his brother, Leonidas
Merritt were among the original mine
owners i'm the Lake Superior region
and part owners and builders of the
Duluth, Mssabe & Northern railroad.
The elder Merritt declared he was in
ducod through f. ID. Gates, Mr.. Rookie
feller's secretary, "in charge of his
charitable work" to put up all his
holdings as collateral for loans from
Mr.. Rockefeller in 1892 and 1898. one
loan was for 100000. Others were for
various sums Gates, he said, was
Baptist preacher I'm whom he had con-
iidcnCe and who assured him that by
placing a call loan he would not be
pressed and that he would be taken
care Of.
The witness related how two months
after he had put up his cole raj with
Mr.. Rockefeller during the panic OF
1898, Rockefeller called the loan, Civ
ing him twcnty-four hours 10 raise
100000, and, that being unable to raise
the money, he and his brother lost
their property. He admitted that Mr.
Rockefeller offered him an opportunity
To buy his property back within year
but declared that the old king told
hnanciers to keep their hands OFF, and
that he was 'unab BILE to raise money
anywhere.