Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-25

ritt brothers before the Stanley commits
sion I'm which they charged maud and
MIR. Gates in connection with the Lake
superior Consolidated Iron mines and
that they were deprived OF their interest
made them by Mr.. Rockefeiier OF 5000
which he called during the panic OF 1888,
all OF which statements were denied I'M
der oath In tile 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
It is signitieent that upon the settlement
litigation, both Alfred and Leonidas Mer-
ritt. the two who testified before the
bsn,S{ 'T sn,beTs tS fauiIy wv" ravr
Mr.. Rockefeller the following paper:
Certain matters OF difference nave eN-
listed between the undersigned and John
-. Rockefeller, and court litigation
has been pending between the under
signed, Alfred Merritt and MIR. Rookie
teller, in which litigation It was claimed
that certain INSTRUMENTATION were
ms for him concerning certain proper.
Ties sold by him to Lake superior Con-
solidated Iron mines. II is hereby de
clared that from recent independent In
designations made by US, or under our
direction wo have become satisfied that
no misrepresentat ion was made or fraud
committed by Mr.. Rockefeller, or by his
agents or attorneys for him, upon the
sale by him OF any property to us or
any OF us or to Lake superior Consoli-
dated Iron mines, OF upon the purchase
| by him from one or more OF ne, of any
stocks or interests in any mining or rail-
road company or companies, or upon the
pledge by us or either of us to him OF
stocks and securities belonging to one or
moro OF US; and we hereby withdraw
all such charges and claims and exon
crate MIR. Rockefeller and his agents and
attorneys therefrom.
The facts with regard 70 the loans we're
| The loans aggregatlng $4,000 were
made by Mr.. Rockefeller In various
amounts during the summer of 1898. Mr.,
! Rockefeller never called these loans.
/ in February, 1884, the Merritt brothers,
being pressed by other creditors, applied
to MIR. Rockefeller for further assistance.
! Instead OF calling his loan as they
charge. he furnished them an additional
sum of S4S0,000 They sold him $4,000
shares OF stock at $40 share, amounting
to $9OO,OOC the several members OF the
family contributing different proportions.
For one-half OF this, more than. enough
to cover his loan to them. he gave 10
! each OF them an option to repurchase IN
a year at the price that they had sold II
/ to him, with 9 per cent interest. Prior
to the expiration of the year Alfred Mer.
J rift. one OF the brothers, who testified
before the committee brought sui,
against MIR Rockefeller and he and sew
erai OF the others never endeavored "a
exercise the option. Another brother and
| nephew, at the expiration OF the option
! applied for an extension of II ON their
stock, which was given. and they subse.
quently took back their stock amounting
to 10000 shares and on the formation OF
the steel corporation sold it to that com.
pany
Merritt Answers.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-Leonida.
Merritt late tonight answered John d
Rockefeller He declared that the paper
mentioned by Rockefeller was voluntarily
the Merritt brothers and that Rockefeller
will not deny that Merritt took $500, 900 90
worth OF securities to New York anC
several months afterwards left ther,
penniless Mr.. Merritt assured MIR
Rockefeller that he would not have az
attorney insult or grill Rockefeller q
Rockefeller appeared before the house
committee.