The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-24
ROCKEFELLER
MAKES DENIAL
Replies to the Assertions of
Merritt Before Congress
sional Committee

New York, Nov. 24.-John d. Rock
efeller in statement given out here
last night replied to the charges made
by the Merritt brothers before the
Stanley steel investigating committee
regarding the method used by Mr..
Rockefeller in securing control of the
Mesaba ore mines and the Duluth, Mis-
sabe and Northern railroad. pointing
out that these charges were denied
under oath as long ago as 1905 in lit
fgatton over the Lake Superior Con.
solidated iron mines.
He firth %'1o:e submits the text Of
a paper bearing the dote IT Taaua,y
%. 1897. to which are attached the
names of Alfred and Leonidas Mer-
ritt. and all the other members Of
the family" declaring themselves sat-
isfied that neither Mr.. Rockefeller nor
his agents committed fraud or made
Misrepresentation in the manner in
question.
Mr.. Rockefeller then sets forth
what he says are "the facts with re-
gard to the loans, to which the Mer-
ritts testified. and denies that the
loans in question were ever called by
him.
The statement is as follows:
/ I'm the matter Of the evidence Of
the Merritt brothers before the Stan.
ley committee in Washington, D. c.,
rejecting upon John D. Rockefeller
In connection with some ore and
railroad properties on the Mesabc
range. Mr.. Rockefeller authorizes
the following statement: Referring
to the testimony Of the Merritt broth
ers before the Stanley committee in
which they charged fraud and mis-
representation by Mr. Rockefeller and
Mr. Gates. In connection with the
Mines. and that they were deprived
of their interests in that company by
means of loan made them by MIR.
Rockefeller of $4,000 which he
called during the panic of 1898, all of
which statements were denied under
oath in the United States court at the
trial of the litigation in 1897 it would
be absurd to try in the newspapers at
this late date the issues in that case.
nut 1T is significant that upon the
settlement which was made at the
close of the litigation. both Alfred
and Leonidas Merritt. the two men
who testified before the Stanley com,
mittee. together with all the other
members of the family. gave MIR.
Rockefeller the following paper:
Certain matters of difference
have existed between the undersigned
and John p. Rockefeller. and a court
litigation has been pending between
the undersigned Alfred Merritt and
Mr: Hockefelier In which litigation it
was claimed that certain misrepre-
sentations were made by Mr.. Rookie
Teller and those acting for him con-
corning certain properties sold by him
to Lake Superior Consolidated IRON
mines. it is hereby declared that from
recent independent Investigations
made by us or under our direction we
have become satisfied that no mis-
representation was made or fraud
committed by Mr.. Rockefeller. or by
ms agents or attorneys for him. up
on the sale by him of any property to
us or any one of us. or to Lake Super
ior Consolidated Iron mines. or upon
the purchase by him from one or
more OF us any stocks or interests in
any mining or railway company or
companies or upon the pledge by us
or either of us to him of stocks and
securities belonging to one or more of
us: and we hereby withdraw all such
charges and claims and exonerate Mr.
agents therefrom.
Duluth. Mimi. January %. 1897.
In the presence of Merrill NJ. Clark.
Joseph E. Cotton.
"(SignedD Alfred Merritt. Jane A.
Merritt. Leonidas Merritt, Eliza beth
r. Merritt. Andrus r. Merritt, Eliza
beth D. Merritt. Lillian Merritt. Nav
!. Merritt. Eta NJ. Merritt, Wilbur i
Merritt. Ida Merritt. Andrus r. AIer-
ritt. as surviving partner of the late
firm Of G. G. and A. r. Merritt; Eliza
NJ. Merritt: Hanson f. Smith, as adj
ministrator Of the estate Of Cassius G.
Merritt. deceased: Napoleon s. Mer.
ritt. Matilda T. Merritt. Eugene r.
Merritt. Anna Merritt: Thos. Merritt:
Johnnie s. Merritt"
The facts with regard to the loan
were as follows:
THE loans aggregatins s42O. 900
were made by Mr.. Rockefeller in var
ious amounts during the summer of
1898. Mr.. Rockefeller never called
these loans. In February, 1894. the
Merritt brothers. being pressed by
other creditors. applied to Mr.. Rookie
teller for further assistance. Instead d
OF calling his loan. as the charge, he
furnished them an additional sum of
*4So.Oo0. They sold him 10000
shares of stock at $40 share.
to 100000. the several
members of the family contributing
different proportions. For one hair
OF this, more than enough to cover
TCOntinllcd on Papo CT