Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-05-29
JOHN D. SPEAKS
ON S. 0. AFFAIRS
Testifies for Two Hours, but
Does Not Tell Any
thing.
SAM. UNTERMYER FAILS
TO BOTHER OIL MAGNATE
Appears at Hearing of Waters
Pierce Company in New
York.

NEW YORK, May 29.-John d. Rookie
Teller was subjected to a gruelling exam
nation yesterday by Samuel untermyer In
the proceedings instituted In Missouri by
the Waters-Pierce Oil Company to pre-
vent that former subsidiary of the
Standard oil Trust from again falling
into the control of Rockefeller interests.
For two hours Mr.. Rockefeller was In
the witness chair. Brown as a nut and
freekled as a turkey egg the worlds rich
est man stood the ordeal without appa-
rent fatigue. pain or embarrassment. He
was dressed in a natty gray tweed suit,
the frock coat of which was cut In the
latest sartorial fashion. He wore a negli-
gee madras shirt of n delicate pink tint
and with detachable cuffs that frequently
caught the sleeves of his coat and pro-
truded their upper edges. A white silk
four.in-hand tie holding a brilliant EN-
erald stickpin completed his attire.
Mr.. Rockefeller proved u hard task for
the adroit and skillful Mr.. Untermyer.
The lawyer could have finished with the
witness in a few minutes had Mr.. Rookie
Teller not a~rtfully and perslstently avoid
Ell RlNiflE ulTttL unSNtTb W NlibBlt Huto
lions. All Untermyer wanted to elicit
was why he had given his proxy to be
voted by iuen ~avowedly unknown to him
at the last annual election of directors
of the Waters-pierc OH Company. But
Mr.. Rockefeller never did tell, except In
II vague, unsatisfactory sort of way. The
examining lawyer stormed and ragged at
him Mt times, and again would laugh and
plead. But all to little effect upon Mr..
Rockefeller, who insisted upon making
what Mr.. Untermyer called speeches.
instead of giving direct
Gentlemen Direct STANDARD.
At the conclusion of the examination
Mr.. Untermeyer declared that he nad
finally achieved what he had started out
TO do. This was the admission by Mr..
Rockefeller that " a group of gentle
men, are still directing the Standard
Oil from the same old stand at %
Broadway.
Only once did the witness show fire.
Tint was when MIR. Untermyer declared
that there has been no cutting loose of
the STANDARD Oil parts, but a holding
tight
There has been n cutting loose and no
holding tight, flared up Mr.. Rockefeller,
In a voice that could be heard in the
outer hall. He leaned far over oward his
tormenter when he said this and pounded
the table with his open right hand. At
other times Mr.. Rockefeller cooed at Mr..
untermyer softly aud reassuringly.
Ills examination proceeded thus:
do you recall the circumstances under
which you signed the proxies for your
stock in the Waters-Pierce OIL Com
pany?"
II only recall | executed a proxy"
"Do YOU sign everything brought he
fore your"
II am in the habit of signing the
proxies my secretary brings me. | as
sum the correctness of the proxies that
come from my office"
1.-The men in your office have a dis
erection as to what papers they shall APP
prove and send you to slgnf"
TcIsI why He Signed Proxy.
II signed this proxy because 1t came
from the people instructed to reorganize
by the Supreme Court" he explained, but
failed to remember just who these per
sons were. Pressed further, he snid:
"They were a group Of gentlemen;
can't name them all. Perhaps some Of
them"
.Please tell us some of their names, =
almost shouted Mr.. untermyer.
Mr.. Rockefeller leaned Onward and his
outstretched rand trembled a little.
MIR. Archbold, l think" he said, "and
perhaps Mr.. Pratt, Mr.. Bedford and MIR
Jennings.
II have been out of this active bus!-
ness for fifteen years and don't know
the names of all the younger men,"
After further fencing on the questions
as to why he felt justified In signing
the proxies. he said;
81 knew this controlling interest was
not owned Ivy Mr.. Pierce and ] knew
Il was owned by men who had been In
the trust and now liberated"
Has Not Read Decision.
Have you ever read the Supreme
Court decree, Mr.. Rockefeller" asked
Mr.. Untermyer.
NO, / haven't was the answer.
Have you ever had II explained to
your
Il have a general idea.
"If all these gentlemen. these leading
men III the OIL Dusnlfsh, hHW NJ 10 vote
their stock the way you did said the
lawyer, wouldn't II all come bnck into
the bands It was N before the reor-
ganization?"
yes. sir: ] considered them compe.
tent and ! had to rely on them to carry
out the decree of the court. because |
had been out of the business so long.
I was trusting TO the knowledge OF men
who knew better than l. | was relying
on men who ! thought knew hest what
TO do for these different companies"
Just when II seemed not unlikely that
the oil King would be kept on the stand
until dark and after Mr.. untermyer sud
denly snapped out that he had no more
questions TO ask. Then the hearing was
adjourned. BY agreement between the
Inmners n viii NOT be reslImnd unLll