Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-21
Former Directors Of The
Standard Oil Co.
Richard Welt Says He Hears
Them Talking and Joking.
Cross Examination Tends to Show
These Are Business Meetings.

New York, Sept. 20.-In a dining
room at 26 Broadway, and at the same
table where heads of the Standard
Oil planned and discussed the affairs
of the trust IN years gone by, there
meets daily at luncheon now the men
who then directed the affairs of the
company So declared Richard c.
Veft, secretary of the Standard Oil
Co. of New York, testifying, today
before a referee in the Standard Oil
Waters Pierce litigation
Who meets there?' inquired Sam
uel untern1yer, counsel for the Wa
ters-Pieree interests.
Il don't know all of item"
Does John d. Arehbold still sit at
that table,"
Yes"
Does Percy Rockefeller"
Yes"
Similar questions ELECTED the in
formation that others who sat at the
big table were John D. Rockefeller.
William Rockefeller, J. A. Moffett, A.
e. Bedford, II. c. Folger, Jr., c. NJ.
Pratt, Walter Jennings, w. c. Teagle.
NJ #. Elliott. ana others, who We're
formerly officers and directors of the
trust, but are now officers or direc-
tors of the former subsidiaries
Don't these men discuss their bust
ness there daily"
No"
you hear them talking. don't
your"
Yes; they talk in generalities. l
hear them laughing and joking
How long have you been listening
to them as they talked and joked and
laughed"
''Since last December
This line of questioning met with
vigorous objections by .. N. Kirby
the Standards lawyer, and Mr.. Inter
myer dictated the following statement
in reply for the records:
s.The purpose of this questioning is
to show the sham and humbug with
which these people, who have been Sc
gregated into these various companies
meet here daily for the transaction of
their business just as they met every
day in years gone by
Mr.. Welt added that the late II. H
Rogers sat at this table. and that the
Rockefellers always took luncheon
there whenever they were in town.
Mr.. Kirby assailed bitterly this
method of cross examination. inter-
posing multiple objections to almost
every question.
This is being DONE" he finally ex-
claimed, "purposeIy to delay the trial.
1t is being done so that you may APP
ply to the Missouri court, Oct. 8, the
day set for trial, for a postponement
on the ground that you have not com
saIy -
Mr.. Untermyer denied this and ask
ed the Standards lawyer to produce
from his camp" two missing witnesses
in the case.
Prior to the dissolution of the
trust, last December Mr.. Welt said,
the officers of standard Oil subsidi-
aries continually conferred With me
and the managers of other subsidiary
companies. i also conferred with 9TH
er managers regarding the Situation.
Since the dissolution this has been
stopped absointeIys4s = ~
DO any officers or employees of the
Standard Oil Co. of New York con-
fer now with officers or employees. of
other former trust subsidiaries? Mr..
Welt was asked.
NO" he replied, my company de-
ponds entirely on itself Every former
subsidiary is working absolutely in
dependent of every other subsidiary"
Since the dissolution, Mr.. Welt add
ed. both the New York and New Jer-
sey companies have begun the con-
struction of fleets of oil steamers to
compete for trade. Six vessels were al
ready under construction by the New
York company, he said: the New Jer-
sey company was building a fleet in
Germany.
At the resumption of the afternoon
session Mr.. Veit was excused, until
Monday.