The Washington herald., 1912-05-28
To TEST SUPREME
COURT DECISION
Commissioner Taking Testimony in
Waters-Pieree Oil Case in
New York.
SAY JOHN D. SOUGHT CONTROL

New York, May H.-whether the
Standard OIL Company has compiled with
the Supreme Courts decree Of dissolu-
ton or whether it has even made a
sincere effort to do so will probably be
revealed within the course Of a week
through judicial inquiry begun here to-
day.
The inquiry is due directly to the ef-
forts Of John D. Rockefeller and the
old Standard OIL crowd to retain con-
troll Of the Waters-Pierce OIL COMPANY
OF Missouri. This concern was for many
years one OF the big subsidiaries OF the
Rockefeller Oil Trust The Supreue
Courts decree ordered that it should
be completely segregated from the
parent trust
At the annual election Of directors OF
the Waters-Pierce Company held in St
Louis last February, Robert Stuart. OF
chicago, president Of the Standard Oil
Company Of Indiana; George w. Mayer.
OF Kansas, formerly manager Of the
STANDARD Oil Company of Indiana, and
Charles NJ. Adams, formerly secretary
treasurer Of the Waters-Pierce Com
pany, appeared with proxies for 2O53
shares held by John D. Rockefeller and
associate interests, but were not allowed
to vote by the teIlers selected by H.
clay Plerce, president OF the company.
AlIeGe Court Violation.
The contention of the Pierce crowd
was that although the proxies represent
ed IS per cent Of the companys stock,
the election Of the three men on the
proxies they hold would be a haErant
violation Of the Supreme Courts man
date against the system Of interlocking
directorates, through which a small
group Of men can dominate one or more
industrial interests of the country. The
Rockefeller crowd Joined issue with the
Pierce crowd on these points and OBJ
tained from the Circuit Court OF Mis-
souri, a mandamus to compel the teIIers
OF election to count the votes OF the
would-be Rockefeller directors.
In opposing this order Of the Missouri
court Pierce and his associates resolved
to test to the limit the meaning and
power Of the Supreme Courts decision
that is supposed to have dissolved the
oil trust The Missouri court appointed
Abraham l. Jacobs, special commission
er to take testimony in New York. IT
was before him that the hearing was
begun to-day in the law library of Sam
uel UHtermeyer, counsel for H. CLAW
Pierce. Associated with Mr.. Untermeyer
is Frederick N. Judson, a leader OF the
st. Louis bar.
May Summon Rockefeller.
Mr.. Untermeyer has subpoenaed all Of
the dominant factors in the Standard
Oil Company OF New Jersey, the hold
ing company Of the trust, to appear as
witnesses. He will force ]. D. Rookie
feller on the stand within a few days.
All nine Of the directors Of the reorean-
lied Standard Oil Company also have
been subpoenaed. They are John d.
president; Charles T. White,
secretary; James A. Moffett, vice presi-
dent; Alfred c. Bedford, treasurer;
Frederick H. Bedford, Walter C Teagle,
Charles NJ. Pratt, Charles W. Hsrk-
ness, Orville waring, and Walter len
kins. Others who have been subpoenaed
are Robert W. Stuart, F. c. Morrell,
Mortimer F. Elliott, general counsel;
George Cheseborough, William N. Hutch
ins, Albert C. Weed, Richard C. Belt,
and John T. Lee, all directors or officers
Of other old Standard Oil subsidiaries.