Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-02-15
ROCKEFELLERQUIz
SUDDENLY HALTED
After Few Questions Witness
Shows Signs Of Collapse
PHYSICIAN STOPS PROBERS
Finaneler Is In PitiabIe Condition and
Doctor Declared He Was on Verge
OF spasm Of the Lsrynx and Death
Might Ensue.

OF SPasm OF the ldrynS ano Oedth
Might Ensue.
After an examination OF scarcely
twelve minutes az Jekyl Island, Ga,
By Samuel l'nicrmyer. counsel for the
house money trust" investigating
committee. William Rockefeller. the
aged Standard oil magnate. showed
signs Of laryngeal spasm and indi
cations OF an approaching nervous col
lapse.
ON the insistence OF his physician
the examination of Mr.. Rockefeller
was then discontinued.
Representative pujo. chairman of the
probe committee. made the following
statement:
MIR Rockefcller's condition is sim.
a leaf all over lis body. but after the
first question he began to cough con.
vusiyely ana II was evident that he
was labor!mg under great excitement
and that be was on the verge OF col.
lapse.
lit Nhu " NHirHti etp"is Aht ~"
words he spoke into the ear oil the
stenogra9her who sat beside him. This
he did with the greatest difficulty.
shakink like leaf all the while.
Such thing as an examination
would be impossible. As soon as Dr.
Chappei interviewed and requested
that the hearing proceed no further
on The ground stated By him to Mr.
t'niermyar. felt that II would be dan
gerOus and nhuman TO go further and
! thercupou ordered the suspension OF
the examination "
MI uniermyer asked Mr. Rookie
Teller several preliminary questions,
and then inquired II he recalled the
organization OF the Amalgamated Cop
per company
Il do, Mr. Rockefeller reDlied,
Was IL ~ 1882" MIR. .ntermyer
went On
With great effort Mr. Rockefeller
replied Il think ii was in 1899
He did not complete the sentence
The action Of the muscles OF his face
and the secretion from his mouth evi
IDENTITY prcsaged the choking spell that
Dr. Chappel feared The physician in
teriered Dr. Chappell said.
MIR Chairman. would like to take
the liberty OF demanding your atten
iion to Alr Rockeleller's condition al
the present moment He is showing
some symptoms which preeede these
spasms OF the larynx. and | strongly
urge you not to proceed as in d0ine
so sou are certainly endangering his
life at the present moment You can
see his general shaking now. and he
is now Oh the verge OF spasm OF The
larynx which might choke him
Mr.. Rockefeller dropped back into
his chair. with weak. tired expires
sion as he heard the physician say
that his end might be AZ hand. He
looked piiiably from the chairman &c
the attorney Tor the verdict.
Mr. Pujo insisted IN the following
form that pr. Chappell swear that
death might result from a continua
ton OF the examination:
DO you solemly swear that the
statement you have made with refer.
ence To the present condition of Mr..
Rockefeller is true and according 10
your knowledge as "A physician and
your judgment as an expert?'
Il do. Dr. Chappell replied
Mr. uniermyer. facing square about,
then said 10 Mr. Rockefeller
MIR. Rockefeller, you have heard
Dr. Cnappells statement DO YOU feel
IN snca eand.tion that you think il
unsafe 10 proceed further
Il ceriaEll do. replied Mr. Rookie
Teller. still through his stenographer
Chairman Pujo then made the fol.
lowing formal statement for the rec
ord "The chair states that IN view
of the declaration by nr chappeii
under oath and also Of the witness,
that no further proceedings will be
had at this time