Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-24

cfcller was elected vice president oY the
trust and president of the Standard OIL
Company Of New York. In the creation
of this enormous business Mr.. Eockc.
fcller played an important part. He
was famous for his exact knowledge of
oil the details of the operations Of.thp
company. close discrimination, clear and
correct Judgment, and his opinions al
ways had great weight in the affairs Of
his corpora tion.
Mr.. Rockefeller wns married in 1854
in Fairfield. Conn. to Miss Almiru
Geraldine Goodscll. and has four chill.
drcn living.
In 1873. he built the house on the
northeast corner Of Fifth avenue and
Fifty fourth street. New York. which
has ever since been the family residence.
His splendid country scat is on the
North River. between Tarrytown and
Scarborough, upon the old Axpinwall
estate.
Large wealth enabled him 10 ex.
tend his interests and he becnme n di.
rector Of the Consolidated Gas Com
pany. Of New York. the United States
Trust Company. the National City
Bank. the Hanover National Bank, the
Leather Manufacturers National Bank,
the New York. New Haven and Hart.
ford. the Delaware. Lackawanna and
Western and the Chicago, Milwaukee
and st: Paul Railroads.
Mr.. Rockefeller had been IN III health
for many years. The state Of his health,
in fact. and his whereabouts. became
a matter of intense public curiosity in
lo12-13. when the congressional com
mittec investigating the ''money trust"
desired him as a witness. He could not
be found. For months the sergeant at
arms of the House Of Representatives
led search which was fruitlcss. The
iinancier's Fifth avenue house in New
York was bcsieged by subpoena serv.
ers, detectives! reporters and an Idle
throng for days; his residence Mt Tarry-
town. y. T., the Standard OIL Offices on
broadway and his clubs were watched
without avail.
When attorneys representing him
finally capitulated by acccptiny the sub.
pocna for him it was disclosed that he
was IN his Southern cottage, but his
physician cmphatically maintained that
TO ask Mr.. Rockefeller to answer ques.
tions on witness stand wns to invite
his DEATH lie was subject to such
Spasms OF coughing that speech above a
whisper was likely to strangle him.
lie !njc Committee, still determined
to get his testimony concerning an al.
legged manipulation of the copper mar.
kct with III. II. Rogers several years
previously. arranged n special sitting in
the financier's cottage at Jekyl Island,
but had proceeded with less than
dozen questions when the witness was
seized with laryngeal spasms and palsy.
The committee was unable 10 continue
without fear of causing his death.
II was then that his physicians adj
mittCd h" was suffering from cancer
of the throat.
In almost every respect except his
success as an oil maenate William
Rockefeller differed from his elder
brother. John ID. He was a club man;
his brother belonged to none. He was
interested but slightly in philanthropic
work Of any kind or religious activity.
alongside the blocks of millions his
brother gave away. William Rockefci-
Ter $ largest known gift was 500, 900
TO Wellesley tSollcgc. He was an en-
thus!astic mOtorist. and saw nothing
in golf. of which his brother was such
a dcvotcc. He did not enjoy the lattcr's
rugged health. Although there was no
known estrangement and they both had
summer residences at Tnrrytown, y.
v. the brothers were seldom seen to.
gcther.