Show rockefeller HOCKE FELLER WANTED AS WIT NESS IN OIL INQUIRY subpoenas issued for magnate and other financiers to appear at st louis investigation new york nov 23 were issued today for john D rockefeller henry II 11 rogers henry M flagler and other financiers to appear as witnesses la the two suits pending in missouri to oust the standard oil company and two other oil companies from doing business in that state the subpoenas directed the witnesses to appear on december 4 before frederick H sanborn of this city who was appointed by governor folk to act as commissioner for tho detate of missouri the others summoned to appear are john D archibald wads hampton Hamp tou walter C tagle james A moffett V W cowan george B wil eon james it taylor charles L edward E bedford walter jennings wesley H allford Tl lford charles M platt frank Q barstow H clay fierce ellaa H pierce richard P tansley robert II 11 and howard page the suits were filed in on march 29 1905 and include beaida tho standard oil company the republic oil company and the alerce oil company tha first suit was brought by attorney general hadley of missouri to ex tuluda tho three defendant corporations from all corporate rights and provide under the laws of the state of missouri that their rights authority license and certificate to 10 lo business under the laws of the state ot missouri be declared forfeited the grounds for this action was an alleged pool or trust agreement between tho three compa ales to regulate the price paid by retail oil dealers in missouri it was charged also that the companies misled the public into the belief that they were three separate and distinct corporation po ration but that they divided up the territory of the state each agreeing not to soil on the others ground euit is in the court of missouri the second suit is very similar to the first but Is brought in the circuit court of jackson county mo st louis 23 the investigation into the standard prairie and waters pierce oil companies was resumed today before special commissioner R A anthony this will toe the last hearing conducted in st louis until after the court has decided whether attorney general hadley has the right to compel the oil companies to produce their books or make their officers testify william A morgan former manager of the standard oil company at ae dalla mo testifying said that the standard oil company issued orders to its agents to undersell competitors at all hazards he asserted that upon one occasion he was supplied with false gauges to e used in the attempt to drive the enemy from the field morgans testimony created a sensation and the standard oil company attorneys offered frequent and vigorous objections morgan testified be went into the employ of the standard oil company january 15 1898 as a salesman soon after he was abade a resident manager of the company with headquarters at sedalia in his jurisdiction was included randolph sheridan howard cooper and benton counties iio was not permitted to sell oil of this territory his reports were sent to G W mayer who had charge of tha standard oil interests in missouri bhea I 1 tool charge of the sedalia office said the witness the standard oil company controlled 60 or CO per cent of the business in that territory inside 0 a short time I 1 had taken the business away from competitors and tho standard before I 1 severed my connection with it in 1901 controlled 90 per cent of the trade in the sedalia territory 1 I waa told to go into the field of our enemy and destroy our competitors continued morgan 1 I was or dareil to sell all goods possible to cut prices wherever necessary the waters pierce company sold within 18 miles ot sedalia and I 1 was not allowed to go into their territory morgan was then asked to tell it he knew of other methods resorted to by the standard oil company besides cutting bricea to get business or kill on competition ho answered that the company furnished him with barrel gauges by which be would be able to show customer that a competitor cold short barrels did you uso those gauged 1 I did not why well I 1 did not think it was proper to use them who were your instructors 1 I was told by mr mayar to use gauges only in extreme cases that is chwe a competitor could driven out by other methods or where other arguments tailed to indue tho merchant to buy from ua to what extent would these gauges indicate a barrel of oil was short when applied to a eold by a competitor from four to anve gallons why did you refuse to carry out instructions sent to you in relation to these gauges 1 I had personal reasons what were they well because I 1 thought these gauges were being used with fraudulent in the elret place good salesmen could dhow by sharp manipulation that barrels were chort |