Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1906 — BILLS AGAINST STANDARD OIL [ARTICLE]

BILLS AGAINST STANDARD OIL

Two Federal Grand Juries Sitting at Chicago Return Ten Indictments —Heavy Penalty. Chicago, Aug. 29. —The Standard Oil company received a stinging blow at the bands of the United States, government, when the two federal grand juries which have been investigating the relations of the oil corporation with various entering in Chireturned ten indictments to Judge Bethea. In the indictments there is a total of (1,428 counts, each representing an allegation of the government that Standard Oil received an unlawful rebate from one of the railroad comIMinies involved. 4 The railroads named In the indictments. but which for the. present are not charged with guilt by a federal grand jury, are: Chicago Burlington and Quincy, Chicago and Alton, Chicago and Eastern Illinois, Evansville and Terre Haute, Illinois Central, Southern Railway. Lake Shore and Michigan Southern. The Indictments vary only in the name of the railroad Involved and in the particular shipment alleged to have caused the Illegal rebate. Practically the ten form one big indictment, under which the minimum fine of SI,OOO on each count would be $6,428,000. If the Standard Oil is found guilty under each count and the fine is placed at the maximum of $20,000, the total of the fines would reach the astonishing figure of $128,560,000.