Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1908 — STRIKES AT MONNETT [ARTICLE]

STRIKES AT MONNETT

Standard Oil Lawyer Gives His Version of That $400,000 Bribe Sensation. HAD TROUBLE GETTING A NAME Action ofthe State Supreme Court in the Matter ..a-- ii ■■ Wiped Off the Files by the Whole Bench—Monnert Responds from Kansas City with the Lie Direct. Cleveland, Oct. 6.—S. # H. Tolies, member of the firm of Kline, Tolies k Goff, attorneys for the Standard Oil Co. has issued a statement giving the Standard Oil Co.’s side of the charges at attempts to bribe F. S. Monnett. when he was attorney general of Ohio. Tolies says: “The charge that Mr. Monnett bad been offered aud had declined a large sum of money to drop bis prosecutions against the Standard Oil Co. was first made public by one George Rice, in an Interview at Marietta, and given to the newspapers on March 3rd, 1899. The charge at that time received no credence Mr. Monnett. himself, was at first reported to have denied the charges, but afterwards made some general Intimations that there might be some truth ;n them.”

Standard’s Open Letter to Monnett Tolies says the press demanded names, and as Monnett did not give them, Elliott and Kline, on behalf of the Standard Oil Co., wrote Monnett au open letter, in which, after reciting Rice’s story, and the reports of Monnett’s denial and subsequent (the evening of the same day) reported conclusion that It was true, and later publication of the charge that he had been offered a $400,000 bribe to influence his action relative to the Standard Oil Co., the offer having been made by a friend of Monnett, the letter also recited the report that Mounett said In reply to the Insistence of the papers for the name that be didn’t publish it because If be were to the Standard would get after the man and “force or persuade him to keep his mouth shut.” Octopus Makes a Point. The open letter here remarks that the foregoing reason—published In the Oleveiand Plaindealer—ls an admission that the Standard Oil Co. didn’t know the man and consequently could not have been back of him. The letter also quotes from the New York World • Statement attributed to Monnett that he had written to his “friend” that be would not expose him until public interest .demanded. It .... Also It Makes a Demand. The open letter then proceeds: -So far as any connection of the Standard Oil Co. with any attempt to bribe you is concerned It ia totally salsa. Tou have the names, or claim to have, uot only of the friend who approached you, but also of the others acting with him; because on the 14th last, you said In the public prints that These men were telegraphing*' you from New York.’ * * * We now demand that you give the name or names of the person or persons.”