Standard Oil Company; Trusts, Industrial -- United States
The Judge: "Must there not be an adoption?"
Mr. Marcy: "That is an adoption--accepting the benefits."
The Judge: "They may accept the benefits without knowing."
Mr. Marcy: "Then the jury may infer that knowledge from all the
circumstances. The jury are the tribunal to determine whether or not
the parties had the knowledge." Mr. Marcy pointed out that there was
everything to lead the jury to infer that these men were parties to the
plan. "Where did the meetings of the Board of Directors take place?
At Rochester, where the works are? No; at New York, where these men
carried on their other business. The Rochester representatives dance
in attendance wherever these New York parties desire them to go." He
pointed out to the judge that the trustee whom Albert met in New York
after the explosion knew of the plan to take him to Boston. He showed
that the same trustee, when remonstrated with by Matthews for bringing
patent suits without foundation, said that he intended to carry them
on, and if he was beaten in one court, he would carry them to a higher
court. Just in the same way the Rochester representative of the trust
had said: "I will bring lawsuits against you. I will get an injunction
against you." "When the Rochester manager," said Mr. Marcy, "hired
Albert, he did not pretend to be able to make a bargain until he had
been to New York and consulted about it. He was in New York before he
telegraphed to him to come to New York. This significant fact points
home the conspiracy upon the gentlemen who reside in New York."
But the judge, and not the jury, rendered the verdict as to the three
members of the trust on trial. He failed to remember or observe the law
that leaves it to the jury to render the verdict. He announced that he
had decided to grant the motion for their discharge. There was silence
in the court-room for a moment. Then: "Gentlemen of the jury, hearken
to your verdict as advised by the Court," came in sonorous tones from
the clerk; "you find the defendants"--naming the three members of the
oil trust at the bar--"not guilty of the crime, as charged in the
indictment, so say you all."
The jury looked scared at being addressed so peremptorily, but said
nothing.
"The New York men looked happy," said one of the observers, "but
their Rochester associates and codefendants did not smile." Upon the
discharge of the trustees, one of the Buffalo dailies said that whether
there was any conspiracy at all is an undecided question, but it should
be remembered that the oil trust and the Vacuum Oil Company "have been
honorably acquitted of the charge of having anything to do with the
matter. As the case now stands, it is simply The People against"--the
two Rochester managers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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