March 27, 1909 – In a case that has been years in the making, the federal government took its antitrust suit against the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey to the United States Circuit Court in St. Louis, Missouri. The lawsuit, which has already racked up a staggering $15 million in costs, aims to dissolve the oil trust under the Sherman Anti-Trust Law. The trial, which has been held in several cities across the country, began in St. Louis in December 1900 and has already seen 190 government witnesses and 140 Standard Oil Company witnesses take the stand. The court will be presided over by Judges Willis Van Devanter, William C. Hook, Walter H. Sanborn, and Elmer B. Adams. If the judges are unable to reach a decision, the case will be certified to the Supreme Court. In a bold move, the appellate division has agreed to bypass their usual review and allow the case to go straight to the Supreme Court, regardless of the outcome. This is a battle that will be watched closely by the nation, as the government seeks to break up one of the largest and most powerful corporations in the country. Will the Standard Oil Company be able to withstand the might of the federal government, or will the Sherman Anti-Trust Law prove to be too powerful to resist?
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Key Facts
- State: MO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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