ABSTRACT
In this day of scandal, bribes, and paybacks I am moved to add to the folklore surrounding the Sherman Act enactment in 1890. It fell to my lot to have as a friend and client an elderly but active financial man who often reminisced about his first job. In the 1880's and 1890's he was a special messenger/office boy for John D. Rockefeller at 26 Broadway in New York City. Among his duties was to ride down in the elevator eavesdropping on persons who had just left an important meeting with J. D. Rockefeller. Having performed this service he was given other sensitive jobs. He told me that on one occasion he was given an envelope that he was to deliver to Senator Sherman. John D. told him that it contained $10,000 and that the Senator had assured him that the antitrust law to be passed would be quite mild and without real teeth.
