The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-19 00:00:00

BURTON PALE: ALE, OR BITTER BEER.
The BURTON BREWERS have requested me to publish a
solemn declaration. Which they have made before me in my official
capacity, and which they have left in my keeping, in answer to
a mischievous charge recently brought against them to the effect
that they use Strychnine in the making of their celebrated Bitter
Beer. That a charge so absurd should obtain a moment's credence
appears surprising to persons on the spot, who know that if ever a
manufactured article was free from adulteration, it is this wkole-
some and grateful beverage. In fact, it is well known to every one
practically acquainted with the process, and ought to be known to
every Chemist, not to mention learned " M.D.s," that nothing
could produce the article in perfection but the finest malt and hops
and the purest water, combined with the most scrupulous cleanliness
and great skill in the manufacture.
The BURTON BREWERS, in adopting this mode of defence, have
to
been advised by counsel that it is the only legal course open
them, owing to the extreme vagueness of the charge. It would
have been more agreeable to them collectively, or to any of them
individually, to have met their calumniator in a court of law, where
he would have had every facility for making good his charge, had it
been capable of proof. As, however, the opportunity of doing so is
denied them, they think it due to the public, as well as to them-
selves, to repel the calumny in the most solemn form the law allows
them to employ.

JOHN RICHARDSON,
High Bailiff of the Borough of Burton-upon-Trent.
We, the several persons whose names are hereunto subscribed,
eing Wholesale Brewers at Barton-upon-Trent, in the County
Of Stafford. do severally and respectively
solemnly and sncerely
declare that in the manufactu'e by us or our respective firms of
Bitter Beer or other Beer r Ale, no article whatever is used or
employed,. directly or indirectly, other than malt, hops, and water;
and that in our respeceptin g Bthat inctive reweries
the year no other
1847 some of us
a*tiele ever was
ex
used or employed,
tried, by way of experiment, (und,r an Act of Par lament passed
in that year authorising tee same) a small quantity of sugar,
but the use of which was very shortly abandoned. And we
further say, that we never even heard or suspected that
,the use of Strychnine was imputed to any of the Burton Brewers,
totil such imputation recently appeared in some of the public
newspapers. And we further solemnly and sincerely declare that
sucl; imputation is asoiutely and entirely false and grou.idless.
And ?ve make this solemn declaration, conscientieusiy believing the
acme 1..1 be true, and by virtue of the provisions of an Act of Par-
liament niade and passed in the fourth and fifth years of the reign of
King Wilhelm the Fourth, intituled " An Act to repeal an Act of the
present sesaston of Parliament, intituled Act for the more
effectual abolition of oaths and animal ions taken and made in
various departments of the state, and to subs itute declarations in
n
lieu thereof, and for the more entire suppression of voluntary a
extra judicial oaths and affidavits and to make other provisions for
the abolition of unnecessary oaths."'
M. T. BASS (representing the firm of Bass and Co).
HENRY ALLSOPP (representing the firm of Samuel Allsopp and
Sons).
W. WORTHINGTON (representing the firm of Worthington and
Robin,on).
THOMAS FOSBROOKE SALT (representing the firm of Thomas
Salt and Co ).
JOHN HILL (representing the Ilan of Charles Hill and Son).
GEORGE MEAKIN (representing the firm of Meakin and Co.).
JOSFPII NUNNELEY.
JOHN PROUDMAN (Manager of the Barton Brewery Company).
JNO. PERKS (representing the firm of W. S. and J. Perks).
FRANCIS Tuomesos (representing the firm of John Thompson
and Son).
JONATHAN MEAKIN.
B. HICKLIN.
WILLIAM MIDDLETON.
Taken and Subscribed at the Borough of Burton-upon-Trent, the
gifteenth day of April, 1852, before me.
JOHN RICHARDSON,
High Bailiff of the said Borough.