Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-04-21
The Brighton Beef Excitement.

The developments regarding the practices
of certain Brighton butchers, brought out at
the Coroners inquest called to determine
the cause of the death of George E. Temple,
as detailed in the Journal of Tuesday, has
created profound impression in the commu-
NIFTY; and it seems to be the general opinion
that stringent measures should be at once
taken by the proper authorities to prevent
the possibility of any beef unfit for eating
reaching the markets.
Although it may be-as very likely it is
the fact that some of the testimony offered at
the inquest is calculated to exaggerate the
existing state of affairs, and create unneces-
sary alarm, yet it cannot be denied that regu-
lations are needed to prevent what can be
accomplished by such butchers as allow no
considerations of health to stand between
them and the dressing of unwholsome beef
for market if they can but add few dollars
to what they have already accumulated by
their base practices.
Of the two score beef butchers in Brighton,
1t Is very likely that not more than one-tenth
part would buy dead or diseased cattle for
the purpose OF dressing them for market, yet
that there are such seems to be the case from
the testimony offered at the inquest.
Charles Nutter, one of tho witnesses be-
lore the Coroner's Jury last Sunday, testi-
ned that while in the employ of John Zoller
he dressed dead steer sent to him by In
spector Craig, which the latter said was sick,
and he wanted him killed as soon as
possible, and that by doing so he
sustained a severe injury to his hand
Nutter was discharged by Zoller the day
previous to the one in which he offered his
testimony, and was heard to say he would
pay Zoller for discharging him. Thus it
would seem that spite in some measures actu-
Late in irwin
Zoller. The animal, it now appears from
Mr.. Craig's statement, was one of herd OF
sixty purchased at Albany by Mr. Zoller, and
in unloading the cattle last week, Tuesday,
Mr.. Craig noticed that the animal in question
acted as if it had been injured or jaded. He
instructed his assistant to inform Mr.. Zoller,
if the cattle were not taken away at once,
that one of them showed symptoms of injury,
as he had always done in such cases. This
was done, and on Friday the animal was
killed, and the butcher who assisted Nutter
in dressing it told our reporter yesterday that
he noticed nothing unusual in the animal.
The dressed carcess has hung in the slice
house of the slaughter house since Friday,
and yesterday afternoon, in response to the
| request OF Inspector Craig, quite party of
medical men and others interested in the af-
fair met at Mr.. Zollers to examine the beef
The party consisted of DIR. George Derby, of
the State Board of Health; DR.. E. F. Thayer,
a member of the State Board of Cattle Com
missioners; DIR. Braman of Brighton; DR..
+. l.. Thayer of Chelsea, and the Selectmen
and Board of Health of the town of Brighton.
After hearing the statement of Mr.. Craig,
one side of the animal was cut up by Mr..
Zoller, as if for consumers, and to all APP
pearance the beef was as good as any ever
slaughtered in Brighton. This was the opin-
ion of all present, and must have been es.
pecially so with Mr.. Zoller, who cut small
piece from the rump and eat il with evident
relish. This clears Inspector Craig from any
suspicion.
No steps have as yet been taken to prevent
the dressing of dead cattle, and there il now
nothing to prevent any butcher 50 disposed;
from taking dead animals from the cars and
} sending the deceased meat into the market.
There is quite panic at present in the pesi
market, and the demand is nearly ons-nAit
less than usual. This Of course does not SUM
the butchers, especially those who are above
such dishodorable prsctices as have been
brought to light this week. Boston Journal.