New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-06
STORIES OF FRAUD DENIED.
PLEURO PNEUMONIA IN WESTMINSTER
COUNTY.
CHARGES THAT THERE WAS COMBINE BE-
TWEEN INSPECTORS AND CATTLE-OwNERs
VIGOROUSLY MET - PROFESSOR

VIGOROUSLY MET PROFESSOR
Lows EXPLANATION,
The hills of Westminster have echoed for some
time with the uglIcst kind of stories about the
treatment of pleuro-pneumonia in that fertile
county Some Of these were mere rumors that
could be traced TO no definite source, but the
majority were tolerably explicit and seemed to
he well authenticated. The burden Of those with
any degree Of conference was rather startling In
effect il was that combine" including GER
tain Government inspectors and number OF cat
tie dealers at Goldens Bridge, had been formed
for the purpose of defrauding the Government
This was DONE the reports had 1t, in various
WAYS; chiefly by having cattle CHEAP, ordinary
stock. procured for the purpose) pronounced VIC
tins of the dread disease when they were really
only suffering, If at ALL from some ordinary com
.plaint; and. secondly, by increasing the size OF
the herds to be killed with lot OF worthless
cattle. picked up all over the country In add
tion 70 this, it was stated that members Of this
remarkable combine paid little attention to
the requirements of the law relating to districts
ouarantined on account OF the disease tney
brought cattle In when they pleaseu' RsPC .nest t
where they chose, drove them ABOUT III tIe n Is
reckless manner, sent diseased meat TO market,
and in almost every way acted as though thcy
were law unto themselves
The MEN INVOLVED IN TINE REPORTS.
Edward B. Brady, of Golden's Bridge, one OF
was declared to be the chief offender He was
the ruling spirit of the combine and did about
nc he pleased with DR.. Mclean, DR.. Breakcll, the
Government inspectors for that district, and their
deputies, all of whom, 1t was asserted, sha ri
with Brady in his alleged unlawIul gains. - t h5
was the supposed situation as 10 was presenter
TO TIE TRIBUNE by several respectable citi-
zens Of Westminster County, who seemed 10 tiihN
that the allegations were well founded.
reporter investigated the affair last week.
These Stories in some form or other, he found TO
be common talk throughout the county . ,ior
examination showed that most Of them had the i
origin in the first outbreak OF .pleuro-pneumOhia
at Golden's Bridge, which occurred nearly .G ID a
year in Mr. rady herd w bree c@ o a @efG
last month. When the disease. appeared Mr..
Brady had herd Of 800 fine cattle Ihey d WEI the
owner was awarded damages at the rate OIL Sag
a head. This all right until 1t was learned
that Mr. Brady's son Arthur had bought 1 them
back from the Government at sl8 90 mead;
although other contractors were after ;thenl, anu
one man offered even more money IMAM young
Brady: This, it is asserted by the neigho caS,
tainlv looked suspicious but Inspector Mclean
explanation seemed satisfactory to dlsinteresteu
formed for the purpose Of compelling the Govern;
ment to sell all the stock that 1t had purchases
in thi, way foc $40 head Young biauy, nH"
ever, who is full Of business saw his way clear
TO offer more money, and did so, realizing hanG,
some profit from his venture; IL d II u ossr
added the dnsSdSd f c1ped cRe for $500
% 10 o onnii in noyment on the last lot of cattle
taken away This / asked to protect the Toy
eminent properly The man declined 10 comply
with this condition. and took the next highest
bid which happened to be Mr. Brady s.
DIR. M'LwANs EMPHATIC DENIALs.
This led Dr. Mclean to a further discussion
of the subject, in the course Of which he emphat-
ically denied that there was particle OF truth
in the reports that he had ever favored Mr. Brady
in any way, that he had ever been party TO
any questionable transaction or that he had ever
done or witnessed anything done in an improper
or unlawful manner in all his treatment OF pleuro-
pneumonia in Westchester County.
The stories are utter falsehoods,' he continued,
" made out of whole CLOTH banded about ana
reiterated until some respectable people actually
lool, upon them being true. Many OF theln
originated with men jealous OF Mr.. Brady pechusc
of his success. But defy any man TO snow whcre
/ have failed to do my duty to the Dest OIL NY
ability" ,. .
into detailed explanation of each charge, as
it was presented to him. FIRST; IN regard 10
the allegation that the meat of diseased OK De
longing to Mr. VOOrhis was sent to the market:
The facts are these: Mr.. Voorhis had yoke OF
oxen One of them showed symptoms OF pieuro-
pneumonia, and both were killed On the DAY
that they were slaughtered, the one aulcted
showed q normal temperature On examination
it was found that only slight portion Oh ONO
lung was affected. In other words 1t was proper
meat for sale. according TO the requirements Oh
the Health Laws
The charge that condemned herds had been
increased with cheap cattle picked up through
out the State, was next brought up. Before re-
rcplving TO it. DIR. Mclean drew from his pocket
the form Of an affidavit which each owner Is
compelled to make before he RECEIVERS any com
oensation for his condemned cutie from the Coy
trnment. In this the owner, Swears that nc IS
the sole owner of the cattle that have Deen
slaughtered, and tlat no one else has any interest,"
in them +" Now added the Inspector II
man attempts to defraud the Government IN inc
way YOU speak of, he must commit perjury. IL
for example. this Mr. Brady about whom so much
4 add
TO condemned herd belonging to his nelghDor
his ncighbor would have TO perlure hlmSeii 10
accommodate him or course L doht say ,haV
we are certainly not to blame. We exercise every
precauton and if a man wishes to perJure MN
self to allow his nelghbor to make rev EoIlrS
is done in Westminster County, ana certainty
have never seen any evidence OF IL, Iermlt me
also to say that the talk about BRADY or any one
else. driving cattle about as they please, is en-
tirely untrue. There is no favorltsm shown 10
any man in Westchester, or any place over WHICH
l have any jurisdiction"
AN INVESTIGATION ASKED FOR.
Dr. Mclean spoke with marked feeling, rs
though he would like to meet the people who
vcrc talking so freely about him lie and Dr.
Rreal,ell, who has charge OF the northern part
of the county. have asked Professor Law, the
new Chief Inspector, for an investigation of their
mast work. Professor Law has charge of West
chester Ncw-YorlS. and Staten Island and Long
Island lie is connected with Cornell University
but came here in December from Chicago where
as Chief Inspector of the Bureau OF Animal IN
dnstrv he stamped out pleuro pneumonia with
dispatch and effectiveness. He is scholarly
looking midde-aged gentleman, with agreeable
manners and the air Of man who knows MS
business thorou ghy, and means to do It,. W hen
the reporter mentioned the object OF his Visit
The Professor smiled as though the matter was
ANYTHING but novel to him.
. ycsn he said. Il have these stories about
this terrible being Brady, and how he is try
inc 10 reduce the surplus by getting the Govern
ment to buy M all the cheap cattle OF the country
7 have endeavOred to investigate them in every
| Instance but thus far. have been unable to find
any positive proof Of anything wrong It Is
ali hearsay. People who talk about these things
! ,vhcn questioned. say they heard it from some
onc else and so on. until it is impossible to trace