The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-25
MR.. M'GINNIs's .PREDICAMENT."
He Attempts to Make Statement by Confin-
ing Himself to Something No One Denies.

Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue James
w. McGinnis has not yet explained his conduct
with reference to the oleomargarine found at
the Insane Asylum week ago last Saturday,
and he will have good deal of trouble in max
ing clear the reason for his sudden change of
mind. According TO Mr.. Lees statement which
has not been refuted, Mr.. McGihnis made
careful examination OF the butter in all the tubs
1t the hospital with tester and pronounced it
all oleomargarns. Then to be certain he re-
sorted to his test, which he said never failed.
land rubbed some OF the spurious butter bstween
his thumb and finger. Smelling of it he said:
a"Thers can be no doubt about 10 being oleo-
margarine, I can smell the tallow."
1t IL o'clock when he and
DIR. Lee came back to the city.
The latter says: Between l aud
2e'clock DIR. McGinnis went to Arthur Jordan's
commission house. and in the presenc of Mr..
Jordan and Mr.. Sutton. the book-keeper. told
Mr. Lee he had made . chemical analysis of the
article and had found it TO be oleomar garine
Then voluntarily he said he would send the result
to Internal Revenue Collector Hunter. and that
steps for the prosecution of Mr. Sullivan would
be taken in the regular way. There the matter
dropped, until Mr. Lee called at the revenue
Office and was told that Mr.. McGinnis had
called in q couple of gentlemen who had pro-
nounced the samples shown them butter. The
samples brought in from the hospital could not
be found, and the ''trysrs." with which the test
had been made at the hospital, had been care
fully cleaned and wrapped in paper.
THE fact is" said Mr.. Lee yesterday after
rehearsng his statement of few days ago.
'McGinnis WAS disappointed when he found the
oeomargBrine was being furnished by John e.
Sullivan. We started ont to the hospital He
was under the impression that Budd was the
man that was going to be caught and it
that belief that induced him to make the trip
with me. When Mr. Hyde told him Sullivan
had furnished the oleomargarine, he spoke up
quickly and said: Don't you mean Budd7'S
There several incidents connected with the
affair that the Civil Service Association will
submit to the authorities at Washington. Mr..
Lee disclaims any intention to make G. B.
Wadsworth, of the revenue Office. party in
knows had nothing TO do with Mr.. McGinnis's
change of front.
Mr. McGinnis had his party organ publish
card for him, in which he does not attempt to
deny the facts detailed by Lee. but in which he
reverts to the test made by Balfour and Clark
for defense. These men. without knowing where
the samples subm tilted to them by McGinuis
McGinnis seeks TO mislead the public by stating
that they made the test with him at the
hospital AT that institution only ms and Lee
had anything to do with examining the FIVE fir
kins. Balfour and Clark were not called upon
to examine samples until McGinnis had made
his chemical analysis of the stuff from the hos
pital, and pronounced it oleomargarine. A
the presence of Phil dapen, yesterday after
noon, that McGinnis would have Jared better
had he attempted no defense. He has made
fool of himself" was the emphatic expression
of the gentleman. "for he has IN no single in
stance answered the statement of Lee"