Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-07
What Do You Think of Plaster of
Paris as a Blood Purifier?
OR CORN HUSKS HOTLY SEASONED
With Black Pepper as Condiment Yields
Queer Melange.
SOMETHING As TO THIS GIFT SYSTEM


elevate him into sort of hero-who. be-
cause of his sharpness, is a man to be
sort of looked up to. In fact, we have long
submitted to drink bogus whisky, bogus
beer, watered milk, etc., that the inspection
of these things is by many regarded as an
impertinent interference with private rights.
Glucose masquerades as sugar-cane juice,
and terra alba is we'll known to play an i'm
pertant part in the makeup of several arti-
cles of consumption, though as nation we
are not known as clay eaters. In fact,
the only serious and general objection
yet offered to adulteration is in the matter
of bull butter, and In this case the animus
against it is mainly that it knocks the
grangers out. 1t is admitted that the only
valid objection against the sale of oleomar-
garine is that people sell it for what it is
not, for men of scientific knowledge have
pronounced a good article superior, as far
as health is concerned, to the veritable COW
product. 1t is only where it is sold as gen.
uine COW butter and at double price that
the moralist objects. We have drawn the
line at oleo and counterfeit money, mainly
for pocket reasons.
THE GIFT BUSINESS.
A suit was tried before Judge Stowe, in
Common Pleas No. 1, yesterday, which made
a decided sensation, so far as the audience
could reach the facts presented.
In the latter part of the year 1885 George
B. Kelly, an East End grocer, bought bill
of goods amounting to s46 or S47 from Ed
ward S. Gillis & Co. Kelly sold S6 or 81
worth OF the goods, and then, according to
his testimony, discovered that they were
adulterated and asked the company to take
the remainder back, rendering the money
for the amount sold. He was sued for the
bill, and Gillis & Co. got judgment before
an alderman, when Kelly appealed the
case. Kelly testified yesterday that he had
stipulated with the agent of E. Gillis & Co.
that the goods were to be up to the COM
mercial standard as to purity, as he had
Joined the association, one of whose func-
tions was the suppression of aduiteration in
groceries. After selling some S. or 81 worth
of the goods he mad notified the firm of the
adulteration. 1t was also developed from
his testimony that the firm gave to pur-
chasers of a bill of that size music box
valued at $40, while the bill was less than
$50, explaining that this was done in lieu of
During the progress of the
case samples Of the alleged goods were SUBJ
mitted to chemist, who found them far
from pure.
OF GUARANTEED PURITY.
John A. Harbaugh, President Of the
Grocers' Protective Association, testified
that he heard the conversation in the
plaintiffs store, and that Kelly particularly
dwelt on the quality of the spices to be de-
livered by defendant. and that the salesman
guaranteed purity, and that the music box
was given to take the place of advertising,
given as an inducement to purchasers. Mr.
Harbaugh said there was no commercially
pure mustard, that it had to be adulterated
before it could be used, and in this sense-a
limited adulteration-meant commercially
pure, but that spices adulterated 25 per cent
would not be considered commercially pure.
Mrs. Kelly, wife Of the plaintiff, testified
that she was present at the conversation be-
tween her husband and Miller regarding
the purchase of spices, and had heard the
defendant guarantee the quality of their
spices, or at least that they could be de-
pended upon as commercially pure, and
that the order was given on the assurance
that the goods would be of marketable
quality. She believed the conversation
took place in the early part Of December.
Henry j. Williams, chemist, testified
that he analyzed some packages for the
purpose of testing whether they were up to
the standard of purity. The plaintiffs in
sisted on Mr.. Williams giving his standing
as chemist, and he stated that he had
studied chemistry for 10 years, and of that
time had been teacher of it two years in a
college, and for two years
had been chief chemist of the Pittsburg
Testing Laboratory Company. This record
was ruled sufficient and the examination
began, and afforded considerable merriment
at times.
THE QUANTITY OR PROPORTION.
The witness said the alleged cream of
tartar contained 1871 per cent of sulphate
of lime, a very useful article of
commerce, generally known as gypsum.
From it plaster of paris is made.
the uses of which are legion, and without it
the Italian artists would be unable to dis
seminate taste for the aesthetic. Gypsum
Is dlSO du SACSllcub wv V1Is w Ill
Jams had his doubts regarding its merits as
human food. He thought it had too much
acid in it for health. A healthy person
ing powder, but that proportion in cream of
tartar, used incidentally, is regarded as ex-
cessive. In the sample exhibited, Mr..
Williams said there didn't appear to be
more than 10 per cent of cream of tartar.
Tba nd hlool- nonfoinod hut
little pepper, according to the samples ex-
hibited. Rather more than so per cent was
composed of corn husks, ground rice and
cocoa shell. Witness stated that the sample
of ground ginger was adulterated to an ex-
tent ranging from % to 40 per cent, and that
it appeared to be mainly composed Of
ground rice and spent ginger, or ginger
from which the virtue had been extracted,
as tanbark is after it has been used. There
was nothing specially deleterious in this
it was simply cheat, the fur
nishing of an article which was not what it
was represented to be. AS to the ground
cloves, there was no evidence of adultera-
tion, the goods were simply of inferior
quality.
On cross-examination witness said the
packages had been sent to him for analyza-
ton by the Pittsburg Testing Laboratory.
He stated that he had not carried the an
alysis further than to get at general results.
STORY OF THE PLAINTIFFS.
P. W. Miller, who sold the goods to
Kelly, testified that he was sub-agent
working for his brother. After telling the
story of the music box, he said he had
simply guaranteed the goods to give salts
faction. During the conversation he had
asked Kelly if he thought there were any
pure spices on the market. Witness also
testified that he had sold Kelly the same
kind of goods before, except as to the cream
of tartar; did not sell the goods as abso-
lutely pure.
On cross-examination witness stated that
he had only guaranteed the goods to give
As far as he knew, Gillis &
Co. prepared their own goods.
T. L. Miller, the principal agent, testi-
~ L