Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-03-28
oLEOMARGARINE.

tion, of Pennsylvania, is in the city look
ing after violators of the 0leomargariLe
Law.
This Association was re-organized
March Z, 1890, at Somerset, Pa, and the
chief officers of the Association are located
at that place. 1t has a constitution and
bylaws and the officers are President,
Secretary and Treasure. 1t is composed
mostly of merchants and dairYmen. Its
object is to protect the producers of but
ter and the community in general.
For the otfenses against the oleomar-
garine law there are two actions One
criminal, the other civil. Under the first
dealer can be sent TO Jail for not less
than ten days nor more than thirty. Un-
der the other fine of 800 is imposed,
half the fine to go to the lnformer. This
half goes to the Association. Mr.. Cook
works on salary.
In conversation this morning he said
" l have inst secured the aid of a deputy
from Internal Revenue Collector Warm
castle. There is a violation in number
of cases, of the Internal Revenue law, ,and
that is how / secure the Government aid.
Numbers of the packages sent out are not
stamped, and this brings them under the
law.
METHOD OF PROCEDURE.
" In my own line of work followed
this plan. Samples of butter are pur-
chased and sent to the Pittsburgh Testing
Laboratory for analysis. If the tests show
that it is oleomargarine l bring prosecu-
tions under Section 8, Act May 81, 1885.
In Johnstown have already brought two
prosecutions, and in Connellsville one.
All three were convicted. OF the four
samples of butter bought three were oleo-
margarine. / have three samples now
being tested and will push them for all
they are worth. have on hand num-
Der of samples bought in Phillipsburg,
Centre county; Coalport Clearfed
county, and Dunbar, FaYette county,
These will be tested as soon as possible.
"T The merchants when the suits are
brought, claim that they were imposed
on, but this don't go. There is not mel
chant in this State who does not know
that when he pays fourteen cents for but
ter that he is buying the bogus article.
Most of the wholesalers buy the Iuter-
nal Revenue stamp and place it on
the box in which the oleomargarine is
shipped. They manage, however, to
cover it up in some way. | believe
great deal of this business is being done
by some of the wholesalers and commits
sion men of thus city.
They have cute way of avoiding
this stamp business. 1t requires seven
tacks TO fasten the stamp and caution
labels to the keg. The oleomargarine, so
long as it remains III the commission
house, bears this stamp, Wheh tits sent
to the retailer, however, the stamp is re-
moved and the seven tack holes filled up
with putty and then vanished over, We
find these putty holes and they are al
most positive proof that the so-called but
ter contained in the casks is oleomar-
garne. Then when oleomargarine is
shipped in egg boxes, the stamp on the.
end is nailed over.
CASES UNDER CONSIDERATION.
have four cases on hand where an
effort has been made to evade the law by
the purchase of Internal Revenue stamps. !
In two of them | have secured con-
victions. have samples from the stores
of the other two.
The Association has not brought any
criminal action yet, but will on the sec
ond offense. We have attorneys in many
counties now and will have them in every |
county in the State before long. l will |
commence work in Allegheny county |
very soon.
" In Pittsburgh believe number of
houses are selling bogus but
Ter. | have the list. From three houses
have the tubs sent out containing oleo-
One house Pm trying to To-
,ate but it has no address in this city,
,ut lockbox at the postoffice. The man
% whom the oleomargarine was sold has
been fined and will get after the Pitts
,urgh company soon."
Mr.. Cook says there is an immense
Imount of oleomargarine being sold in
his State. He thinks that 200 storekeep-
RS out of the 250 in Johnstown are selling
t for butter. This, he adds, is a fair
ample of the trade in the Western part of
he State. 1t is bought at fourteen cents
,er pound and sold for butter prices.
Squire VIM. f. Cook; Secretary of the
Society, returned from Pitts.
'urgh Saturday eve. on Philadelphia Ex-
'ress. He says not much was done on
hat trip, but number of parties are
sted, and as soon as matters are in shape
hey will be prosecuted Two Johns
own parties will be treated to legal pro-
eedings to day.
Foxy ButNot Fishy.
On Thursday afternoon Mr.. j. b.
traYer made big haul in the Laurel