Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-06
Want to Settle Oleomargarine Cases
Out of Court.
THE INDICTMENTS AGAINTS WILKINS
Former Cases Compromised By In
ternaI Revenue Office.
THE DISTRICTS POSITION

Joseph wilkins, of the firm of Wilkins &
Co., dealers in oleomargarine, his re-
presentat1veS, has offered the commissioner
OF internal revenue $1,000 to compromise
the cases pending in the District of CO.
lumbia and in Philadelphia against alleged
violators of the oleomargarne laws The
cases in Washington comprised three in
dictments against wilkins & Co and about
forty against dealers charged with selling
oleomargarine Illegally. The Philadelphia
cases are against Joseph Wilkins and How
ard Butler, an employe of Wilkins & Co.
who are charged by Special Agents Bowen
and Van Horn of the internal revenue Office
of having been apprehended in the act of
stripping 13S packages of oleomargarine of
internal revenue stamps and other diStin-
gushing marks required by law at a ware
house in Philadelphia last year. There has
been persistent attempt on the part OF
the parties under Indictment to escape pro-
secution in the courts here and in Phia-
deiphia by the payment of money into the
fraud fund of the Treasury Department.
The records of the internal revenue Office
Will show numerous cases where Wilkins
& Co. have paid money into the treasury
heretofore, and thereby escaped the prose-
cution required by law. Several months
ago an effort was made by them to COM
Philadelphia.
First Offer Declined.
The first offer was declined by Acting
Commissioner of Internal Revenue Wilson.
1t is understood that the amount of money
to secure compromise then increased, and
that Commissioner Of Internal Revenue
Forman recommended to Secretary Gage
that it be accepted, but that Secretary
Gage, owing to the interest taken in the
matter by Secretary CT Agriculture Wilson
and Attorney General Mckenna. declined
to approve Commissioner Forman's recon-
mendat!on. In spite of these deciinationS
however, the parties in jeopardy have made
another and a larger offer, amounting, it is
stated, to $1,000, and the internal revenue
authorities have written the authorities of
the United States district attorneys offices
in this city and Philadelphia, comununica-
uons which are said 10 be virtually arGu-
mentS in favor of a settlement of the cases
out of court, as requested in the communi-
cation making the offer 1t is understood
that in the latter communication Joseph
Wilkins, or his representatives, states that
his business has been wrecked, that his
health has been broken down by the con-
slant strain upon him: that he is willing to
go to the east and start into business there;
that he promises never again to violate the
laws or regulations governing the sale OF
oleomargaripe, and that his physician has
recommended d trip to Europe because Oh
his physical condition.
Attorney Beck's Letter.
1t WAS strongly alleged by persons IA
mliar with the past relations between Mr..
Wilkins and the internal revenue Office that
he made trip to Europe once before when
the internal revenue authorities accepted
s., 1000 the settlement of a case, wni IN
would otherwise have been brought before
a judge and jury. 1t is also understood
that District Attorney Beck of Philadelphia
in reply to the suggestions of the internal
revenue office that compromise of the
case against Wilkins and Butler would be
advisable, wrote a letter, stating that as
Judge Butler of Phila deiphia had hitherto
shown no tendency to impose a sentence OF
Imprisonment where persons were convict
ed of violations of the o.eomargarine laws
and as the fine imposed in such case
could not be more than $1,000, that, rer-
haps, 1T would be a good thing for the
revenues of the government to accept tie
$1,000 offered. When the authorities Of the
district attorneys Office of the District of
Columbia Were requested several months
ago to consider the advisability of accept
ing the offer of Wilkins then made, the
record OF the internal revenue office ,elat-
ing to former compromises entered into
with parties charged with violating the
oleomargarine laws, was called for and
showed many instances where the offenses
had been virtually condoned and immunity
from the prosecution granted by the pay
ment of sums quietly into the Internal
revenue office by Wilkins & Co.