Evening star., 1897-03-13
c ON PROMISE OFFERS
Efforts to Prevent Trials of 0Ieomargarine
Gases.
Internal Revenue Bureau Considering
No Doubt of the Laws Validity
and Present Violation.

II has been reported in Washington and
Philadelphia for several days that Wig
orous effort was being made by parties rep
resenting Joseph Wilkins of the firm of
Wilkins & Company of this city. and How
ard Butler. said to be an erlploye OF the
firm, to prevail upon the authorities of the
United States internal revenue bureau to
drop the criminal prosecution now pending
against Wilkins and Butler in Philadelphia.
1t is alleged that Mr.. Forman. commission
e. of internal revenue. mas been offered the
sum OF $4,000 to be paid into the fund
known as the fraud fund of the internal
revenue bureau in return for ar agreement
to withdraw the prosecution against Will
k:ns and Butler.
Commissioner Forman, when asked by
Star reporter yesterday If the case had
been compromised replied that it had not
been. hut that an offer had been made by
representatives of the indicted men to COM
promise it, and the offer was under con-
sideratiCn. Mr.. Forman said the case was
being investigated, with a view TO deter
mise, nd that pending the result the DIS
trict attorney in Philadelphia had been re-
qUested to withhold action in bringing VIII
kins and Butler to trial.
Mr.. Forman also said that II the case " as
dropped Wilkins would be required to pay
such a penalty that he would not i'll future
repeat the alleged acts he is now charged
with in the Indictment found against him
in Philadelphia
Other Compromises.
In response to The Star reporters inquiry
if the system heretofore pursued by the
internal revenue bureau of compromising
the cases against parties charged with the
violation of the oleomargarine laws did rot
serve 10 act as n premium upOn continued
violations of the laws. and If Mr.. Wilkins
had not paid into the treasury already very
large amounts of money to secure immu-
nifty from prosecution in former cases.
Commissioner Forman replied that he was
rot inclined to regard the compromise sys-
TEN as premium for further violation and
denied that wilkins Rad paid very large
amounts as compromises, stating that in
the last three or four years the sum total
of the moneys paid in by Wilkins 10 the
treasury in this way amounted to S5,GD.
Commissioner Forman called attention to
the fact that ii was better to compromise
cases against persons where any doubt
existed about securing their conviction
when they were brought to trial. In sup
Port of this idea he quoted the case against
Wiikirs & Company. in which they were
charged with selling the reform school
oleomargarine for butter, and in which the
jury rendered verdict of acquittal in De-
cernber last.
An Offer I'm the Reform School Case.
Commissioner Forman said that an offer
of $1,000 had been made to the department
10 compromise that case, but ii was de-
clined and trial had. which resulted in
the defendants acquittal. Commissioner
For1Ian said that il was the intention of
tie internal revenue bureau to do all in its
power to compel the observance of the
olsorldrgarine laws and regulations. and
that the bureau was not prejuGiced in favor
of those who dealt in oleomargarne. The
case In question which Commissioner For
man IS nov considering the propriety of
compromising embraces an alleged fragrant
violation of the o2ecInargarfne laws. We'd
nestay afternoon, December y; last Spe-
cial Agent W. H. H. Bowen OF the internal
revenue bureau caused the arrest of Joseph
Wilkins and Howard Butler. who was said
to be an employe cf Wilkins & Co. and
charged them before United States Commits
siOner Saml. c. Mills with a violation of the
oleoInarsarlne laws. Commissioner Mills
held the men for examination in the sum
of $1,000 each. The charge was that of re-
moving reveTue stamps and other distia-
gushing marks required by law to be
placed on packages of oleomargar:ne. The
scene Of the alleged violation of law was
one of the Philadelphia vharves Mr.
Bowen had investigated the case himself
and claimed to have the evidence of his
OWE eyes as to who the guilty persons
were.
The news of the possibility of this case