Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-26
Open Defiance by 0leomargarine Men
and Its Basis.
LOCAL SITUATION CONSIDERED
General Criticism Of Delay in Bring
ing Indicted Parties to Trial.
ECENT DEVELOP MENTS

"PshawI Why we have $4,000 600 be-
hind us out in Chicago and dead loads of
political influence besides. Well make
these butter men and pure food cranks
who are trying to fight US lock SICK
This declaration was made Monday after
noon by a prominent dealer in oieomar-
garine. doing business in Baltimore in the
observation car of the Royal Blue limited
train over the Baltimore and Ohio, which
left this city at 3 o'clock. A Star reporter
sat directly opposite the speaker and his
companion. The statement was inspired by
remark of the latter that "Medairy seems
to have you fellows in a hole
This in Its turn was due to the crusade
now being waged in Baltimore by the mem
bers of the National Dairy Union against
the selling of oleon-argarine. Mr.. Medairy,
whose name was used is the vice president
of the union for Baltimore, and has been
recently energetic in behalf of measures
compelling oleo men to observe the Mary
land laws governing the stuff.
The Local situation.
The colloquy fell upon attentive ears as
The Star has taken an active hand in eX
posing and bringing to light the fragrant
violations of the Oeomargarine laws in the
District. The local situation Is as unsatis-
man had been already justified, so far as
Washington is concerned. The internal
revenue authorities couple of years ago
assigned one of the special agents Van
Horn by name. to procure evidence against
alleged ViOI3tOrS of the OleOmargarine laws
and regulations in the District. Van Horn,
with the assistance of a colored woman,
who vas employed as a domestic in Van
Horns house, procured evidence which the
grand jury thought to be sufficiently con-
vincing to find indictments upon. and in
d;ctments were therefore returned against
number Of dealers for illegally selling the
stuff. Other indictments were also found
against dealers who handled oleomargarine
by wholesale. notably wilkins & Co., En-
rich & Co. and Peter Garden. Van Horn.
however, had nothing to do with securing
evidence upon which these indictments We're
returned.
When Mr.. Henry E. Davis became United
States district attorney he placed all the
cases which involved violations of the oleo-
margarine laws in charge of Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Taggart. The reason for
this. well known, was that up to the
time of assuming his office Mr.. Davis had
been one Of the counsel, in association with
jeremiah NJ. Wilson and others, for all the
persons indicted for the alleged offense
under consideration.
Remarkable Delay.
So far not one of the cases, numbering
over forty. has been brought to trial The
indicted parties in many instances have
been very anxious TO be tried or to have
the charges against them, which they nat
urally regard as being cloud upon their
good repute disposed Of one way or an
other, either by being heard in court or
noile pressed. Mr.. Taggart has been, it is
well known, disinclined to bring the cases
to trial because the evidence in his opinion
was not sufficient to secure convictions.
However this may be, convictions were Sc
cured in the District courts upon testimony
precisely similar to that obtainabe in
those now awaiting settlement and punish
ment in the shape of fines and imprison-
ment visited upon the offenders. the cases
of kOllock, Lusby and others being among
them.
Mr.. Taggart's Discovery.
1t is understood that several weeks ago
Mr.. Taggart concluded to prepare the cases
under consideration for trial, and then, ac-
ccrding to his own statement, made to a
Star reporter. learned that former Special
Agent Van Horn, upon whose evidence he
would have to largely depend had left the
service of the internal revenue bureau and
entered the employ Of the oleomargarine
dealers. Just what difference this change
of employment could make in Van Horns
testimony when placed on oath IN court
of law with the testimony he had given
also under oath before the grand jury star
ing him in the face is not clear.
One of the indicted parties who is anx-
ious to secure some sort of a settlement of
the charges against him Is A. j. Kenny.
Mr.. Kenny, 1t is understood, desires to
leave this city, but does not care TO engage
IN business elsewhere with such a charge
hanging over him.
1t Is the general opinion among those in
terested in the matter on both sides of the
question that the cases against parties
which do not show any possibility of con-
victions should be Immediately nolle pross-
ed. There seems to be no reason however,
for the persistent delay in bringing to trial
the parties who are not believed to be so
fortified.
There is very decided impression upon
the part of the general public, which has
been so long and so fragrant imposed upon
by being led into paying butter prices for
oleOmargarine under the representation d.
rect or implied. that the stuff was genuine
butter, that there should be no further de-
lay in the settlement of these important
cases.