Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-09-26
ADULTERATED COFFEE.
GROCER WHITE FOUND GUILTY
OF VIOLATING OHlO'S PURE
FOOD LAWS.
Interesting Facts Conccrning the
Roasting of Coffee Brought Ost by
Scientific Experts-Presesce of Bao-


! TOLEDO, o., ..Ls THE Jury In Judge
Mcck's court in this city has found
james White, local grocer, guilty OF
, selling adulterated coffee. The prose-
cution was based on n package of Ar
= buckles Arosa coffee.
The State Of Ohio, through the Pure
! Food Commission, prosecuted White.
The case was on trial for nearly q
month and attracted national atten-
| ton.
The manufacturers Of Ariosa coffee
conducted the defense for Grocer
White. The best attorneys In the
country were retained to defend him,
| but, after short consultation, a ver-
diet Of guilty was returned by the jury.
The State of Ohio considers this big
victory. Pure Food Commissioner
Blackburn has been wagihg a warfare
on spurious food articles and the de-
| partment has been successful.
The complaint of the State Of Ohio
was that Ariosa coffee was coated with
a substance which concealed defects ir
| the coffee and made 1t appear better
than 1t is. The State charged this
, coating or glazing was favorable me-
dunn for the propagation of bacteria.
Prof. G. A. Kirchmaier, OF this city,
well known chemist, was the princi-
| pal witness for the State. He had
made scientific examinations of sam
pies of Ariosa purchased from Grocer
| White In the open market. He found
that each Ariosa berry contained an
average Of 300 bacteria. Mr.. Kirch-
muier further testified TINT other cof-
fees he examined contained few bacte.
ria or none at ali. He declared that
the glazed coffee was not wholesome
food product
Chemist Schmidt. of Cincinnati, cor
federated the testimony of Prof. Kirch-
inaer. The State did not present fur
tier testimony.
The defense through the Arbuckles,
who prepared this glazed coffee, &C.
cured some of the most eminent chem
lists and scientists In the United States
to give testimony in their behalf. Prof.
II. W. Wiley. of the United States Ag-
ricultural Department; Prof. Vaughn of
Ann Arbor University; Profs. Belle
and Weber, Of the Ohio State Univer-
slty. were called to defend Ariosa. DR..
Wiley had made careful examination
of the method Of manufacturing Arlo-
sa. lie told OF the 10000, 900 eggs used
by the Arbuckles yearly in the prepare
ton OF this glazing. On this point In
cross examination, the States attorney
deftly drew from him the information
that these eggs might be kept In cold
storage by the Arbuckles for year or
two al time.
The experts who heard DR.. Wiley's
testimony were pleased to be able to
"catch" so famous chemist. The doc
tor at one point In his testimony ex-
planned very clearly how 1t Is that the
egg put into the coffee pot by the house
wife settles the coffee. He said that
the heat coagulates the egg. and as 1t
sinks to the bottom Of the pot II carries
the fine particles Of coffee with It. and
thus clarifies the drink. 1t is the act Of
coagulation In the coffee pot that does
the work. Later on in his cross exam
nation, he had to admit that when the
egg was put on Ariosa coffee at the
factory 1t became coagulated, and as
egg cannot be coagulated but once. that
the coating on coffee was practically no
value, as settler" when II reached
the coffee pot.
Prof, Wiley acknowledged that the
glazing might be a favorable medium
for the propagation Of bacteria. al
though he would not testify positively
either way because he was not bac-
teriologist.
Prof. Vaughn, of Ann Arbor, also .
witness for the Arbuckles, said he
found bacteria on Ariosa coffee.
Prof. Belle. another witness for the
defense. found any number Of lively
bacteria on Ariosa coffee he examined.
and he agreed that glazed coffee surely
was a more favorable medium for the
propa CATION Of bacteria than unglazed
coffee.
Pure Food Commissioner Blackburn
says: THE State Is very much elated
over Its victory against this corpora
ton. We are now considering the ad- |
visibility Of informing every grocer In
the State Of Ohio that 1t Is an infrac- |
ton of the laws to sell Ariosa, and at
the same time give warning to con. |
sumcrs that the coffee is an adulterat. |
ed food article"
The verdict Of the jury in this case Is
of national importance because great |
many other States have pure food laws
like that Of Ohio. and It is natural to |
suppose that similar action will be
taken by other Pure Food Commits |
sioners 10 nreyent the sale Of glazed |