The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1902-01-01
ADULTERATED COFFEE.
GROCER WHITE FOUND GUILTY
OF VIOLATING OHlO'S PURE
FOOD LAWS.

Interesting Facts Concerning the
Roasting of Coffee Brought Out By
Scientific Experts-Prescnce of Bac-
terra.
TOLEDO, o., Aug. 3.-The jury in Judge
Meck's court in this city has found
James White, local grocer, guilty of
selling adulterated coffee The prose.
cution was based ON package of Ar.
buckles Ariosa coffee.
The State of Ohio, through the Pure
Food Commission, prosecuted White.
The case was on trial for nearly
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 a short consultation, a yer.
dict of guilty was returned by the jury
The State Of Ohio considers this big
victory. Pure Food Commissioner
Blackburn has been waging q 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 in
the coffee and made it 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,
we'll 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-
maier further testified that other cot
fees he examined contained few bacte-
ria or none at all. He declared that
the glazed coffee WAS not u wholesome
food product.
Chemist Schmidt, of Cincinnati, cor
roborated the testimony of Prof. Kirch-
maier. The State did not present fur
Their testimony,
The defense through the Arbuckles,
who prepared this glazed coffee, Sc
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. Bleiie
and Weber, of the Ohio State UniyeF-
sity, were called to defend Ariosa. Dr.
Wiley had made a careful examination
of the method of manufacturing Ario-
81. He told Of the 100000 eggs used
by the Arbuckles yearly in the prepara-
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 coiu
storage by the Arbuekles for year or
two at time.
The experts who heard DR.. Wlley's
testimony were pleased to be able 10
"catch" so famous a chemist. The doc
tor at one point In his testimony ex-
planned very clearly how it 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 it carries
the fine particles of coffee with it, ana
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 tbe
egg was put on Ariosa conee al 'ne
factory it became coagulated, ana as
egg cannot be coagulated but once, tHa'
the coating on coffee was practically no
value. as a settler" when 1t reacheu
the coffee pot
Prof. Wiley acknowledged tlal the
clazing might be favorable medlpm
for the propagation OF bacterla. az
though he would not testify poslti'e''
either way because he was NOT pHF
teriologist.
Prof. Vaughn. of Ann Arbor. also
witness for the Arbuckles. san ue
found bacteria on Ariosa coffee.
Prof. Bleile. another witness for the
defense. found any number OF hVeiy
bacteria on Ariosa coffee he exam'uea'
and he agreed that glazed coffee surrey
was a more favorable medium Tor Tue
propagation of bacteria than ungia~''
coffee.
Pure Food Commissioner BiackDuin
says: 1.-THE State is very much e'"'e"
over its victory against this corpora
ton. We are now considering the az,
visibility of Informing every grocer -
the State Of Ohio that 1t Is an iRira1.
ton Of the laws to sell Arlosa. ana a.
the same time give warning 10 GU.
sumers that the coffee Ia an adnlteral'
ed food article" +,
The verdict Of the jury In this case :.
of national importance because grea'
many other States have pre- 1000 ID. =. :
like that of Ohio. and 1t Is natura' -
suppose that similar action YIN =.
taken by other Pure Food Comnls
4 sioners TO prevent the sale OF g'a1'''