The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-17
MAY LOSE HIS JOB
Petitions Out Asking for Mr..
FarnSwOrth's Dismissal.
Charge Is That He Allows Use
of Embalmed Food.

A petition is out asking Mayor Ber-
gundthal to dismiss Food Inspector
Farnsworth, on the ground that he has
failed to do anything to stop the adul-
teration and 'embalming'' of food.
Mr.. Farnsworth says that the petit
tion is backed by the Continental
Creamery company. and he threatens
to make some startling disclosures re-
garding the management of the cream
cry unless the fight which the company
is making on him is stopped.
There seems to be reason for Mr..
Farnsworth's belief that the Conti-
mental Creamery company is especially
interested in having Mr.. Farnsworth
dismissed. At least one of the peti-
tions demanding his dismissal is being
circulated by man now in the employ
OF the creamery company though who
is making the fight is unimportant;
has Mr. Farnsworth done his duty, is
the question.
Il don't know why the Continental
should be making this fight on me-"
said Mr.. Farnsworth this morning,
unless it is because they think 1 know
more than 1 ought to about their meth
DDS of doing certain classes of work.
They are also sore, 1 suppose, because
1 refused to take some steps to injure
the business of ]. E. Nissley. against
Whom the creamery management has
deep grudge. In regard to the use of
L
the mayor and city attorney concur in
my opinion that we did not have suffi-
cfent evidence to make a case at law
stick 1 am under bond, and 1 do not
propose to jeOpardize my bond by
starting prosecution which would in
fiict great injury on somebody's busi-
ness, unless | know that 1 have good
caSe."
The circulation of the petition
against Mr.. Farnsworth has just been
started, and Mr.. Farnsworth did not
know of its existence until told what
was going on. In view of the fact that
for three weeks vacation in Colo
rado, it is not likely that anything will
come of the petition for some time,
and 1t may never be presented
Some of the people who are backing
the fight on Farnsworth are said to
/ have collected some very interesting
evidence which Will be presented at the
proper time to the city council.
Besides having secured affidavits re-
/ garding the presence of formaIdehyde
and other preservatives in milk it is
claimed that affidaVits have been Sc
cured concerning the finding of a large
quantity of formaldehyde in a chicken
purchased at a local meat shop. A
piece of beef rich in embalming fluid,
was also obtained. If this evidence can
be presented conclusively, and it can be
proved that the formaldehyde was put
| into the meat by the butchers them
selves. it will show that a bad state of
affairs exists regarding Topeka's food
supply. which it should have been Food
Inspector Farnsworth's business to in
vestigate.
! When told this morning that preserv-
atives had been found in samples of
meat, Mr.. Farnsworth said:
Il don't think there is any truth in
this report. I have watched the process
of killing and preparing chickens and
! beef at the Wolff Packing house so
often that I know nothing of the kind
is done there. and I don't believe there
are more than three butchers in Topeka
who know how to use the stuff at their
shops
! Mr. Farnsworth refused to say what
/ it was that he knew about the Con-
tinental Creamery which would prove
so damaging to their business if dis
closed He said:
Il have decided not to make any
! charges just yet. This matter was all
talked over by me with some of my
friends at the time the Continental
| Creamery issued its statement denounc-
ing me for rot making public the
names of the milkmen whom I suspect
ed of using preservatives in their milk
We decided then that it would be better
! to say nothing at this time. But if the
Continental wants to keep up this fight
on me- l will have to defend myself"
! Mayor Bergundthal said this morning
that he had heard nothing of any petit
ton asking for FarnSworth'S dismissal.