Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-21
FISH DEALERS ANGRY
EXCEPTIONS TAKEN TO ACTION
OF POLICE COURT.
Man Fined for Selling Fish Alleged to
Have Been Unfit for
Use

Wholesale fish dealers of the District are
indignant at the action of the Ponce Couil
in the conviction of n retail dealer IN the
Police Court for selling fish which health
office inspector testified were soou' anu
they call attention to the lack or any Ia"
or regulation in the District through which
they may obtain a reheartng or the case Or
an appeal to a higher court. The nsn ousi-
nass in the District involves thousands OF
dollars per year and the men engaged IN
the business are almost all tax payers and
men of high standing in commercial circles
The case to which attention Is called was
tried before Justice Bundy In the Ponce
Tuesday last and was decided after mass
OF evidence had been submitted by both
sides In his decision Justice Bundy IS az
legged to have stated that the case was We, a.,
hazy but that he would impose hhe III
order that the fish dealers might De MOI
careful in the future and that the health
office might be sustained In lts worn VI ~
forcing the rigid regulations regarding LILO
inspection of fish. .
1t is stated In cOnr1ecloh WIN cto,r
that one day last week man naneu o.e ns
visited one of the fish houses at the ~ 49, "
nth street southwest and purchaseo iion
Edward Thomas bunch OF "ha'
known as butterfSh. , ,
THOMAS Is a retail dealer who makes
business of selling fish at the Wnar, oa aso,
and he purchases his stock from ohaen.'
&. Stuart. a firm that has been doing DUST
80 In this CITY for almost half century.
ON the day in question Shaeffer q STUART
had consigned to them several oarreis vi
butterfish, the fish being packed in ice
They had been caught, II Is said the Gay
before they arrived in washington
Purchasers Objection.
Thomas purchased a quantity of these
fish and sold forty punches of them pe1ore
Stern made his purchases. After leaving
Thomas, Stern went to another flsh mousse
where he bought another bunch OF 1sh. IN
a short time he came Into the SnaeHer q
Stuart place of business. 1t is alleged, ana
began abusing the proprietors- Mr.. George
Stuart a son OF one of the members OF inc
firm told Stern to tell his troubles 10
THOMAS who was responsible for any deal
ings that might have been carried on In the
fish house. Stern then turned to Thomas'
it is said, and abused him, accusing MIN
of selling him bad fish-fish that were not
fit 10 eat he said. Thomas denied the
charge and called in Captain Stuart. one OF
the members of the firm, who had taken
some of the same fish to his home and had
eaten them during the day Both OF the
Stuarts denied that the fish were bad, as
did also several other fish dealers who had
purchased some Of the same lot of fish from
the Stuarts.
Stern found policeman in the vicinity of
the fish wharf and requested him to arrest
Thomas II is declared. The policeman sent
for Inspector Harris of the health depart
ment and asked him to examine the fish.
Harris has been in charge of the inspection
of fish and marine products for many years,
and on examining the fish in question pro-
nounced them to be in good condition.
Mr. George Stuart subsequently took one
OF the fish from the bunch Stern had
bought it is said. and had it cooked. 1t
was divided among the business men about
the wharf, and all pronounced 1t to be
good.
Despite this fact. however, Stern visited
the health office and, accompanied by DR..
Fowler. chief of the inspectors, paid
visit to the fish wharf. DR.. Fowler return
ed to his office from the wharf and order
ed that the fish be sent to the garbage
plant. 1t is said he did not examine the
fish. Thomas was subsequently arrested
and charged with violating the regula-
ton covering the sale of marine products,
and the case was called in the Police Court
Monday A postponement was taken until