Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-10-06
BAR IRON FOR LIFEBELTS.
Metal Used to Bring Them to Standard
Arrests Made.

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alleged conspiracy which has been de-
veloped by officials of the Depart
ment Of Commerce and Labor OF the
Department of Justice resulted in the
arrest at Camden, N. J., of J. H. Stone,
H. c. Quintard. Charles w. Russ and
James Russ, said to be officers OF the
Nonpareil Cork Works.
They were taken into custody by
the United States Marshal for the
district of New Jersey under an in
dictment found on September 29 by
the United States grand jury at Tren-
ton charging them under Section 544o
of Revised Statutes of the United
States with conspiring to detraud the
Government and prejudice the admin
istration of the steamboat inspection
laws by putting upon the market com
pressed cork blocks for use in making
life preservers, each Of which blocks
contained in its center piece OF bar
iron about six inches long and weigh
ing eight ounces.
The iron bar, it is said, was in
serted and concealed i'll the block tor
the purpose Of increasing the weight
to the legal requirement of six pounds
of good cork for each life-preservcr.
Suspicious of Weight.
Early in August, David kahnwell-
er's Sons, manufacturers of life-pre-
servers in New York, ordered from
the Nonpareil Cork Works at Cam
den, N. J., blocks of compressed corks
for 1850 lifc-prescrvers. Eight OF
these blocks are used in each pre-
server, and the United States law re-
quires that the eight blocks shall con-
tain six pounds of cork. When the
cork blocks were delivered to Kahn
weilers Sons, Mr.. Kahnweiler, a mem
Der of the firm, who is an expert in the
handling OF bare cork, suspected that
they were undcrweight. Putting them
on the scales he discovered that eight
of the blocks, which, according to
legal requirements should weigh SIX
pounds, weighed only five and one
half pounds. This firm, thcrcupon,
wrote the Nonpareil Cork Works. call
ing its officers attention to the under
weight of the cork blocks and inquir-
ing whether the blocks could not be
made serviceablc weight, The Non
pareil Company replied that it would
adjust the matter by sending some
extra heavy blocks, one of which
could be used in each life-preserver,
thus increasing its weight to the legal
requirements.
In due time the blocks arrived. They
were so heavy as to arouse instant sus-
picon. Lewis Kahnweiler, while ex-
amining one Of them. broke it by ac-
cident and found imbedded in its CEN
ter an iron bar six inches long, one
inch wide and a quarter OF an inch
thick, weighing eight ounces. Inc
Kahnweilers again wrote the officers
of the Nonparcil Cork Works, de-
manding to know what they meant by
putting iron in the cork blocks and
informing them that as kahnwellers
Sons were obliged to put their names
on each prescrver such fraud would
ruin their business.
According to the indictment a let
ter was received in reply suggesting
that the Kahnwcilers were foolish to
make so much trouble about a small
affair OF that kind
Further examination of the extra
heavy blocks" disclosed that each OF
them contained an iron bar similar to
that which was found in the first one.
In all, 26I OF the extra heavy blocks
were received by Kahnweiler's Sons
Convinced that some action ought to
be taken in the matter, kahnweller
Sons communicated with Robert ,.
Rode, supervising inspector of the
steamboat inspection service for the
District of New York, and laid before
him all the facts. Inspector Rodie
reported the facts to Acting Secre-
tary OF the Department of Commerce
and Labor Lawrence O. Murray. lie
was directed by Secretary Murray to
await instructions.