The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-03-15
SOLD BAD MEAT.
Charleston Man Accused Of vlo-
latlng the Law.
HAD MEATS SHIPPED

10 Him Under Names OF "soap
Grease" and "Hog Tallow" SO As
10 Could Fool The Department.
of Agriculture, Which Caught On
To the Trick and Gave Him Some
Plain Talk.
A letter from Washington says
Jonn r Werner, of Charleston, is
likely to get into serious trouble
with the government over the meat
inspection law unless he complies at
once with the requirements Of Sec
retary Wilson.
For sometime Werner has boon
In correspondence with the secretary
of agriculture concerning the ship
ment Of meat In interstate commerce
This correspondence began last fall.
Referring to this correspondence,
the last letter Of Secretary Wilson
Issued Thursday to Werner, which
explains fully the case is as follows:
and advice which had been given you
by the department. you wrote to
packers having federal inspection
asking them to ship to you mutilat-
Cd meats. and such parts as will not
pass federal inspection
You asked them to pack these
meats down In tierces and to mark
the same 'hog tallow" and to ship
them TO you. as you could realize
more from their sale than the pack
ers could by tanking the meat You
have instructed shippers that II they
bill tainted meat AZ "tallow' or
'Goap grease" no stamp of inspection
ts required.
The department has conclusive ev-
idence that sour and tainted meats
have been shipped to and received
by you, In some instances billed as
soap grease or meat unfit for human
food, and 1t Is the intention OF the
department that you dispose OF these
unsound, unhealthy. unwholesome
meat for human consumption In the
city Of Charleston and elsewhere
In one instance which was called
y to your attention you claimed that
meat shipped to you az soap grease
was so shipped because OF ignorance
on the part Of the shipper. The de-
partment has evidence that this par
ticular shipment OF meat was billed
to you as soap groase." In accor-
dance with your directions for ship
ping 1t.
s After this meat had been shipped
sou, you wrote TO the depaitmeat,5
stating that 90 pr cent OF 1t wae In
good condition. healthful, wholesome
and ut for human food. You asked
h0f hn oil fo TN IL In,
Interstate trade. The statement re-
garding the condition Of the meat
was absolutely untrue. The meat
was inspected by en- expert meat
inspector Of the bureau Of animal
industry, who reports that none Of
II was good and that the stencil from
most of the pieces waB very bad.
1T Is n we'll known fact that prior
to the passage OF tho meat inspec-
tion law. Jobbers In some OF the
southern states made their places Of
business regular dumping ground
for Hnsound unhealthful, unwhole
some, and tainted meats and 1t
seems to me that you are continu-
ine In this practice in the face Of the
present meat inspection law.
Your house Is used for the collec-
tion and distribution OF any kind or
GLASS Of tainted, inferior, unhealth
ful. unwholesome, and unsound
meats obtained from any source In
any conceivable way. watch has
been put over your incoming and
outgoing shipments OF meat and
meat food products and this watch
will be maintained until the depart
ment Ia satisfied that you are COM
forming your busincss to the law
Common carriers leading into and
out Of Charleston have beon advised
J.; that the department Will not accept
lSRour certincation to the Soundness
OF meat for human food, and that
1t will therefore be necessary 70:
them. by their own observation and
examination, to assure themselves
affirmatively that any mont which
you may offer for interstate com
merce is sound, wholenome. and fl
, for human food.
You will note from the above that
q you have undoubtedly bocn an ac
ssYfact to the violation Of this law. and
unless you discontinue your practice
Immediately you Will be reported to
the department Of justice for prose
cution.
surmise that the methods en-
ployed by you In conducting yon
business viii be Of interest TO t.
health authorities OF the city
Charleston and to the authorities G
the state OF South Caroline. Accord
ingly have sent a copy OF this !c
ter to the governor Of South CHrOllN
It is further my purpose to civ
copies Of this letter to the news