The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-06
MUCH INTEREST
In CURTIS CASE
Attorneys Allege Inspector
Was Dropped to kill Throck-
morton Bill.
WAS THERE ANY DEAL MADE?
Curtis Discharged and Statement
Given Out That He Had
Resigned.

Comparatively slow progress is be'ns
made in the trial of the suit oil former
Dairy Inspector r. H.. Curtis against
James Bellwood, for damages In the
sum of $4,000, which has been in pro-
gress for several days in the Law anu
Equity Court. The evidence Is taking
a wide range, much of yesterdays ses-
sion being taken up with examination
of dairymen who's places MAJ oesh
inspected by Mr.. Curtis while an en-
ploye Of the Health department..
o'Flaherty & Fulton appear for Mr..
Curtis, and Smith, Moncure & Gordon
for Mr.. Bellwood.
Much of the evidence so far mas
been in line with that given by inc
dairymen at a hearing held by me
Board Of Health when Mr..
preferred certain charges against tho
inspector. At that time Mr.. Curtis was
acquitted, the Health Board passing 4
resolution Endorsing his work.
DcllwOod Renews Charges
Later Mr.. Bellwood renewed his
charges before a committee of the Vir-
GINA Legislature, which was considers
ing the Throckmorton bill, which, IT
was stated. II enacted, would have de-
stroyed the entire dairy inspection sys-
TEN of the cities Of Virginia, by allow
ing any dairy to sell milk anywhere,
provided 1t had a license from .he
State Dairy and Food Commissioners
thus ignoring the local health author
tiles.
Attorneys for Mr.. Curtis broadly al
leSe that Mr.. Bellwood, who had be-
fore brought charges against Mr.. Cur
tbs. and failed to substantiate them.
,,,,- .o.o 49, 49, -. ,,a - n Il, 10 "
ing that bill introduced by Delegate
C. w. Throckmorton. of EIenr.co coun-
ty.
Say Curtis Was Sacrificed.
They charge that his interest in
the matter was to take the inspection
of dairies out OF the hands OF Mr..
Curtis, who had more than once
scored the Bellwood place lower than
the proprietor believed was just. and
it is broadly intimated that the
Throckmorton bill was finally allowed
to die on the House calendar without
coming to a vote with the understands
ing, express or implied, that Mr.. Cur
It's would be removed. Certain 1t is
from evidence already introduced, that
at a meeting of the Board of Health
shortly afterwards, Chief Health Off
Ger Levy recommended that Mr.. Cur
lllS We disSld1 Scd l1t SOOu VI lie
service. The action of the hoard was
not made public at the time, but a,
a later meeting. also in executive SEES
sion, 1T was announced hat T. j.
Strauch had been elected dairy in
spector, to succeed r. II. Curtis. 're-
signed" Mr.. Curtis was prompt in
his protest, notifying the newspapers
at once that he had not and would not
resign, asserting that the authorities
had yielded to outside pressure anc
sacrificed him in order to secure the
defeat of the obnoxious Throckmortor
bill, which was be..eved to be a Sc.
we're blow to the work, had 1t beer
enacted.
Bellwood Has Strong Defense.
Fl. NJ. Smith, Jr., n former State
Senator Fulton are examining the wit.
nesses and every point is being warm.
~ contested. 1t is probable that the
trial VIII last for several days. ant
that much interesting matter in con.
%nection with the dairy inspection worl
Will be brought out in the argument
The cross-examination of dairyme1
yesterday was mainly along Ines here
tofore gone over before the Health
Board, the attempt being to show tina
Mr.. Curtis made errors in scoring
that he had failed to enter informa
tion as to the tuberculin test in tn,
case OF dairies where that test ha,
been applied. and that in one cas-
he had assisted a small farmer II
/. getting out of the dairy business b.
finding him a purc4 ser for his COW
and accepting a c, mission on tn
sale, 1t being the announced intention
OF the defense to continue this lin
of cross-examination with a view o
showing the jury that Mr.. Bel1wooc
who is one Of the largest n mos
representative farmers OF Chesterfel
!. county, was justified in making stroni
representations to the Health Depart
ment of the Inspectors unfairness, an
. that finally the Board o. Health wa
. justified in taking the advice of tn
. chief health officer and d%ischargin
MN for the good of the service. Th
: progress of the trial will be watche
with great interest, many dairyme
ana others being, present yesterday.
) BLUES THANKED