New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-07
FOOD INSPECTORS ACTIVE
LederIe Threatens with Arrest
All Who Sell Damaged Goods.
DEALERS TRY INTIMIDATION
Courts, by Fines and Prison Sen
fences, Improve Conditions,
Commissioner Says.

Arrest threatens every retail or whole
sale merchant in this city selling food prod
duets which contain materials forbidden In
the Sanitary Code. and those who sell food
& PRODUCTS that are condemned as unfit for
consumption. Health Commissioner Led
erie. in making this statement yesterday,
said IL was his desire 10 make himself clear
on the policy of the department In regard
20 such violators, as there had been con-
dieting opinions expressed about ths ac-
tyity OF his food inspectors.
He said Il was not a spasmodic effort
which had been the cause of the large
rurnbers Of arrests In the last few months
for such violations. IL had been determined
ne said, 10 no longer let the dealers so
with the conhscation OF merchandise as
,heir only loss. That formerly had been
&he department policy, but now such VIOLA
tors had their bad products confiscated
ard we're hailed to court besides.
And they will continue to be hailed to
court" said the Health Commissioner
until an end is put 10 the dealings In sucn
products"
The big fellows as well as little fellows
both IN the wholesale and retail trades, are
IN danger from the pure food dragnet Ac-
cordlng 20 Commission Lederle. many
vsronloads Of condemned canned goods
have been carted 10 the offal dump. In
former years. he said, wholesale dealers
would take back condemned goods ana per
haps use them again. There was no pos
,l6ility Of that now. as goods sent to the
ofal dump never were permitted 10 get
into a dealers hands.
Commissioner Lederle said the action OF
,ha Board Of Estimate IN cutting of the
*, additional food inspectors he had re-
,ussted had greatly hindered the Work.
There are now only about thirty men on
The food inspections in the city, but the
commissioner gave them credit yesterday
for doing fine work in bringing so many Of
Tenders 10 court There have been nearly
two thousand arrests since the first OF the
year. and convictions have been had IN the
majority of the cases. resulting in jail sen
,ences. as we'll as fines.
The Health Commissioner would not
deny that some Of his inspectors had been
threatened with violence. end that "otner
means had been used 10 intirnidate them
~ the last few weeks dealers whose de-
fec,ive goods had been seized ard taken to
she oval dump nave SphiF4"Aii~N 49,
shout their being hailed to court. but about
what they consider the drastic action IN
Couhscsung the goods
"Tverv dealer, retail or wholesale. must
bs his own inspector IN the future salo
commissioner 7 .ederle III the Health De-
,,artment inspectors find any unfit 1000 oe-
i1g sold in any store. such owner or own
ers will "a held responsible. man should
know what Is on his shelves and IN MS
Ilace Of business
When asked n he ala not believe there
were many violations Of the food laws IN
the city the Commissioner said there eT-
IDENTIFY were. but he believed the action of
Tho courts ia dealing out heavy hnes ana
,r;prisonnent for the sale Of bad food hah
struck fear into the hearts Of. some who
never would otherwise have taken the ac-
ton Of the INSPECTORS as being final.
.rrbsre IL no doubt that many Of them
ara afraid" continued the Health Commits
sioper. and 7 believe We have them on
10 nm now. I think there has been Dig
since the guilty dealers real
,zod that such 8 slight Inconvenience as
losing their damaged goods has been aug
mented by possible prison sentence ano
q fine. / cannot say too much Tor the
ZOO effect the cooperation OF the courts
has brought about
The Commissioner returned TO his once
Yesterday after an illness OF week NJ
h's home I'm Stamford. Conn