The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-28
HOG CHOLERALARD
Has Been Too Common County
Attorney Declares.
Prosecution of Men Responsible
Promised by Him.
BUY DISEASED PIGS.
Dealers Render Them and Reap
Big Profit.
Diseased Beef Also ON the Mar
ket, Simon Says.
BUY DISEASED PIGS.

County Attorney Simon believes
Topeka has been buying hog cholera
lard and he is planning a crusade
against packers, butchers and hog
buyers in general Just how many
cholera infected hogs have found their
way into Topeka lard cans is q mat
ter that Simon does not estimate.
The hog cholera situation in Shaw
nee county has suddenly become
alarming. Some Of the blame. Simon
says should be carried to the doors of
the live stock owners. He charges
that many owners have Wantonly or
ignorantly neglected to burn animals
which died from che disease and per
mitted the germs to spread to other
herds Then there is another class
1t is the men who visit the farm ers
and buy these animals for d nominal
sum and smuggle them into the rem
dering plants where they reappear
few days later as pure country lard.
This year there have been an unusu-
ally large number of complaints con-
corning hog cholera Entire herds
have suddenly died from the disease.
In localities in which cholera has been
effectually stamped out for years hogs
have died and the germs spread to
other animals, then to herds on ad-
joining farms On several of the farms.
1t is claimed, the owners have hauled
their dead animals to ravines and
small streams. not only permitting the
germs to spread over their own farm,
but the farms of their neighbOrs-
They Didn't Burn Hogs
In the statute books is a law which
states in plain, unvaFnished language
that dead animals must be promptly
nd offectually disposed of. The more
careful growers burn their animals;
This has proven the more effectuai
manner of fighting the spread OF
cholera But not all farmers take the
required precaution. These are the
men who will come under the ban, ac-
cOrding TO Simon s latest uItlTnatun
Then comes the man who not only
endangers the life of his own animals.
but the lives Of thousands of innocent
men, women and children These are
the men whom Simon declares have
taken liberties with the law and the
lives of their neighbors. They are the
people whom the county attorneys OF
fee will make desperate effort to
reach.
Recently information came to the
county prosecutors office of man
who bought a number of cholera in
fected hogs, brought them to Topeka
and turned them over to men in the
lard rendering business. These hogs
were bought in many instances at
prices as cheap as so cents. The cans
of lard rendered from the cholera in
fected hog brought to the producer a
profit of several hundred per cent.
Diseased Beef Appears, Too
Another case which came to light is
equally appalling. A certain butcher is
said to have killed a steer, known to
have been innoculafed with the germs
of a dread animal disease The evil
dence of the disease was very apparent
and the steer did not find a place IN
the rack Of home grown, juicy beef
steaks. 1t was consigned to the mince
meat department.
These cases demand and will receive
every attention" declared Simon, in a
discussion of some recent disclosures.
''and ] don't think it will be Kong until
some of the people engaged in this in
humane practice, will answer to- the
courts. I want the farmers to be es-
pecially careful in the disposition of
disease infected animals and I will APP
preciate any information of a breach Of
the law
Simon declined to disclose the source
of his information at this time He is
working on several Individual cases and