Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-07
CONVICTION UNDER
NEW FAKE ADJ LAW
AROUSES INTEREST
Fifth Avenue Association Of
New York Writes for Copy
of Statute.

The fact that a conviction was OBJ
. tanned in the first case brought to trial
under the new law making it mis-
demeanor to misstate facts in adver.
tising goods on sale called widespread
: attention to the law, and merchants
IN other cities and States are taking
steps to have similar laws placed on
the statutes of their communities.
Joseph J. Goldsmith, fur dealer,
living at 524 North Jersey street. Eliz-
abeth, was the first man to be caught
In the meshes of the new law. on
December l last he placed a sign in
the window of a store at 637 Broad
street. where he maintained tempo
rary store. that he would sell sample
furs at very low prices.
Albert J. Harding, of sos Broad
street. saw the advertisements and
investigated the matter. He found
out that Goldsmith was not selling
sample furs as advertised, and caused
his arrest. In the First Precinct Court
Goldsmith, when arraigned pleaded
not guilty and was held to the grand
jury.
The grand jury returned an indict-
ment against him shortly before
Christmas. and few days later Gold
smith appeared in court and pleaded
non vult to the indictment On last
Monday he was called before Judge
William P. Martin and sentenced to
pay fine of $50 and $27S8 costs. The
fine was paid by Goldsmith.
Judge Martin was loath to discuss
the case, except to SAB that it was
the FIST one brought before the coun-
ty courts under the new law and for
that reason the punishment had been
a fine.
1t is understood that in the future
should violations of the law continue
the penalty will be made more
severe, and 1t is more than probable
that false advertisers will face i'm
prisonment without the alternative
OF fine in fragrant cases.
The Fifth Avenue Association, or
New York city, composed of MEM
bers of some of the largest firms in
New York city, and men prominent
in civic life, has taken an interest in
the arrest and prosecution here, and
in a letter to Clarence S. Blake,
counsel for the Newark Advertising
Mems Club, cites the Goldsmith case
and continues, I'VE are considering
this matter of false advertising just
now and write to ask you II you can
send us a copy of the New Jersey
law. and also a statement as to how
much use has been made of the law,
and the effect it has had upon your
city's advertising.
The letter was written by Robert
Grier Cooke, president of the Fifth
Avenue Association. In the member
ship of the association is included
such men as former Justice James
w. Gerard, now ambassador to Ger
many; Ernest Stauffen, jr., of LORD
& Taylor; Walter Stabler, OF the
METROPOLITAN life Insurance Com
InGnnh
Hartman. John D. Crimmins, r. M.
Haan. of the st. Regis Hotel, and
other names equally well known in
New York city.
In Boston the other day Aaron
Kasofsky, proprietor of the Hudson
Bay Fur Company, was found guilty
of making untrue and misleading
statements in his advertisements
and was placed on probation by the
trial Judge, the terms of the proba-
ton being that Kasofsky would
change his style of advertising.
Kasofsky is the first person to be
prosecuted in Boston under a re-
Gently enacted Massachusetts law
against fraudulent advertising.
The Advertiser Vigilance Associa-
ton. an organization of retail bust
ness men of Boston and vicinity.
prosecuted the Hudson Bay Fur
Company as their first move against
fake advertising.
The complaint against the fur COM
pany was first made to the advertis-
ing association shortly after Kasof-
sky's advertisements appeared in
some Of the Boston papers. The Post
and Transcript refused the Hudson
Bav Company advertising.
The prosecution of the company
was founded largely on the following
statements which appeared in the
company's advertisements in news
papers: Everybody knows the his
tory of the Hudson Bay Fur Com
pany with its hundreds of trappers
all over the fur-bearing world. This
establishment needs no introduction.
The Hudson Bay Fur Company are
now selling direct to the customers.
There are no middleman's profits,
etc,