The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1916-06-15
Could Not Bride DIR. Crittenden Ross.

June 2.
Could Not Bride DIR. Crittenden Ross.
The following article taken from
the New Y ork World, of May 9th,
reveals how New York butchers en-
.deavor to sell diseased meat to their
customers, and how they have been
prevented from doing so by the vigi-
lence of DR.. Crittenden Ross, q farm
err Decatur county boy, son of H. r.
Ross, who after graduating with hon
ors at Ames, went to New York City,
and was appointed to a very respon-
sble position in the health depart
ment of that city. That he is making
good and is not susceptible to bribery
is shown by the Worlds article.
Upward of $4,000 q year has been
paid in brides to health department
inspectors by proprietors of abat-
toirs in the Brownsville section of
Brooklyn to pass as wholesome the
carcasses of diseased cattle Cor
rupting of these officials to the detri-
ment of public health, has been going
on for more than twenty-five years.
These statements We're made by
Commissioner of Accounts Wallstein
yesterday in connection with the clos
ing of five slaughter houses, the ar
rest on charges of bribery of twelve
proprietors or employees of these
establishments and the suspension of
eight veterinarians who acted as
meat inspectors.
Although criminal charges have
not been brought against any health
department Inspector as yet, Mr.
Wallstein said certain of them, who
received annual salaries of 800,
collected graft averaging from $50 to
SIS a week which came from a fund
contributed by the abattoirs, whose
proprietors furnished $4,000 bail
each before Magistrate Dodd in
Brooklyn.
Full creeit for unearthing the scan
dals was given by Mr. Wallstein to
DR.. Frederick w. Schoneweg, chief
veterinarian for the health depart
ment, who posing as willing bride
receiver passed carcasses of tubercu-
lar cattle and received in four months |
1920 in bills from the proprietors
of the slaughter houses.
During the period of espionage by |
Schoneweg none Of the unwholesome
meat passed reached butc,-er shops. |
sDr. 'Crittenden Ross of the health de-
partment, who acted as chief inspec-
tor at the abattoirs, worked in con-
cert with Schonewcg and saw that |
the unfit meat was condemned bef> re
reaching market.
So anxious were the slaughter |
house men to get rid of Ross that |
they paid $500, it is sworn, to Will
liam H. Boyle, examining inspector
for the commissioner of accounts, TO
use his influence in having Ross re-
moved and SchOneWeg appointed in
his place. Boyle, who posed as a driv-
er, pretended to have political con-
nections with state senator suffici-
emily strong to bring about this
change.
The Brownsville slaughter houses
concerned in the bride allegations
handled 81, 900 carcasses last year.
During the four months of this year
they have disposed of g. 1000 carcass
es Most of their meat is sold to re-
tail butchers in the Brownsville Sec
ton.
1t was the habit Of the abattoir men
according to Mr.. Wallstein, to trim
the diseased spots from the carcasses
and then sell the "trimr ings" to
sausage factories. Officials of the
health department added there was
no way of determining how much
sickness has resulted from these scan
dalOus operations.
"a few weeks ago. said commits
sioner Wallstein, the paymaster for
the slaughter house men agreed to
pay DR.. Schoneweg 5000 week pro-
vided changes in health department
officials satisfactory to the establish
ments were made. This 5000 was in
addition to the amounts of from $50
to SIS a week which we have evil
dence to show were paid to the veter-
marian inspectors"
The health department officials
suspended on charges are DR.. Alfred
e. Luks, chief of veterinarian inspec-
tors; Drs. John Kent, August John
son, Peter l. Amsher, Norris Milman,
William F. BREASTED, Charles E. Caul-
field and Alex Slawson.
The accused abattoir men are Da-
vid Feinberg, of Strauss, Schick &
Feinberg, alleged to have been the
.'paymaster"; Robert Plaut of Plaut
& Son; Henry Plaut and Simon Plaut
of S. & H. Plaut; Philip Strauss and
Aaron Schick of Strauss, Schick &
Feinberg; Arthur Plaut and Sam
Plaut of Robert Plaut & Son; Robert
Plaut Of S. 4 H. Plaut; H. Bullnick,
of Dumont & Christopher; H. Braun
schweig and Perry Palmer of Du-
mont, N. j., contractor associated
with the slaughter house men.
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