New-York tribune., 1918-05-02

den Mix Company were active in sup
porting this legislation, and I have no
recollection of any representative of
the association or Of the company ever
mentioning the subject to me.
Would Like to Sec Letters
"(2) Mr.. MacBride next states that
he has found many letters in the files
of the Bureau of Food and Drugs which
show an unwilingness on my part to
interfere with the operation Of the
Borden Milk Company. even when re-
quested by the United States Govern
ment TO take such action. | know Of no
such letters. | have never seen them
and shall be glad TO have them pro-
duced. The Borden Milk Company has
been investigated and prosecuted just as
any other milk company. No favoritism
has been shown to it. AS matter of
fact, our court records show that the
Borden Milk Company during the past
tions of the Sanitary Code, paying in
total fines more than any other large
milk company.
"(3) AS to Mr.. MacBride's claim that
the Association for Improving the Con-
dition of the Poor has opposed any
investigation of the Health Depart
ment, having for it's object the ex-
posure Of corrupt ring in the Bureau
of Food and Drugs, | have no knowl-
edge that the association has ever
taken such action. | know of no cor
rupt ring in the Bureau of Food and
Drugs. have constantly used my best
efforts to prevent all corruption in
that bureau. There are employed about
one hundred and thirty-fve inspectors
in the work of this bureau. These men
arc subject to constant temptation.
Every possible precatuion is taken to
supervise their work to prevent ia
voritism or corruption. In the course
of my official duties | have been in
strumental in discharging ten of these
inspectors, and in each case the evil
dence was submitted to the District
Attorney. 1t is, Of course, possible
that there may have been black sheep
among inspectors. The most careful
vigilance cannot entirely prevent in
human affairs a certain proportion of
corruption and incompetence. If any
thing of the kind has existed in the
bureau | am naturally more concerned
than any one else to punish and eradi
cate it. From the beginning of this
investigation l have freely offered my
testimony and other assistance both to
Mr.. MacBride and District Attorney
Swami. ] have furnished to these gen
tiemen all the correspondence and
plpers IN my Office, and l shall con-
dnue to give all the information in
my power to any public officials en-
gagged in investigating any charges of
corruption or graft in my bureau. l
have testified willingly before Com
missioner MacBride, have made state
ments before District Attorney Dowl-
ing and nave testified before the grand
jury, and l have done everything in
my power to facilitate this investiga-
ton, which I welcome and which |
hope will be as expeditions and public
as possible.
No Favoritism Shown
"(4) In answer to Mr.. MacBride's
intimation that l have shown favorit-
ism to the drug house of Schieffelin
& Co. (of which Mr.. William j. Schief-
felin is the head) because Mr.. Schief-
felin was one of the examiners when
| applied for my present position, I
want to say that there is not the slight
est foundation for any such suggestion.
have not the pleasure of any intimate
acquaintance with Mr.. Schieffelin.
was chosen for my present position
after seven years experience as food
and by public competitive examina-
ton, in which, l understand, about
sixty of the leading men in my line
o. work throughout the country partici-
pated. l had no personal acquaintance
with any of the appointing powers. My
selection was solely due to the showing
made on my examination.
"In regard to the taking of samples
from the stock of Schieffelin G. Co.,
find on looking up my records that no
samples have been thus taken. There
are 1872 wholesale druggists in New
York listed in the telephone register.
My instructions have been that sam
pies shall be drawn from any whole
sale drug house when we have received
information or have reason to believe
that such house may be violating the
law. find that out of these 1872 or
more wholesale druggists samples have
been drawn from thirty. Of the ninety
two wholesale drug houses from which
samples have not been drawn, the firm
of Schieffelin & Co. is one. A number
of those houses from which samples
have been drawn are Of the same class
as to their Importance and as to the
extent Of their business as the house
of Schieffelin & Co.
at has been my constant endeavor
for the three years during which I
have been at the head of the Bureau
of Food and Drugs to enforce the law
as vigorously and impartially as has
been IN my power. | have had long ex-
perience and clean record in my pro-
fession. | believe that my administra-
ton Of the Bureau of Food and Drugs
has been successful. know that it
has been honest and conscientious. |
repeat that l hope that there will be
the fullest and the most public inves-
tigation of these baseless. insinuations
and innuendos.y
Three employees of this department.
We're indicted yesterday largely on
evidence provided by DR.. Brown. They
are Alexander Leibe, a messenger.
charged with extortion, and Harold w.
j. Keen and T. Spencer Duignan, oyster
inspectors, charged with eXtortion and
bribery. They pleaded not guilty and
were held in S3,5O0 each. The accusa-
ton against them is that oyster grow
ers and dealers handling Princes Bay
blvalves were charged l cent bushel
for the privilege.
The Woman's Municipal League YES
to-day took issue with some of the
charges made by MacBride Through
MISS Agnes Di Lima, secretary of the
league, the specific denial is made that
DR.. Bolduans bureau was used to pro-
mote the Staten Island garbage plant
deal, or that it engaged in prohibi-
tion campaign.
Mayor Hylan's Letter
In his letter to DR.. Copeland, Mayor
Hylan said:
Previous to your selection and appoint
ment by me as Health Commissioner of the