The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-02
FORMER PA5TDERKER ALLEGES USE
0F WATER IN C|TY'S MILK SUPPLY
COUNCILMAN HAB1G q B N I 7
SWORN AFFIDAVIT oP FOR
rER ERLoYE OF CITY'S
LARGEST DIARIES.
In which He Stated That MILK Powder
Was Mixed With Water from
Hose and Sold ns
Pure Milk.
biggest Sensation SprunS on PUBLIC Tor
Some Timc-Turther
Developments.

\ big sensation was sprung IN clt!
council last evening when Councilman
Ambrose uabig submitted sworn am
,Iavit. made by one Harry honnc'i' OF
Eirhtccuth STREET. alleging that during
IN, past Iiv,. years that he had been en-
rloycd AT variuus times at two Of the
largcs, dairics in the city he had Wit
messed and hclp.d in the operation NJ
various times Of mixing milk powder
with unfiltcrcd water from hose ana
sold to tho public rs pure milk To Dc
consumed by babies. etc.
4 CODY Of tn, affidavit rs Il was Sub
mittcd follows:
Stale OF West Virginia. County OF thio'
'SS:
This Esd day Of September, y. j.
1918, personally appeared before me- the
undersigned authority. one Harry ioh-
ncll, who. being by me first duly sworn
did dcposc und say. that he is u citiZ:h
of the city Of Wheeling. county OF ONO
md state of West Virginia: that nc has
been. OF and on for the last five years.
cmploycd BY two OF thc largest diaries
In the city Of Wheeling as paStcnrizrF'
and MS such paStc.urizer il was my duty
To pastruriIc all milk coming INTO t"'
dairy, and whenever there was snort
age OF milk. which was very frequently
(, under instructions from my employer.
would manufacture milk III suthcient
quantities to make up said shortage III
The following manner: l woulo Tuh
sufficient amount Of water FROM tho CITY
hose into the pnstcurizcr vat tn make
Nd all milk shortage and then l would
add anywhere from two 10 four pounds
Of milk powder to every ten gallons OF
water, which would thin be placed On
the market and sold us and for pure
milk Under instructions from MY en-
ployrr l would, at various and numcf-
Gus times add uniiltrrrd water and mix
powder to whatever milk l would have
to make up for any shortage that OK
listed, and thereby would often times
double tn, amount tina: was shipped IN,
which also would be- put on the market
and sold as good. pur" milk. On orc
particular day ! SAW made and helped
make nine hundred f9oo) gallons or milh
from water and powder. this being oone
in one OF the dairiCS in the cily OF
Wheeling.
.Deponcnt further says that he IS
making this statement Of his own Tree
will and accord that ne is receiving n"
money for the making Of same. hut 'hat
he is doing so for and on behalf OF the
public
(SiEncd) HARRY B0NNELI.
Taken, sworn to and subscribed before
mt this .3rd day Of September. y. u.
1918.
Notary Public nf. In and for ONO Couh-
ty, Wns: Virginia.
Nv commission expires October !. 1923"
If the conditions contained in the aft
davits nrr correct. 4 most serious OF
Tense against the health "f the nuo!ic
has been committed. and apparently Tor
Son'c time.
Councilman Habig alleged that tho
city health department. If operated on
the 7rop.r basis. should have found that
the milk was not pure when I hey tested
il for butter fat. 1t is alleged that IN"
two dairics under suspicion have always
rated high in the prcent OF butter LAT
contained in the milk sold.
Councilman HahlE proposed that II
tho companies had such sol uunn OF
milk powder in their huilulnGS' II Shonlu
hc seized at once and held :lS evidence
against tho companies. but this PROPOSE
tinn, for some reason. was not accepted.
CITY Manager Maggie then entered into
the discussion and int!mntcd that son,
nell was swearing falsely. and alleged
thai the allidavit was sworn to to thr""
n cloud Of suspicion on part OF the city
administration. and 10 try To show AN
alleged inefficirnry on the part OF the
health department.
Councilman labiE's motion. committee
composed Of the entire council WIS nam
cd to invest gate the affair. and CITY 80
licitnr VI: J. Cullinan Immediately iSsucH
4 warrcnt for the nrrrSt OF l5onnci'
which, was served Immediately and I5on-
ucr was brought before the cnmmltt'a'
OF counCilmrn. What tronspIrcd behind
he closed doors Of the city manager
oII!cc was not divulgcd 10 the press LAST
evening. but il was minated ny 'itS
y bot 1snnnnll
cd the statements he sworc I" IN ms al
tidavil and in furt expanded on them.
|; was also stated by the city mhnaEcr
that I.nnnrll lad named several men VINO
worked with him and aided in the max
ing Of the "powdrred milk and that
they will be suhpocnacd and brought ne
FORE q meetings of the council committee
this evening .. -
The affair caused n frrat SchS;tH'l,
in council because such Il thing had not
boon intinatrd e the members. II also
gave conflicting factions OF the city ad-
mlniStrltion to make numerous lnSlnua-
tinns against tho opposing faction. ana
argument waXcd hot for almost three
hours. 49,
Councilman Krrsa stated that he did
not believe that Ennncll WAS 4 pastrur-
izcr, and that hc was no; employed M
any of the twn large GairirS mentioned
for tho past year ;lnd u half. However.
when brought up before the committee,
ing for one of the companies this year.
Other members W council were or the
opinion that II such decd were being
committed It would Lave shown up IN
the butter TAT tests that are made by
tho city health department.
II was intiInatcd last evening that II
Ronncll testified falsely that he would
be prosecuted To the full extent OF mo
law While. on tho other hand. il his
allegations were found 10 be true. X
l. IL Ia 20
Of the leading diaries would be re-
vnkcd and that proceedings against
them would b. instituted. City off,
Gals have promised complete and
most thorough investigation OF the
matter.
Coming at such n time. Whom the gov
eminent is asking thu public TO take
every nrncaliiu possible In aid in say
ing the lives OF the 800. 900 Or more
babies under the age OF one year that
di" every year. the charges against the
dairies il true, are almost criminal.
During tho summer the water when NJ
tered contains many disease germs. ana
when not filtered must he IN u very I'M
hcalthful condition. The death rate
among infants under on" year Of age
in this city has been unhcsirahly high
for some time past. and if tho inS!nua-
lions sworn to in the affidavit made
out by Ronncll are true. ii is possible
.iha; 4 part Of this death rate could
hr traced back To the impure milk. Tho
milk would furnish insufficient nnur-
iShm"nt and would contain many germs.
Gan Explain Everything"
Officials OF the companies in jeopardy
wlirn quest toned an The charges made
ny RtNncll in his affidavit. by an In
tclliEcnrrr reporter last evening. would
Civ out no statements other than. we
can explain everything satisfactorily
when the tinc comes.
Nor" sensational Developments ara
expected to b" divMlE"d Al the meeting
called for this evening.
williams Didn't Como.