Six Restaurants, One Sacrificial Lamb: Seattle's War on Fake Butter

On Friday last there came up before the justice's court in Seattle the prosecution of six restaurant men, owners of the Windsor restaurant, the Chicago, the California, the Gilt Edge, the German Kitchen and the Liverpool.

It came out that the restaurant proprietors, through their attorney, met Dairy Commissioner McDonald, and they made the proposition that one of their number would plead guilty, and jointly they would pay the fine and costs, providing the other five suits were dismissed, and they would follow strictly any reasonable regulations the dairy commissioner would stipulate. They claimed that the former dairy commissioner informed them that if they used oleo on their tables in the uncolored state, it would not be a violation of the law.

Mr. McDonald stated in reply that he did not believe the former commissioner had any authority to thus construe the law, but, as these were the first arrests for violation, and he had no reason to disbelieve their statements, and they pleading guilty, which did not weaken his position, and also promised that they would follow strictly any regulations that they might make, he accepted their proposition. He will hereafter hold that the law is violated unless signs are hung in large-sized letters in a conspicuous place, with no attempt at concealment, so that the patrons could not fail to see them, or printed on the bill of fare in the same size type as the body of the bill of fare: "WE USE OLEOMARGARINE."

Furthermore, that he may not be misunderstood, he stated that he will prosecute to the full extent of the law, asking the highest fine for anyone not living up to those regulations, carrying the case to the supreme court if necessary.

There was a little side play after the above agreement was reached with the dairy commissioner as to who should plead guilty and stand as the figurehead of the fight. The proprietor of the California restaurant is a Japanese, and they thought that they could induce him to be the lamb in the slaughter, but he was a little too cute. One suggested that they would draw lots, but an objection was raised, and finally the proprietor of the Chicago restaurant agreed to the sacrifice and was subjected to the fine and costs, the latter being nominal. The other cases were dismissed.

Mr. McDonald would like to have all exchanges note the fact that he has made such strict stipulations so that in cases of future arrest ignorance of the law cannot be made a plea of the defense.

Mensor Bros., lumbermen operating in Pierce county, were fined last week $25 for feeding oleomargarine to their loggers. The stuff was beautifully colored, and was an importation from P. D. Armour, Kansas City, Neb.