OCR Text |
Show TWELVE VENDORS OF j PRODUCE ARRESTED: . Were Discovered on Market Mar-ket Selling by Measure Instead of Weight. OFFICIALS BUY FRUIT Purveyors Hastily Mend Their Methods When Detection De-tection Is Made. The peck measure went u nder the won sent and the ancient spring balance bal-ance was hauled out in the market wagons at the growers' exchange, Second Sec-ond West and First South streets, early yesterday morning. Hut the exchange was mad1 too late to save twelve farmers farm-ers and vendors of produce from arrest on charges of violating the state weights and measures law. In the guise of purchasers, without other intentions than the acquisition of produce, Heber I '. Smith, state superintendent super-intendent ot weights aud measures, Deputy C. B. Condie and Inspector P. W. Lemon,. accompanied by T. L. Irvine, city sealer, strolled nonchalantly among the wagons at the exchange yesterday morning, making purchases. They bought by measure, peaches, plums, potatoes, po-tatoes, tomatoes, etc., and informed each vendor he was under arrest. The alarm f fal ally spread, but for which, says Superintendent Su-perintendent Smith, they might, have made many more purchases and arrests. Have Police Powers. Police powers were given to the superintendent su-perintendent of weights and measures, deputies and inspectors uuder the weights and measures law passed by the last, legislature. This is the first instance of the exercise of them by any weights and measures officials. The twelve men arrested were asked to report re-port in the office of Brighain Clegg, justice jus-tice of the peace, at 10 o'clock and did so. They gave their names and PJoni" ises to appear at. !0 o'clock next Tuesday Tues-day morning for formal arraignment, at which time Superintendent Smith will have obtained complaints from the county coun-ty attorney charging each with violating violat-ing the law by selling otherwise than bv weight . The purchases made yesterday in getting get-ting the evidence against the alleged offenders were taken to the office of the state dairy and food bureau in the Walker Bank building. They will be disposed of today, probnbly by being given to one of the charitable institutions institu-tions of the city, said Mr. Smith. The names given by the twelve men arrested arrest-ed were A. Sena, V. Fisher, J. H. Spencer, Spen-cer, Levi Muir, Fred Kobayachi, Charles Smith, George DemotropKs, C-T. C-T. Hogan, Fred Lewis, William Navlor. L. R. Boy n ton and G. Pelati. The minim min-im um fine permitted in case of con-vi' con-vi' tinn of the offense with which they arc- to bp charged is $20.00. Once the produce sellers got an inkling ink-ling of what was taking place, there Was a scamper to dig out scales from hiding places in the various wagons. Some waited in making sales to borrow bor-row of their neighbors. Awakened to Duty. Customers who inquired about the price of fruits by the orate were politely po-litely informed by the vendors that they were so much a pound. James Claw-son, Claw-son, member of the board of the state dairy ani food bureau from Sanpete county, was a guest of Superintendent Smith" during the proceedings at. the exchange, ex-change, Mr. Clawson said, after it was all over, that he intended to see to it that the farmers of Sanpete county should be made acquainted with the pro visions of the law before Smith should descend upon his county and catch any" of the tillers of the rich soils of Sari-pete Sari-pete napping. Superintendent Smith tob I Mr. Clawson that he would appreciate ap-preciate such missionary work, since acquaintance with the law on the part of the farmers would doubtless eliminate elimi-nate the violations in the most part. |