by Laurel | April 16th, 2010
April 16, 1898, page 8
From the Holyoke Police Court.
Ovila Beauchamp, who was tried in the police court yesterday morning on the charge of selling oleomargarine, the exact charge being “Selling for butter yellow substance resembling butter, but which is not butter.” There were three samples taken from the wagon from which Beauchamp was peddling, two of them being from the tubs and one from a package. According to the testimony of the chemical experts of Amherst college, the samples taken from the tubs were all right, but that taken from the package was not butter. He was fined $100, but appealed and was ordered to furnish $500 bonds for his appearance before the superior court.
From The Springfield Republican.
[Note there have bee long standing issues between the dairy industry and margarine manufacturers — and this long before health concerns. To read some interesting references to these issues, in particular at the time of this incident, have a look at this article.]