Threat Of Prosecution.

THREAT OF PROSECUTION

For a Systematic Lessening of the Weight of Stock

The charge is made that a number of farmers of this section have been cheated on the weights of stock sold for shipment and there is some talk of a criminal prosecution growing out of it. One farmer is said to have been 60 pounds short weight on a load of hogs. Another farmer's load of lambs were weighed in at 100 pounds less than their actual weight. Another farmer lost 40 pounds on two loads of lambs and still another lost 300 pounds on some cattle. It is said that the fault is not in the scales at the railroads, as these scales weigh the same as the other stock scales of the city and that farmers who are known to have stock scales have their stock correctly weighed in. Usually when a farmer drives up with his load, his horses need his attention and by the time he gets around to it, he finds his check already made out. The story is also told of the owner of a scales finding a silver dollar under a weight on the scales after a stock buyer had used them. A silver dollar would make a good many pounds difference in weight. It is stated that this cheating of farmers by a certain buyer has been a systematic business and that the farmers would have saved many dollars had they taken weigh bills and insisted on their weights. Of course in this case he would be apt to be met with the statement that the buyer was not buying stock by the scales on which the farmer had weighed, but the farmer would have the consolation of knowing when he was being cheated and how much. It is thought that the aggregate, of losses in this section would amount to a large sum. If these charges are true, the farmers should unite in an effort to protect their own interests. It must not be supposed that this is an indictment against all stock buyers, most of whom are reputable and honest dealers.