3445. Adulteration and misbranding of so-called sweet oil. U. S. v. F. W.?
Stute and George Van Ronzelen (Stute & Co.). Plea of gnilty.?
Fine, $20.     (F. & D. No. 5422.    I. S. No. 4548-e.)
On April 21, 1914, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Mis??
souri, acting upon a report by the Secretary of Agriculture, filed in the District?
Court of the United States for said district an information against F. W. Stute?
and George Van Ronzelen, a copartnership doing business under the firm name?
and style of Stute & Co., St. Louis, Mo., alleging shipment by said defendants?
in violation of the Food and Drugs Act, on or about March 12, 1913, from the?
State of Missouri into the State of Illinois, of a quantity of so-called sweet oil?
which was adulterated and misbranded. The product was labeled: " Pure?
Refined Sweet Oil.   Stute & Co., St. Louis, Mo."
Analysis of a sample of the product by the Bureau of Chemistry of this?
department showed the following results: Iodin number, Hanus, 111.6; Hal-?
phen test, strongly positive; the results above indicate that the product is?
largely or entirely cottonseed oil.
Adulteration of the product was alleged in the information for the reason?
that a substance, namely, cottonseed oil, had been substituted wholly or in part?
for sweet oil. Misbranding was alleged for the reason that the statement?
"Pure Refined Sweet Oil," borne on the labels of the bottles in which said
684	
BUREAU OF  CHEMISTBY.	
[August, 1914.
article was shipped and delivered for shipment, was false and misleading, be??
cause, as a matter of fact, said article was not sweet oil but was another sub??
stance composed wholly or in part of cottonseed oil; and, further, in that said?
article was labeled and branded so as to mislead and deceive the purchaser,?
being labeled " Sweet Oil," a term which is synonymous with olive oil, whereas,?
in truth and in fact, said article was not sweet oil or olive oil, but was another?
substance, consisting wholly or in part of cottonseed oil.
On May 1, 1914, a plea of guilty was entered on behalf of the defendant firm?
and the court imposed a fine of $20.
D. F. HOUSTON, Secretary of Agriculture.
WASHINGTON, D. C, September 24, 1914.