Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 112, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1911 — Short-Weight Thieves on Run [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Short-Weight Thieves on Run

CHICAGO. —Wabbly swings the steelyards of the “short weight crook” In Chicago. No more do grocers, butchers, candlemakers, coal dealers and cordwood men give short weight to the purchasing public. In the early days short weighting was popular in the ranks of the short weight people, but Pro Bono Publico, the prize kicker, has had an awakening and today he is looking for sixteen ounces to the pound and 2,000 pounds to the ton, as a result of the work of the retiring Inspector of weights and measures —John Kjellander, exploited as the “terrible Swede.” “There are tricks in all trades but ours." That’s an old story. It was King Solomon who said: “A false scale Is an abomination unto the Lord, but a just weight Is bls delight.” For many years dishonest dealers

went unpillorled in Chicago. Fees were collected by this official and another, but until Kjellander went Into office and with the assistance of William F. Cluett, his chief deputy, the offenders were not brought to book and forced to pay heavy fines. As a result the short-weight fellow is a rarity today. In the last four years the city of Chicago has prosecuted 1,162 suits against short-weight offenders, and they have paid In fines and costs |35,570. Thousands of crooked scales have been condemned. There are sixteen deputy Inspectors engaged in field work. Their work has attracted municipal officials in all parts of the United States and foreign countries. Short-weight swindlers have invented many contrivances to further their ends and cheat the consumer—the ultimate buyer. Lead and even beer bottle openers were tied to scales and, although the end of gain was small in the individual purchase, yet the aggregate of the swindle was large. False bottoms was a popular trick among peddlers. These have been picked up by the inspectors. Peck and gallon measures have been cut down. These cheats have been confiscated by the hundreds.