Hearing in the case of Louis Zeleznick, of the Bronx Meat Company, 463 Westchester Ave., Bronx, accused of defacing or destroying government stamps on meat shipped to the firm of Isaac Gellis, Inc., will be held June 21. Zeleznick is free in bail of $500 set by Magistrate William Klapp of the Bronx.
According to George Ringler, confidential investigator of the New York City Department of Health, yesterday, he trailed a truck containing a shipment of 5,059 pounds of meat to the factory of Isaac Gellis, Inc., at 37 Essex Street. Mr. Ringler called upon Inspector John R. Rafferty of the U. S. Department of Agriculture and Rabbis L. Seltzer and I. Idelson of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis, to accompany him. Together they appeared at the Gellis factory, where they found the truck standing before the door. The rabbi employed by the Gellis firm was found to be absent. When he appeared after being called, Rabbi Epstein insisted that the meat was kosher and produced a letter from Rabbi Bitterman, who originally inspected the meat, certifying it as kosher. The meat contained in 14 barrels was found to be sealed and with the government stamp upon the tags.
When the barrels were opened by Mr. Ringler in the presence of the rabbis and the government inspector, they found that many of the government stamps had been deliberately cut out or obliterated. Some were found to be stamped with the number 650, which indicated that they came from East St. Louis, Illinois, where no kosher meat is known to be slaughtered, according to Ringler. Other pieces of meat bore the number 3C, indicating it came from Swift & Company, National City, Illinois. Mr. Ringler also found that the shipment contained 1,400 navels, which would have meant that 700 animals had been slaughtered at one time for kosher purposes, an excessive number, according to the representative of the Department of Health. At the same time, 147 pounds of meat were found to be without any label or stamp whatsoever. This meat was ordered destroyed at once by the Department of Agriculture Inspector.
When Rabbi Epstein was asked to surrender the certificate signed by Rabbi Bitterman he refused to do so until forced by Mr. Ringler. Later the certificate then in the possession of Mr. Ringler, disappeared and did not turn up until the next day, when it was returned
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
