Journal Article Recalls Scandal

Happy BRANDING IRON Easter! Wednesday, April 14, 1976 Laramie, Wyoming Vol.83, No.97 Journal article recalls scandal Editors note: John Huey, a Wall Street But not all the soup disappeared And its way we c an call or write every store in the The pressure, as Mr. Wilson understands Journal staff reporter, visited Laramie April recent reappearance in this town of about country, but it certainly seems as if they've it, came directly from Ideal's Mr. Shuster, 2 to investigate the discovery of five cans of 23.000 wa? just the first course in Laramie's had ample opportunity to hear about it." who also is president of the Laramie Cham Bon Vivant soup at Ideal No. 1 and troubles. What followed was a full-blown Pondering, he adds, "Eight years is a long ber of Commerce. "Mr. Duffy I the Boomer allegations 'that local media had tried to brouhaha that, many here say, points to an time for a well-run store to leave any prod ang's advertising manager, Ted Duffy) said exert prior censorship of the news. While he alarming lack of consumer protection and a uct on the shelf—we don't recommend it." Mr. Shuster didn't want the story to run, so was here he interviewed several members of classic case of a troublesome malady: sup Mr Shuster replies: "It was just an over it didn't," the managing editor says Mr. pression of news because of pressure by an sight. We m ade a mistake, and we're being the university community. Duffy denies that he was pressured by Mr. important advertiser. crucified for it." Shuster or that he killed the story, although The following article appeared in the Wall A Souvenir on the Shelf Mr. Bujak, Laramie's environmental he concedes Mr. Shuster did phone him and Street Journal on Monday. Just how the soup, which FDA officials commissioner, took action. He removed all allow that it might be better if the story Reprinted by permission of the Wall say was delivered to the store in 1968 or 1969 five cans from the shelf (two vichyssoise wasn't printed. Mr. Shuster concedes that he Street Journal, c 1976 Dow Jones & and is definitely the product subject to the and three minestrone), carried them to a called Mr. Duffy, but says he only tried to Company, Inc. All rights reserved. 1971 recall, remained on the shelves so long store employe, and said, "You've got some stop the paper from amplifying the state re isn't completely clear. But certainly it did. thing here that kills people." He asked for lease by mentioning the store's name. Carol Wheeler, a University of Wyoming and received without cost all five cans. Two Stirring More Publicity When Vichyssoise student, recalls walking through the store in of them were turned over to the Wyoming Ironically, it was another move by Mr. January and being kidded by a friend: "You Department of Agriculture, which sent out a Shuster that indirectly brought down more Sells Slowly, People can end it all over dinner if you want." The brief press release. The release didn't iden publicity on his business than had the soup couple bought a can as a souvenir and then tify the store, but it did advise consumers of incident. Can Get In the Soup discussed the product's dangers with a store the soup's discovery and warned against On the afternoon of the press release, employe, who said he would "look into it." eating it. Ralph Swain, a 32-year-old instructor of The store stocking the allegedly danger • • • What happened to that press release in journalism at the University of Wyoming, ous soup was Ideal Discount Food Store No. Laramie news organizations is perhaps as was at work on his other job as news direc: 1, part of a three-store operation in Lara Bon Vivant's Notorious Cans intriguing as the discovery of the soup itself. tor of KOWB Radio. One of the town's two mie. John Shuster. the chain's president, ac Linger 8 Years in a Store; At the town's only commercial newspaper, AM stations, KOWB is owned by a Wyoming knowledges the recalled soup was on his native and well-know network sportscaster. store shelves as late as last year, but says The Laramie Daily Boomerang, the alert ar Putting a Lid on the News Curt Gowdy. At 4:45 p.m., an Associated neither the' FDA nor the Salt Lake City rived over the United Press International Press bulletin carrying the Bon Vivant alert By JOHN HUEY wholesaler who sold it to him ever advised wire on a Tuesday. But for five days, the came across the wire, and Mr. Swain read it Stall Reporter ol THE WALL STREET JOURNAL him of its dangers or of its recall. Asked if Boomerang ignored it. Only after the soup LARAMIE. Wyo. — P aul Bujak never over the station's 5 p.m. newscast. he ever heard of Bon Vivant vichyssoise, he had been the subject of major flaps else- dreamed five cans of soup could cause so Unsatisfied with the thoroughness of that says flatly, "No." where-at Laramie's two radio stations and much trouble. For that matter, Laramie's report. Mr Swain said he spent the next FDA officials, who decline to identify the at television stations in Denver and Chey part-time environmental commissioner hour calling local supermarkets trying to wholesaler, say their investigation Indicates enne-did the Boomerang run an item on never dreamed he would tind eight-year-old find out which one had sold the soup. "I that the wholesaler hasn't any record of no page three of the Sunday paper, along with cans of the notorious Bon Vivant cream vi- tifying Ideal of the recall, possibly because a picture of a can of soup (but not mention wanted to know for two reasons," says the chyssoise sitting right out on a grocery shelf recipient of the 1974 Wyo ming Association of the chain was no longer a customer in 1971. ing the store's name). for sale. But he did. The five cans were apparently the last of Broadcasters award for the best news cover You may remember Bon Vivant vichys- "We're real relaxed here in Wyoming. 60 stocked in 1968 and 1969, but folks herea age. "First, so the people who shopped there soise. In one of its most dramatic food re We don't get excited easily," explains the bouts don't find it unusual that it took that would be extra careful, and secondly so we calls, the Food and Drug Administration paper's 30-year-old managing editor, Robert long to sell the French delicacy in this wouldn't cast suspicion on the other stores seized and destroyed more than 1.5 million Wilson, who adds candidly, "I think you that hadn't sold Bon Vivant." Mr. Swain macho land of cowboys and two-inch steaks. cans of the Newark, N.J.. company's prod could say this was one of those cases where says two employes at' the Ideal Discount "This isn't vichyssoise country," observes ucts after a can of the vichyssotse was the advertising department did have some Store No. 1 confirmed that that store was FDA Regional Director Fred Lofsvold. linked to the 1971 botulism death of a subur influence over a news story." the one in question. He then aired that infor ban New York man and the paralysis of his "Utter Astonishment" Elaborating, he says: "We're a small mation on the 6 p.m. newscast. wife Under the storm of publicity, Bon Vi Nevertheless, the discovery that the sus town and we have to react differently from Shortly after that, Mr. Shuster called the vant Soups Inc. filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy pect soup was still on the shelves leaves Mr. the big cities. We can't just run out and say station's 33-year-old general manager, An proceedings, and, with disappearance of the Lofsvold in "utter astonishment." My God, everybody, John Shuster's selling drew Hoefer, who doubles as advertising suspect soup, health officials across the "We have never had a product more poison soup.' We didn't want to prejudice his country breathed a sigh of relief. highly publicized," he says. "There's no business." (turn to page 4) Gaines and Kyle make ( IF history as draft choices by DAVID THOMPSON and SALLY ANN SHURMUR Last Thursday, two Wyoming athletes made University of Wyoming history. Lawrence Gaines and Aaron Kyle became only the second and third UW football players to be selected in the first round of the annual college draft. Gaines was the second choice of the Detroit Lions. The 6-1, 226-pound wishbone fullback joins his former UW coach, Fritz Shurmur. Kyle became the first cornerback drafted in the first round by the Cowboys. The 5-11, 180-pound athlete joins veterans Mel Renfro and Mark Washington in Coach Tom Landry's All-Pro studded secondary. Gaines, who rushed last season for 894 yards in 161 carries for four touchdowns, reports to the Lions' rookie football camp on April 27. "I'm just happy to get picked," said the Vernon, Texas native. "People said that I would go in the second round, but I wasn't sure." Gaines has remarkable breakaway speed for an athlete his size. He was plagued by knee problems that kept him from a n6 rst owers to E cf or ^ ^*' *' bloom in spring, the Easter lilly symbolizes this time of year.

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