The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-10
DOCTORS ON TIE WAR-PATH.
The Fraternity Highly Incensed at the
Prosecutions of Saturday.
A Test Case To Be Made and Carried to the
Supreme Court-A Meeting Called
for Organization.

The doctors greatly stirred up at the action
Of Esquire Pease and Constable John A. McKin-
ney, who furnished information Saturday against
forty more of the city physicians who had not
procured licenses before the LIST of August.
DR.. Brennan was arrested on Friday evening,
and at once spread the alarm. The clerk was,
as result, busy all day Saturday, examining
diplomas, filing afidavits, and granting licenses.
There were many amusing instances DR.. Cam
eron, of tape worm fame, and until recently an
inmate Of the Insane Asylum, made application,
showing catalogues which proved he was a
graduate of Rush Medical College, Chicago, of
Ann Arbor, and of the Indiana Med
ical College ALSO But his diplomas
were locked up and his wife away doc Nc
Lain asserted that they served term at Rush
together, but in spite of this voucher, and the
assertion that he is a nephew of Secretary Don
and of DR.. Bobbs, of this city, the deputy re-
fused to give him papers, and he went off with
his witnesses to get search warrant and hunt
his lost diplomas. DR.. D. H. Oliver came in in
good time and was made constable proof" hav-
ing sent boy home for his diploma so as to
avoid the risk of service and fine DR.. G. n.
Porter was arrested, although he had his license
in due form; his trial is set for Friday, when he
will take a change of venue to Ben Davis The
harvest of dollars was plentiful one, and there
was no cessation on account Of the solemnisies of
Saturday afternoon.
The writer mot Drs. John Chambers and ALI
son Maxwell, and found them very indignant at
the summary proceedings of Pease. Mckinney,
McLain, Prosecutor Harding, ct al. Dr. Cham
bers said that while technically the red eyed law
may have suffered confusion by his delay, he had
no idea there was so dangerous a compound
fracture of it as Justice Pease and Informant
Mckinney are taking such radical measures to
reset and adjust.
Il feel" said DR.. Chambers, sin a confused
sort of a way, that great injustice has been
done, and one that neither the public sense of
equity or the higher courts intended or would per-
nit. have promptly paid my fine of twenty odd
dollars, and can far better afford to
do SO than to be delayed for a single
day in my business. The fine, with
me. is neither here nor there. although know
it will work hardship to number of reputable
young doctors il this city, who can neither
afford to pay it, or 60 to Jail in default of so do
ing. I do not like the principle of the thing 1t
is snap Judgment, without notice or warrant. l
do not regret contributing $40 to the public
school fund, but object to dividing the other
$40 between Prosecutor Harding, Justice Pease,
and his constable and informant. l will willingly
contribute the amount of the fine to any doctor,
association of them, who will make a test case
and carry it to the higher courts"
DR.. Maxwell here broke in with the assertion
that Mckinney is known as common drunk
ard and hummer who has been but recently
carried to the police station for drunkenness,
and also served a term at the City Hospital
with delirium tremens.
Drs Maxwell and Chambers both asserted
that sufficient time for compliance with the
law had not elapsed; that in many cases diplo
mas had been lost, stolen or burned las in the
case of the Fordyce Barker Paris diplomat, or
were in distant places, and could not be at once
procured
DIR. Maxwell also reported Chief Deputy
Joyce as saying that DR.. Maxwells arrest was
an outrage, and that he had no doubt if these
cases were carried to the higher courts the time
over, there had been no understanding
as to the legal fees, which DR..
Maxwell thought a ground of delay
on the part of many doctors. The Attorney
general had stated that only 1.50 could be col
lected;' Judge Ayers had sent word to the
Marion County Medical Society committee that
he had only given Clerk McLain a temporary
opinion-a sort of hotweather view Of it. to
had told DR.. Ferguson, the committee chairman,
that the fees would be 81 80, and perhaps more.
and that all doctors who were gentlemen would
pay his fees" On all of these accounts and
uncertainties Dr. Maxwell thought there was
more than ordinary reason for delay. Both the
doctors make the charge of favoritism on the
part of the prosecutors. -
IF one man." said DR.. Maxwell, twas guilty
of practising medicine without license on or
about the 1st of August, as the indictments
1nof rvr;fh Eponcn
And yet only fifty have been filed against, and
summons served upon only four or tive-Drs.
Brennan, Chambers, Purman Rowe, Porter and
Maxwell.
tect the people," said he, ''he should set his
underlings to pull in all who have practised on
or about the LIST of August whether they have a
license now or not If the law was active Aug l,
licenses granted since do not confer immunity.
All the doctors required was notice that proper
time had expired This was not given. 1t looks
on its face as though the object of these indict-
ments and arrests was to secure $40 of the
doctors money. S. for the prosecutor. So for the
justice and also fees for the constable and the
law breaker informant, with whom, for good or
ill purpose these upholders of the majesty of the
law are allied" Neither Doctors Chambers nor
Maxwell could find sufficiently terse and forcbe
English to express their protest and dis
gust at the arrest of peaceful and
lawabiding citizens going about their daily bust
ness routine, without notice or information but
still within the letter of medical law. which
did not affect favorably the practice Of medicine,
and whose only merit seemed to be new source
of fees to county officials"
The doctors on Ohio street. who have taken
licenses, are all sympathizing with their Jail
endangered brothers They do not say II told
you So" or you should have taken yours when
got mine, but to a man they denounce the
action piece of extortion that has sane
tion in law or equity.
Esquire Walpoe stated, yesterday, that no
cases of practicing without a license could be
tried in his court, as he was not so hard up for
money as to extort it from doctors who intended
in good faith to comply with the law, but had no
Said a prominent physician: The law re-
quiring the licenses is better than no statutory
restraint upon quackery, and was the best that
could be got through the Legislature. 1t was
simply intended by Dr. Shively as basis for
stricter legislation in the future, and it will