The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-03
BENNINGToNS BOGUS COLLEGE.
BRADBURY AND AvERELL TURNED
OUT DOCTORS BY THE SCORE.

BRADBURY AND ANEhELL TURNED
a OUT DOCTORS BY THE SCORE
Their Trinity University Of Vermont"
Existed Only on Paper and Did Business
in q Boston Waiting Room for street-Car
Passengers-Fled to Avoid Arrest.
Some time last year our attention was
called to a paper filed with the town
perate a medical college here. Nothing
else appearing TO the public the local
press have not mention d the matter. A
Portsmouth, N, H., despatch of the 18th,
Sept, explains the matter as far as de-
veloped up to that date. as follows "a
great sensation has been caused here by
the discovery of another bogus college
of medicine similar in management and
larger than the Druid college Of Maine,
full expose OF which was made some
years ago. This latest chartered institu-
ton is the Trinity University of Medi-
cine and Surgery, having nominal head
quarters at Bennington, Vt. Its meth
DDS OF business are these Any person de-
string to buy a diploma covering both
medicine and surgery has, if possessing
the necessary money, been given his
choice Of the following institutions, all
of which exist merely on paper-Uni-
versity OF Cincinnati, Montreal Medical
College, Trenton, IN, j y Medical Col
lege, New York State Medical College,
University Of New Hampshire, Trinity
University Of Medicine and Surgery.
The value Of sheepkins representing the
above institutions has varied from $50 TO
$500 each. There lie no doubt that hun
dreds Of them have been purchased
throughout the west and south while
New England also has been victimized
by scores. DR.. ID. s. Adams Of Man
chester, chairman of the State Board of
Censors, while pursuing official investi
cations in the state department last Nov
ember discovered the incorporation OF
suspicious institution. 1t was the Uni
verdity Of New Hampshire, nominally
located at Nashua and WAS offic sred by
Frederick G. Wheaton, Phi, D., as presi-
dent, and II. B. Bradbury, III. D.. sec
rotary. The censor discovered that these
parties under other names were connect
ed with Trinity University OF Ben
nington.' Bradbury also did active
business in Lowell under the name Of
DR.. Freeland. There large correspond
ence was received showing that the vast
amount Of mail sent from and delivered
at Remington, Lowell, Nashua and Bos-
ton combined was probably only a small
per cent. OF existing evidence relative to
the great systematic swindling that has
been done. Bradbury figured as DIR.
Ripley in Boston where all correspond
ence appertainilg to Trinity University
was forwarded, When DIR. Adams
agents had completed their negotiations
with Ripley, it was agreed that d.
ploma OF Trinity should be delivered to
them upon receipt Of handsome sum.
This was done, q newspaper man volun-
teering to pay for the sheepskin. When
a criminal case had been made out the
matter was given in charge of the au-
thorities. Important Developments are
expected sooD,"
Since the above was in type we have
further particulars from the Boston Her
aid +: The first intimation of their opera
lions came from Buffalo last spring. A
man whose shingle advertised him as an
I'M. d." applied for admission to the
association of physicians in that city.
The only credentials he could show was
a diploma bearing the seal Of Trinity
University OF Vermont" None of the
Older members of the association had
ever heard of such an institution, and
inquiry was made as to it's standing. The
result was a surprise, The institution
was found to be regularly incorporated
body, but it existed only on paper.
Under the laws of Vermont any associa-
ton whose avowed purpose it s to dis
seminate knowledge may be formed
without marking any record OF the or.
ganiz Itiou at the office of the Secretary
OF State. All that is necessary to equip
one Of these institutions is to make ap
plIcation to any town clerk for articles
OF incorporation, and they are granted
forthwith. The record never gets be-
yond his office. IL was thus that the
Trinity University sprang into existence
Application for articles of incorporation
were filed with the Town Clerk in Ben
nington, and the Secretary of State
knew nothing of the university's exist
ence.
The educational and charitable pur
poses outlined in the articles of agree
ment that were filed with the Tow
Clerk were as follows:
ITO educate in medicine and surgery
with the right to confer the degree OF
doctor of medicine educate in dental
WIN W SOhICi VIC hC'
gree Of doctor of dental surgery edu.
cate in the study of law, in all its
branches, with the right to confer the
degree of bachelor Of laws and doctor
of laws educate in the study of litera-
ture and arts, with the right to confer
the degree of bachelor Of arts and mas
ter of arts. only to persons of lawful age
and good moral character.
This university shall be divided into
four departments, which shall be known
ss follows:
II. The medical department of this
university shall be known as a depart
ment of medicine.
"2. The dental department shall be
known as the Vermont Dental College,
rs, The law department shall be
known as the Bennington Law School.
a. The art department shall be
known as the College Of Liberal Arts,
every certificate granted as above
provided shall haye the seal of this uni
versity stamped upon the same.
There may be free dispensary at
tached to the medical department OF
this university, said corporation and
headquarters of same to be located al
Bennington, in the county OF Bennlng'
ton, in said State of Vermont, upon the
following conditions namely
This institution or corporation shall
haYe the right to own real and persona
estate to the value Of 800, 900 for the
use of its business.
Nothing in these articles Of agreemen
hall be construed, however, to give
any member or members any dividend
OF the profits after paying all expenses Of
teachers, Which profits shal
be kept for the purpose of educating
OR and needy persons OF whose fines
the members of trinity University re
serve the right to be the sole judge.
The great point In the who'll
matter. This corporation reserves the
right to accept any and all sums of money
or real and personal property bequeath
ed or presented to II for the purpose al
presented and ret forth in these articles
Of agreemen."
Dated March, lat, 1889.
These articles were recorded on March
%, 1889, 10 book No. one, OF Persona
Contracts and Agreements, pages l2-l4
and were signed by Ernest A. Bradbury
George F. Abbott, g. Wilmot Averell
and p. B. Ripley. Since that date thu
"University" has been in full operation
turning out graduates by the score a
$50 a head. The sheepskins are al
dated from Bennington, but as a matter
Of fact they were issued from Boston,
Lowell, or Nashua, N. H,
From this it lie evident that quite {
number have already contributed Of
their personal property, how much, the
managers can only tell, but hardly
enough TO warrant the asserting that the
scheme is on ''sound footing"
, After obtaining the articles Of incor-
poration the schemers flooded the coun
! try with circulars, and they have don't