Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-06-01
BOGUS MEDALS FROM PARIS.
Americans Swindled Out of $40 by {
Clever Partisan Rogue.

A swindling scheme which a clever
Partisan has applied successfully to
many American inventors has Just been
exposed by the authorities of the Frank
lin institute, says the Philadelphia Rec
ord. From the office of an alleged
Partisan Inventors Academy" in Pa
ris, France, it's president" A Boett-
cher, sent circulars broadcast among the
inventors of the United States. inform
ing them that they had been elected
members of honor of the academy and
that with this distinction went first
class diploma" and a great gold med
al" This valuable title" naively an
nounces the circular, will be no ex-
pense to you, but if you are DESTROYS
to receive the medal and diploma you
would have to send us Il post money
order for $40 to cover the admission
taxes, freight, ETC., and we shall send
both well packed and free of charge
to your address" Among the Phila-
delphians who have been induced to
send $40 for this bogus medal are Cyrus
Chambers, president of the Bala and
Merton Electric company, and S. Lloyd
Wiegand, the well-known inventor
There are many others in this city who
have secured the medals from Boett-
cher, several members Of the Franklin
institute among the number. During
the past year, DR.. Vail says, there
have been almost one hundred inquiries
recorded at the institute concerning
the academy from inventors who had
received the medal.
The circular which lured the credul-
lous inventors to invest their SO each
is gotten up with all the usual aca-
demic recommendations. The president
of honor is e. De A. Des MaSureS, al
knight of the legion of honor. Boett-
cher is the president director, and there
is a long list of directors with imposing
titles.
How these men, many Of whom are
of good standing, came to allow their
names to be used as directors is ineXpli-
cable. The attention of the institute
was first drawn to this widespread
sWindling scheme by inquiries as to the
standing of the Partisan Inventors
Academy" and so numerous did these
become that DR.. Vail determined to
make q crucial examination Of the
matter. He did so. and as a result he
felt justified in issuing this open letter
to American inventors:
american inventors are hereby in
formed that Mr.. Boettcher and his
academy are frauds. There is the best
official authority for the statement
that Mr. BOettcher is engaged in the
preparation of a swindle; that his
academy has no existence save on pa
per; that his diplomas and medals have
absolutely no value and that his only
visible means of support are the fees
derived from credulous American in
ventOrS.''
The information which led to the
issue of this letter was obtained from
Consul Voisson, who wrote to the de-
partment of agriculture and public
works of Paris in behalf of the institute
and procured Boettcher's record. His
academy was shown to be a pure
myth. Boettchers method in sending
out his circulars is supposed to have
been to consult the recently recorded
invention in the Patent Office Official
Gazette and spread his circulars broad
cast among the inventors. Many had
their vanity .tickled and became easy
victims The medal was always sent
when the SO was forwarded and is
neat and pretty in design and skill
fully gilded.