The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-02-24
swINDLED DOCTORS.
A Schemer Advertised for Holland
Physicians to Come to America.
Largo. Fat Registered Letters Covered
with Foreign Stamps Began to Arrive
Soon--The Scheme May Get the
Originator Into Serious Trouble,

CHICAGO, Feb, 16.--A scheme has Just
been uneArthed in Chicago which, had
1t run its course, would have deprived
half o hundred physicians in Holland
of their right to practice medicine in
originated in the fertile brain of Hol-
land doctor Of the name of Won Noppen,
formerly an employe in the physi.
clans Office at Siegel, Cooper g. Co.'s
and his scheme may yet get him into
trouble with the home government
If his dupes are inclined to push the
matter. While in the employ of the
firm the doctor formed the acquaint.
ance of fellow-countryman named
Zuidema, who gave him permission to
use his name in an advertisement
which Won Noppen said was to be in.
serted in medical journal in Holland.
A few weeks ago the advertisement
made its appearance in foreign medi.
cal journal, and it has apparently ere.
ated . great stir among the medical
fraternity Of the whole country. Trans
lated it reads like this:
"wANTED.-A physician who has graduated
from o Holland medical college to teach in
will be furnished, free house and stable rent
and IN income OF 5000 per annum guaranteed
by the government In answering please send
your diploma to Mr.. Zuidema, No. 100 Ferdi
nand street, Chicago, ILL, u s. A"
Large, fat registered letters, covered
with foreign stamps, began to arrive
soon and these were turned over tc
Won Noppen. This was continued for
several days, when Zuidema became
suspicious and opening one Of them,
found doctors certificate and copy
of the advertisement cut from the pa
per. He was now thoroughly alarmed
and taking all the letters which had
arrived that day he called on Mr.. Geo.
Birkhoff, consul of the Netherlands,
before whom he laid the case. Won
Noppcn was Immediately summoned,
and under threat of prosecution gave
up the letters which had been delivered
to him. He admitted that the adver.
tisement was fake and the reason he
gave for having inserting it was that
when he had emigrated to this country
an article appeared in Holland papers
stating that only the least successful
physicians found it necessary to leave
Gho lAoUAiCA SOuhOkyS anu w PloNC Uhda
this was false he wanted to get a list
of those who were only awaiting an
opportunity.
Mr. Birkhof was seen and when
asked as to the truth of the matte,
said: Eyes; unfortunately it is true.
Thirty answers have been received uI
to date and more are coming every day
Only Wednesday one physician sent 9
cablegra,n which must have cost al
least $40 Most of these letters contain
all the papers which give the sende,
right to practice medicine, and il
many instances they could not be re
placed should they have been lost
am returning them as rapidly as pos
sible, with an explanation which will
probably make them more careful
about parting with these documents il
the future"
What Won Noppen expected to gair
is not known. If he has no certificate
for practicing medicine he may have
expected in this way to obtain one fol
himself. Or it may have been his de
sign to eNtort money from his victims
or possibly to sell these diplomas tt
those who were without them.