The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-06
GAVE UP ALL HIS CAPITAL.
EX-DENTIsT }. ID. LANIER INDICTED
FOR CHEATING AND sWINDLING.

Mr.. John A. Won VaIEah, Who Pur-
chased His stock of Drugs for
$1,63O, Finds That He Is just That
Much Out of POcket-SOme of the
Dzug Bottles said to Have Con-
tanned CoIOred Water-The Stock
sold mt COnstabIe's sale for SIGO.
Lanier Now an Attorney I'm Atlanta.
DR.. Jefferson Davis Lanier. as he was
known during his residence in Savannah.
has been indicted by the grand jury OF
the city court on the charge Of cheating
and swindling. The history of the case is
a rather interesting one.
The charge was preferred by Mr.. John
A. Won Valzah who came to Savannah
a month or two ago from Philadelphia
and purchased the stock Of drugs Of the
Red Star Drug store. formerly owned by
DR.. Lanier.
Lanier, who came here from Oliver,
practiced dentistry for some time but
finally gave that up. as was stated, on
account of his health. and turned his at
tention to the study Of law. He is now
invested in a drug store and started a
business at Liberty and Montgomery
streets. Lanler himself knows little or
nothing about the drug business, and he
placed it in charge of r. L. Eason about
a year and a half ago. Shortly after this
the doctor left Savannah
Some time in January Mr.. Won Valzah
came to Savannah, and. after looking
around, decided upon purchasing this drug
q 81
then in charge of DR.. Y. A. Mullryne, but
the purchase was made by Mr. Won Val
zah from Lanier. Mr. Won Valzah came
TO Savannah with notes amounting to
about $1,000 He brought his family with
him and decided to locate here This
was his entire capital. and when the pur-
chase was entered into. he says, he agreed
to give Lanier sl,650 for the stock For
this amount he gave his personal notes
secured by the notes he brought with
him, given by parties in the north, as
collateral. and took charge of the store
about Feb. r.
This is where his trouble began he says.
In appearance the stock seemed all right
but when 1t came to a practical use of 1t,
and an attempt to fill prescriptions, Mr.
Won Valzah says he discovered that many
of the bottles from which prescriptions
were to be filled, contained, instead of the
drugs, Indicated by the label, nothing more
nor less than colored water He was I'M
der the impression. too, ne said that the
rent on the place was paid up to the time
he took charge of II, but he had been there
only short while when a distraint war
rant for rent was issued from Justice
Reynolds court, and last Saturday the en-
tire stock was sold at public outcry bring
ing only $3.50 This seemed rather small
stock to pay ten times that amount for,
and Mr.. Won Valzah employed Mr. H. e.
Wilson to take the matter up for him
He said he had been unable after re-
peated attempts to secure his notes given
as security to DR.. Laner, and that the lat
ter would give him no satisfactory settle
ment whatever. 1t was then that he de-
termined upon the prosecution, and the
matter was presented to the grand jury of
the superior court A true bill was found
charging Lanier with cheating and
swindling. and a warrant has been sent to
Atlanta for his arrest He will undoubt-
eddy give bond until his triad is called
Lanier was quite well known here, as he
practiced dentistry in this city for some
time, and while here made quite a number
of friends. Those who know him say there
must be something wrong about the
charges. 1t is understood that the claim
is made that the stock of drugs was re-
duced without Lanier's knowledge and
that he thought when he sold ii that It was
more valuable than was really the case.
The case will probably be an interesting
one when 1t comes to trial.