The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-26
DOCTORS DONE.
A Young Rogue Victimizes
Prominent Physicians.
Sells Them Memberships in a
Collection Agency
FOR $3.50 OR LESS.
Among the Doctors Who Sign
ed the Membership Roll
We're Drs. Mum, Grubbs, Min
ney, Beam and Others.

The Denver papers contain notices Of
the disappearance of Cyrus D. Noble,
young man who started a physicians
collection agency in that city The
same man operated in Topeka six
weeks ago and many of the prominent
physicians were placed on the member
ship lists of the physicians Mutual
Collection association In Denver he
secured nearly all the physicians and
collected the fees and he did the same
in other Colorado towns.
Some Topeka doctors paid the mem
bership fee OF $3.50 but when he could
not get the full amount he would take
less and some were enrolled without
paying anything One of the objects
OF the association was to furnish each
member with a list of persons who
would not pay doctor bills. No one in
Topeka has yet received this list. An
other thing promised by the association
was the collection of bad debts. The
physician was to pay 20 per cent for
making the collection.
When Noble was in Topeka he en-
ployed Dobbs & Stoker to look after
the collections but the firm did not
turn the money over to Noble as it is
claimed was done in some cases in
Denver. The only thing he went away
with here was the membership fees he
secured from the physicians
Among the Topeka doctors who sign
ed the membership roll are DR.. L. H
Mum. Dr.. L. Y. Grubbs, DR.. c. F.
Menninger, Minney & Magee, and Dr.
Boam.
George Stoker of the firm of Dobbs
& Stoker said when asked about No
ble's operations in Topeka:
Mr. Cyrus D. Noble came to Topeka
some six weeks ago. He called at our
neys for an association he was repre-
senting which he called the Physicians
Mutual association He presented sew
eral letters of reference from reputable
Denver physicians, and, it appeared to
US from his recommendations that the
organization was in good standing
However, not knowing Mr.. Noble per
sonally, nor being acquainted with the
standing of the association of which he
represented himself as manager, we
were unable to advise any of the phySi-
clans calling on US for information re-
garding the reliability of Mr.. Noble or
the Physicians Mutual association. We
agreed to handle the physicians ac-
counts through our collection depart
ment, and have received several ac-
counts from physicians who made con-
tracts with Mr.. Noble Whatever
sums we collect as the representatives
of this association are to be turned
over direct to the physicians, and are
not to go through Mr.. Mobiles hands.
We know nothing of the complications
Ihat the. association has got into in
Denver
a Denver paper says of Mr. Mobiles
operations in that city:
on December 16 Mr.. Noble wrote
letter to the Denver office saying he
was going to take a vacation and go
on a hunting trip for a week down in
Oklahoma. This is the last direct in
formation received from him. although
investigation his disclosed the fact that
he was al his Pueblo Office three days
after writing the letter saying he was
going to Oklahoma. Attorney Joseph
n. Baxter has been examining into the
affairs of Mr.. Noble, and he estimates
that he must have collected in men,
bership fees since last May between
%
ers it doubtful if any criminal prOsecu-
ton could be had on this account, for
the reason that the contracts with the
doctors and the Incorporation articles
are so worded that Mr.. Noble can
legally use this money for his own ben
eft. Mr.. Butler, however, made a
statement last night which shows that
Noble is about $500 short in moneys
collected and not turned over to the
physicians.
Mr.. Butler said yesterday that he did
not know what to do with the affairs of
the assOciat ton He has called in all
the bills which are out for collection,
and VIII simply quit the whole matter.
The last letters he received from Mr..
Noble instructed him to deposit all the
funds he collected in the First National
bank and he (Noble) would draw it out
and mail checks to the physicians. No