The Forrest City times., 1900-06-08
GREATEST FRAUD EXPOSED.
Officers of n Law and Medical "Di-
plomn Niliv Arrested and
sent to Jail.

Chicago, June 5.--Government off,
GERS yesterday invaded the Metropolis
tan Medical college, an alleged "di-
ploma mill' at No. SEQ West Van
Buren, street, and arrested the officers,
President James Armstrong. Vice.
President j. II. Randall, Secretary
Thomas Armstrong and Former Secre-
tary Charles NJ. Hovey. The men are
charged with having used the mails
10 defraud, and IL is said their receipts
amount to many thousands of dollars.
They were taken before United States
Commissioner Humphrey. and the
hearing of the charges against them
set for June IA
Mixture of Medicine and Law.
The institution with which they
are connected is also known as the
Independent Medical college and the
National Law school. and the evidence
shows that its faculty has been sell
Ing degrees for the practice of medi-
cine and law at prices ranging from
three dollars to two hundred dollars,
the compensation being determined by
the amount the would-be professional
men We're willing to advance. Post
Office Inspector Gould, who made the
arrest. after accommodating lot of
documentary evidence, says the fraud
is one of the largest the postal author
tiles have ever had to deal with.
Have Been righting the Mil.
Regular medical colleges and law in
stitutions in all parts of the United
States have been fighting the officers
of the diploma mill' for several years
in vain, and up to the time the men
were arrested it is said they were
| graduating" their subscribers at the
rate of dozen each day.
| Former Attache Turned InfOrmex.
! The complaint on which the war
rants were issued was sworn to by Jos.
DeBarthe, of Baker City, Ore, who
was formerly connected with the in
stitution as an agent for selling di-
| plomas. and is listed in the college
| prospectus as Professor of Medical
Jurisprudence" He says he paid $25
for degree issued by the Independent
Medical college. August 81, 1898, and
thought his authority to practice med
icine was valid until he was refused
certificates in several states. He says
he never allowed his name to appear
on the faculty list, though he OCCASION
ally transacted the law business of the
institution.
Degrees to Suit All Purses.
Inspector Gould induced friend to
write to the Metropolitan Medical col-
lege for information. The institution
offered to give full course in medi-
cine and degree for $500 and shorter
terms of study for smaller amounts.
Unsigned Certificates.
Inspector Gould has a bunch of un-
signed certificates of practice for the
State of Texas, and he says the name
of the district clerk is forged to these
for an extra compensation. Texas il
said to have been the most fertile field
for the graduates" of the institution.
Britain Flooded With Diplomas.
The British consul has made repeat
ed efforts to run the Metropolitan fac
ulty out of business, as Great Britain
is said to have been flooded with their
diplomas. 1t is said that dozens OF
graduates" of DR.. Armstrong; insti.
tuition are practicing in India and in
all parts of the world. The diplomas
bear the names of the whole faculty
but two girls declared they were EN-
ployed to write these on all degrees
| issued by the colleue