Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1900-06-09
GREATEST FRAUD EXPOSED.
Officers offr Law and Medical "Di-
plOmn Millr Arrested md
sent 10 Jail.

Chicago, June 5.-Government Off
GERS yesterday invaded the Metropoli-
tan Medical college, an alleged "di-
ploma mill" at No. s66 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. Hoyey. The men are
charged with having used the mails
to defraud and it 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.
A Mixture of Medicine and Inv,
| 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 were 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 Fighting the NH.
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 10 the time the men
were arrested it is said they vert
graduating" their subscribers at the
rate of a dozen each day.
Former Attache Turned Informer.
The complaint on which the war
rants were issued was sworn to by Jos
: DcBarthe. of Baker City, Ore, VIII,
was formerly connected with the in
j, stitution as an agent for selling di
{ plomas. and is listed in the colleg
G prospectus as Professor of Medica
/ Jurisprudence" He says he paid 81
{ for degree issued by the Independen
Is Medical college, August 81, 1898, an
l. thought his authority to practice med
g icine was valid until he was refuse
b certificates in several states. He say
e he never allowed his name to appea
n on the faculty list, though he occasion
)t ally transacted the law business of tn
institution.
" Degrees TO Suit All Purses.
l. Inspector Gould induced friend
5. write to the Metropolitan Medical CO
u lege for information. The institutio
le offered to give full course in med
le cine and a degree for 5000 and short'
terms of study for smaller amounts.
Unsigned Certificates
Inspector Gould has a bunch of III
=. signed certificates of practice for Il
:, State of Texas, and he says the nan
- of the district clerk is forged to the
=. for an extra compensation. Texas
~ said to have been the most fertile fie
~ for the graduates" of the institutio
az Britain Flooded With Diplomas
i' The British consul has made repea
'h ed efforts to run the Metropolitan ia
IL ulty out of business, as Great Brita
H. is said to have been flooded with the
ks diplomas. 1t is said that dozens
en- GRADUATES" of DR.. Armstrong; ins
" tuition are practicing in India and
er all parts of the world. The diplom
- bear the names of the whole facult
n but two girls declared they were e.
al ployed to write these on all degre
-, issued by the college.