The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-16
BARGAIN
in DEGREES
M. D. and Ph. D. Cost
Ten Dollars Each,
Two for Fifteen.
GOVERNOR TAKES A HAND
Says the university" Has
No Right ty Operate I'm
der Jersey Laws.

tary OF the State Board OF Health, has
drawn the attention of Governor Voorhees,
to a concern doing business under the til
tie of the Central University of Medi-
cine and Science, at No. 6S Montgomery
street. DIR. Mitchell has handed to the
Governor a letter bearing the signature
and address, ~. w. Morton-Smith, NJ. A,
Ph.D., S. D., LID, President Central
University of Medicine and Science No.
6S Montgomery street, Jersey City" The
letter contained CONFIDENTIAL offer to
confer a degree and diploma on DR.. Nit
chell, who, it would seem, the writer did
not know in his official capacity, for q
special reduced consideration.
According to DIR. Mitchell he received
circular about sixty days ago calling his
attention to the advantages offered by j.
w. Norton-Smith's University This
circular pointed out that such members
Of the medical profession as were non
graduates from universities and therefore
without diploma, could receive diplomas
for $40. DR.. Mitchell made no reply to
this circular and few days ago received
another, in which an d. degree was Of
fered for SO instead of $40, as at first
asked.
in a PhD. if both were taken at the
same time for SIS. These terms must be
seized within fourteen days after the
mailing of the circular or they would no
longer be open.
The university claims to be incorpor-
ated under the New Jersey law entitled,
AN act to incorporate association not
for pecuniary benefit"
Governor VOORHEES, had this to say con-
cerning the UNIVERSITY
The title-making university can find
no legal warrant for its existence under
the provisions of the act under which it
alleges to have been incorporated. Pos
sibly the promoters of the company may
have thought that they came within that
part of the act which authorizes COM
panies organizing Hereunder to accept
guardianship of orphans and children and
to bind them out. Surely those who are
so bullible as to part with their money
for so-called degrees conferred by this
fraudulent university are in need of the
protecting care of a guardian
1.-THE law under which the so-called uni
versity pretends to have Incorporated
applies only to those associations not for
pecuniary profit such as charitable as
sociations hospitals and societies for the
prevention of cruelty to children. No con-
struction of the act will be tolerated
which allows 'marked-down sales and
'bargain-counter offers of honorary titles,
against the granting of which the policy
of the State has been uniform. The at
tention of the proper authorities will at
once be called to this fraud upon the
laws of the State and stop be put to it
as soon as possible.
81 have received several complaints
from citizens of Texas, Minnesota and
other far-away States who have received
these circulars. Manifestly it was the
intention of the promoters of the fake
scheme to issue degrees to medical aspir-
ants and other professional men who are
without degrees and thereby give them a
standing to which they are not entitled,
thus bringing into discredit the profession
and mislead the pumlic. AS confirming
this, have fac simile reduced copy of a
fancifully engraved diploma with the US
ual seal and ribbon attached, purporting
to be issued by the Central University of
Medicine and Science of Jersey City, N.
j. incorporated under the laws of New
Jersey, to one Mortimer James Thompson
and comforting upon him the honorary de-
gree of doctor of medicine, dated April 26,
1901. The recipients are informed that the
original diploma is 16 by II inches and
purports to be signed by John w. Norton
Smith, NJ. A., Phi. D., President; George
Arthur Lewis, Phi. G., Secretary, and by a
board of examiners composed of William
McClintock, NJ. D.; John c. Kline, A. NJ,
and two others, after whose names appear
respectively A. M, M. D., D. D. and A.
NJ, D. d.
evidently, the promoters of the scheme
expect to reap a harvest from the sale
of degrees to unworthy persons anxious
to have title, or what is worse, they
expect to find many patrons among those
who would make a fraudulent use of their
degrees in States where the requirements
for the practice of the different profess
sions are less rigorous than in our own.
If there is no law now or method of pro-
cedure sufficient to suppress the scheme,
there surely will be soon. In the mean
time the public should be advised of the
character of the work of the alleged uni
versity."
J. w. Norton-Smith was seen at the
office on the top floor at No. 6s Montgom-
cry street. The office is a room on the
top floor. There is a small table in the
centre of the room and two chairs.
]. w. Norton-Smith is about five feet
nine inches tall of German type. He
wore glasses, has little hair on the top OF
his head, wears a mustache and small
beard streaked with gray and is about
sixty years old.
tonJSmith opened the door. Before any,
thing was said by the reporter Mr.. Smith
announced:-
ssyvill you continue doing businessT'
"Oh, yes" w.
s.You will continue selling degrees wand
diplomas at from $40 to $40 each?''
Eyes. What the papers say makes no
''Who are the incorporators Of the uni
versity?''
was closed together with the interview.
Chief Murphy has made complaint IN
the First Criminal Court against j. w.
Norton-Smith, charging him with obtain
ing money under false pretenses.. De-
tective Daniel Lee of Headquarters was
sent to arrest the man, but up to three.
o'clock he had failed to land his bird.
Assistant Prosecutor Vickers has been
called into the case by the police and he
rs working il concert with Chief Mui-
ply.