The sun., 1901-08-17
DEGREE PEDLER HAS FLED.
-, T"TNIIERsITi" ~ MS POCKET
AND D0DGED POLICE.
rn,,.rr ,ner Him with warrant ON False
prr,ruc-s charge Ran Institution M
shuruIi, That a Merc serious Charge
Nam, Hold - How II Was pene.

Won, Hold - How II Was Hone.
" Norton smith. President of the
.,s,tral University of Medicine and Sci
s,ce pp-se-zor Of tho degrees Of a. NJ.
- ID s.Ph D. and Ill. D. and willing
%, h. to bestow theee or other degrees
,,,.,, rersou- able 10 pay for them, discon-
,,,ued manufacturing his diplomas yes
,.,iav and spent his time dodging the Jer-
.oy citv palce. who were after him with
r.rrapt TIc appeared at his university
~ Mont gomcry street. Jersey CITY. Tor
.bor, time hut when the sacred precincts
q, hi. institution were invaded by lot OF
,,.derre..d reporters he shut up shop and
bd lie should bo obliged to the reporters
,or canning on his trail. because they an
CONSCIOUSLY warned him OF the danger shat
"a. coming. for the police were only few
minutes behind them. When the sleuths
arrived. however, with the warrant which
had been IN preparation for several days
tho President had disappeared.
The warrant was issued at the instance OF
Assistant Prosecutor George I. Nicker-.
who has been trying To persuade Norton
Smith TO discontinue the manufacture OF
diplomas and degrees for two months.
Tho prosecutor was little sceptical about
getting a conviction and was willing Ia let
tho man 70 N he would consent 90 quit
business. lie promised to do 30 but failed
10 keep his word. and complaints con
tiuued 10 come In a warrant charging him
with false pretence- was sworn out against
him This II a misdemeanor In New Jersey
That heavier prosecution could not lac
against him was due to the Presidents
.hrewdnc-s He did almost all his business
With persons living outside OF the state
of New Jersey. 80 that he avoided popular
howl close at home. and then he so worded
his literature that his victims were deceived
without his really promising TO do what
be seemed 20 promise.
Norton-smi,h first got into trouble about
two months ago. Some one complained
,oa Hohoken newspaper that he was swim
ding people and the paper investigated
tho University The President refused
to talk at that time about his business
1n- Jersey City police were aware of the
business he was doing, but as no one ap-
peared in person to make complaint.
they did not feel called upon to act. Pretty
~pon. however. a lot Of letters began 10
come In from the West and South, par
ticularly from Texas. inclosing the printed
offers of the president to confer any sort
~ q degre. that "A fellow wanted They
were turned over 10 Mr.. Vickers. who began
an investigation. He sent for Norton
smith and questioned him conccrnin his
method OF operation. Norton-smith in
sisted that his university" was incor-
f-nraieSf and that he was violating no laws.
vi auyfof this States In which he was doing
BUSINESS He said he did a mail business
oely and that he was defrauding no one.
He insisted that his institution was n real,
bona fide university and tha, all can
citates for degrees were duly examined
b, himself and the rest ~ the Board of
fNaminers before tho diplomas were
granted This sounded well. hut Mr.
NickcrS told the President" that II he did
~ shut up shop h" would nave him AZ
rested Tho man finally consented to
lu,t a meeting of the Board Of Directors
o. tho corporation and dissolve H. This
-a.i-hod Mir Nickers and the President
wont away. hut he did not keep his word.
Nor letters of complaint were received
ds'ot after the confcronce with the Az
sisIaGt Prosecutor and the latter sent Cor
tIr mans attorney. Charles Kelly. and
aGal0 threatened 10 pun NhTlbN-1lhln ih
ia. II he did not dcsist. Kelly said that ID"
would advis, his client To quit. hut he
81 her did not or elsa the client did not
follow his advice. for more letters came,
showing that the President was cutting
the pricc a. low as s. so for any two diplomas
in the bag. II the money we're sent along
within fourtsen days. This made it look
~ though before going out Of business
ho wanted 20 confer all the degrees he could
ana clear up eLough to establish himself
in a now horne ~ learning
Ths was too much for the patience Of
,uo Assistant Pros'citor. and he got out
'h" warrant. The publication of the story
Uf the mans doing In yesterdays SUs
started all the newspapers on his tail. and
o. crnsapui.nc" the -Presideut' skippsSl
before the detectives had a chance To serve
u un him
Ih. headquarters Of the university have
hcea on the top floor Of ~ Montgomery
r,-.i in n little hit Of a room, opposite the
recruiting stat ion Of the United states Army
Or the door OF the room appears the follow
ing
~ SufTU lr-i-. oTEICE uDt1us