The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-09-27
FAKE DOCTOR CAUGHT.
Practiced His Profession cn the Igno'
rant-Eluded the Officers for
Some Tlne-At Last in Jail.
~ ,r,a Dailv Item Sept 20.

from The Daily Item Sept 20.
-or about six months Health Officer
Poardon has had his eyes wide open
for fake medical doctor, posing rs
a physician, who has been imposing
mon some ignorant colored people as
:. medical doctor, magnetic healer and
caemical operator.
The subject of this sketch who is
now holding forth in Jail, is tall,
coal-black, ignorant negro, who signs
his name DIR. w. H. Harris, NJ. D.
He has his Office and residence IN
Riczer's Hundred, East May street.
He had been slick enough to cover up
his tracks as an illegal medical practl-
toner quite successfully until one Of
his patients, Lavena Nelson, colored,
died Yesterday. Then it was up to
the doctor" to come across with
written certificate OF death to the
health officer, who must keep track
of ali citizens from the time they are
born and must issue transportation
papers when they die. The health OF
tlcer, receiving application for a per-
nit to remove the dead body Of Lave
MIA Nelson, who had been attended by
"Dr. w. H. Harris, NJ. D." of Ricker's
Hundred, called at the Office OF the
doctor and left a blank certificate
of death with the request that if the
doctor had been the attending ply
sician of the deceased that ne would
fill out said certificate and sign the
same and return it to the health Of
fcer. DR.. Harris promptly filled out
such information as to the deceased
as he knew, giving as the cause of her
death consumption" and signed the
certificate DIR. w H. Harris, NJ. D.
He stated to the health officer that
he, was the attending physician Of La
venia Nelson, deceased, and said 9TH
er things, which proved he was posing
as a full-aedged physician. Prescrip-
tons written by and signed by 'Di
w. H. Harris, N. D. and admitted
by him, were introduced at the pre-
liminary hearing before Recorder
Hurst.
DR. Harris presented a certificate
from school of correspondence up
North, giving him the right to prac-
tice the art of hypnotisra, but the
recipient of the certificate had insert
ed in his own handwriting after the
name Willie Harris the letters Nj.
D., with which he fooled innocent and
unwise patients whom he attended.
The doctors explanation OF his
right to practice the noble art Of heal
ing, when arraigned before Recorder
Hurst, was amusing, but showed how
very dangerous it is to have ignorant
unprincipled persons running around
processing to be medical DOCTORS. -.
He is agvery ignorant negro, but
withal evedintly shrewd enough 70
fool many OF his race. He has never'
seen the inside of a. medical college
or any other institution that teaches
the art of surgery, practice Of 1nedi-.
cine or any healing practice, and had;
no diploma, certificate Or other evi-
dence to show that ne had any legal
right to practice medicine, or. to pre-
scribe.
DR.. Walter Cheyne Of Sumter, coun-,
cillor of the South Carolina State
Medical Association, was present at
the preliminary hearing, and mani
tested great interest in the proceed
ings; besides he assisted the health Of
hcer in getting evidence. DR.. Cheyne
will see that the case is fully prose-
cuted, and that similar violations OF
the medical laws of this State meet
With prompt prosecution. Harris was
remanded TO Jail in DEFAULT of 5000
bond for his appearance at the Cir
cult court