The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-06

parations, as labeled, were dangerous
affecting the heart, producing poison In
the system and in some cases death.
The German Chemical Company rented
box in the postof1ce at New Orleans.
but had no known place of business, nor
did 1t appear who was receiving the mail
addressed to the Company. Test letters
were employed to develop evidence of
their scheme and practice. Remittances
were sent them, apparently by retail
druggists, accompanied by orders for
Phenacetine-B ayer etc. In responce there
to several packages were received from
them through the mails. The boxes In
the packages were found to be labeled as
If packed and shipped by the German
chemists from Elberfield, Germany, and
to contain a white powder resembling
pure phenacetine. A chemical anlysis
showed that the powder purporting to be
genuine phenacetine was a mixture of
phenacetine and a harmful aduterant, in
nearly equal parts. The labels were coun-
terfelt. but exact fac-slmles of those
furnished by Bayer accompany to the
trade in Canada
Identity Is Discovered.
BY this means the identity of the parties
operating under the name of the German
Chemical Company etc, was discovered,
their quarters located, and they we're
Swallowed from tho postofflce afsSr re-
ceivlng mail from the postofhce box and
observed to enter a low. mean looking
house in the "Old French" quarter of the
city. The doors were kept locked all the
time, and there was nothing about the
premises to Indicate the business or office
of the German Chemical Company"
Warrants were issued. the place raided
and the two Corners. who constituted the
German Chemical Company. were found
therein ard placed un1.r arrest In this
dngy place the Companys business was
transacted behind locked doors admis-
sion being obtained only after ringing
tho hell and being properly vouched for.
King was arrested the same day at an
other place.
In tle front room was a large iron safe
in the rear apartment were noumerous
boxes and BOTTLES ready to be filled with
spurious rhenacetlne. etc, and labeled
with counterfeit labels. In the safe were
thousands of labels OF various sizes which
were printed or lithogra phed In New
Orleans. The Corners offered to plead
guilty In this case. but protested that
they would lie In Jail fourteen years.
before they would disclose the name of
their "friend" who made the labels. This
was discovered later. however. revealing
a recent order for ten thousand labels.
None of the parties at any time held.
or claimed to hold any relation Of agency
or right Of authority In any form from
Bayer & Company, Of Elberheld, Ger
many. under which they might lawfully
or with propriety import and handle their
goods in the United States. An ounce of
the adulteration sold by them as pure
phenacetine contained less than Ave cents
worth of material, and the profits accru-
ing to the companies from their fraudu-
lent scheme were over so per cent. A
fraud order WAS promptly issued barring
them and their various fictitious aliases
against further use of the malls, thus eff
fectlvely and completely destroying their
fraudulent business and despite the eff
orts Of able counsel they were sent to
prison.