The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-12
A new FRAKER CASE.
Junior Partner in Consumption Cure"
Firm Leaves With Cash.

DR.. G. w. Fraker, the principal in one
of the greatest insurance frauds of his
tory, is the victim of fraud. At least
that is his contention. Also, the
Capital Serum company" an enter
prise started in Topeka recently by DR..
Fraker and DR.. G. R. Gray, is dissolved,
the junior partner having eloped with
everything in sight.
About a month ago the two doctors
rented a room on the third floor of the
Commerce building and began to sell
a serum" warranted to cure consump-
ton. Later they rented a small house
at 414 Harrison street, fitted it up with
furniture purchased on credit, and
called it a "sanitarium." The first vic
tim was Arthur Bassette, the son of
wealthy farmer living near Newton
DR.. Gray drummed up the job of cur
ing young Bassette, and accompanied
the invalid and his father to Topeka
According to the story, DR.. Fraker, ex-
swindler, was the honest member OF
the firm, and objected to taking the
case. The young man was so i'll that
he had to be carried into the "sani-
tarium." Saturday night or Sunday
morning DR.. Gray left Topeka with $3.50
in cash and a note for 5000 which he
had secured from the father of the pa
tient upon a guarantee to cure his son
within four months. Doctor Gray did
left for parts unknown, and it is pre-
sumed that he discounted the note be-
fore leaving. He also gathered up
everything of value about the COM
pany's office and added the same to his
travelling outfit.
DR.. Fraker. when he discovered that
his partner had flown, was about pen
niless, but declared that he would live
long enough to reimburse the father
who had been swindled. He gave his
personal note for the amount secured
by Gray, and after a complaint had
been made against the fugitive Gray.
accompanied the patient and his father
to st. Joseph. Mr.. Bassette senior
seems to believe in the honesty of DR..
Fraker, and be fully satisfied that the
latter was the victim of crooked part
ner.
DIR. Fraker first came into the lime
light in 1894. He was then living il:
Missouri and concocted one of the
greatest insurance swindles of the age.
After taking out life insurance for $751;
600 he went fishing with a confederate,
who returned and reported that the
doctor had been drowned. The COM
panies in which Fraker was insured
contested payment, charged fraud and
offered a reward of $4,000 for the cap
ture of Fraker.
sheriff of Shawnee county, held the
same position. He was deeply interest
ed in the F'raker case, and as soon as
his term expired, went on still hunt
for the missing doctor, who had been
sought by detectives for over a year
And it was Wilkerson, country sheriff
who beat all the fancy detectives to the
quarry and arrested F'raker in the
wilderness of northern Minnesota.
Fraker was living alone in the woods,
and when Wilkerson and a guide came
upon him. was heavily armed and pre-
pared for trouble. Wilkerson got the
drop" and Fraker was disarmed, and
a bottle of poison. carried presumably
for the purpose of committing suicide
if captured. was also taken from the
prisoner. Wilkerson then delivered
Fraker to the proper authorities in
Kansas City, but did not get the re-
ward. The years time limit on the
500, 600 offer had expired.