The Washington herald., 1912-11-21

geIes. 3; San Jose. 3: Mobile. >; Marietta,
Ohio, 3, and Dallas, 3.
All the arrests made are based on al
legged violation Of section 211 OF the
Penal Code Of the United States. This
section bars from the mails all vile OF
obscene matter. and any advertisement
letter or circular proposing or suggest
ing criminal practices or any packet con-
tanning any substances, drugs. or thing
intended to be used for immoral or un-
lawful purposes.
Respectable Women Complained.
% More than six months ago Chief In
spector Sharpe and his 900 deputies be-
gan an organized campaign over the en-
tire United States hunting down the al
legged violators Of this provision of the
law. They culled questionable adver'
tisements from many publications, and
through correspondence obtained the
necessary evidence. Postmaster General
Hitchcock was aroused to make this
campaign because OF scores of protests
which he had received from respectable
women in all parts Of the country. They
were receiving circulars and advertise
ments which were extremely dIstasteful,
and wanted to know IL there was not
some way by which the mails could be
barred against such communications.
The post-ofice inspectors in their gath
ering of evidence seemed to have en-
countered little difficulty-so bold and
inscriptions had many Of the alleged
Illegal practitioners become. In some
instances the inspectors are said to have
obtained evidence not only as regards
violations of the United States penal
statutes, but additional facts which may
be OF great value In the event of any
prosecutions being undertaken by State
authorities
About ninety of the lT5 persons who
were arrested have already been indicted
by Federal grand juries. The cases OF
the remaining prisoners will be present
ed to grand juries without delay.
Fewer Violations in Enst.
The violations of the law were more
widespread in the Middle West, Far
West,rand South than they were in the
East. Consequently most of the ar
rests occurred in these three sections
of the country. The apparently good
showing of the Eastern States Is due
to the fact that the State laws against
this class of offenders has been more
strictly enforced.
The most startling conditions were
found upon the Pacific Coast. The Post
ONCE inspectors describe that section
of the country as an apparent hotbed
OF this kind of crimInality. The postal
authorities charge that In San Fran
cisco several physicians we'll known in
the city operated under a fictitious
name, employing a woman to do the
necessary advertising and clerical
work. Many respectable women ap-
parently were circularized and cases
solicited through the mail.
The Post once inspectors estimate that
about one-fifth of the total number ar
rested advertise their alleged illegal prsc-
tices nby correspondence or by thinly
veiled references in publications. Others
send to their patients either by mail or
express various medical preparations
usually in the form OF pills and pow
ders.
POIsons Sent Through Mails.
In building up their case against many
of these offenders the government author
tiles have had the medical preparations
carefully analyzed. Some OF them were
found to be absolutely harmless. while
others contained poisons. The offenders
who have sent poisons through the mail
can be held on an additional charge be-
cause this Is forbidden by statute.
Particular efforts were made by the
inspectors to get evidence against re-
sponsible individuals in cases where the
name of a company or drug concern was
apparently being used as a blind. 1t was
Postmaster General Hitchcock's purpose
to strike directly at the men who were
responsible for the evil and to crush at
one blow. il he is able, the promotion
of offenses Of this character
The Post-ofice Department declined to
give out names. except in cases where
arrests have been reported to the depart
ment.
Chief Inspector Sharp said last night:
The raids speak for themselves and
there is nothing else TO be said. We are
trying TO stop violations of the law"
The Postmaster General declared he
would prosecute the case expeditiously.