The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-11-27
ARRESTS DRUGGISTS
MISUSE OF The MAILS Is TEE
charge AGAINST THEM
RAID IN MANY STATES

Raid IN MANY STATES
Postofice Department Plans and Car
ries Out Successfully Nationwide
Raid, Which Extended Over Twes-
two States, and Arrested 173 Pez.
sons in the Principal Cities.
In nationwide raid involving 173
persons in the principle cities OF the
country made Wednesday by postof-
lice inspectors and United States
marshals upon doctors and drug con-
Germs, charged with misuse OF the
mails to solicit criminal medical prae-
tice or to dispose of medicines and
instruments connected with such
practice.
The raid-the most active and tar
reaching ever made by any depart
ment of the government-was under
the personal direction OF Postmaster
General Hitchcock and Chief lnspec-
tor Robert S. Sharp Of the rostolflce
department. So carefully had its de-
tails been guarded that until the FIRST
of the arrests were made e. Indian
apolis early in the day practically
nothing was known Of the govern
ment's contemplated action. Working
with clock like precision, the inspec-
ton force spread over % States car
ried out the prearranged plans, and
at an early hour Wednesday night
the postofice department had receive
ed word that nearly all Of the desig-
mated persons had been arrested.
The results of the crusade are still
being received by the inspectors d.
vision of the postoffice in the form OF
kilograms from various divisional
headquarters. In isolated instances
it was found for various reasons to be
impracticable to effect the arrests,
but the suspected persons against
whom warrants have been issued are
being kept under surveillance and
will probably be unable to escape.
Chief Inspector Sharp and large
part Of the force of 800 inspectors
had been engaged for seven months,
under the orders Of the postmaster
general in working up the scores OF
individual cases in which arrests were
made Wednesday. Many Of those tax
en- into custody were members OF
prominent wholesale and retail drug
concerns OF physicians we'll known In
their own communities.
The government will prosecute the
cases vigorously, according to a state
menr by Postmaster General Hitch
cock Wednesday night.
s'The work of the postofice inspec-
tors is the culmination Of the cru
sade instituted more than two years
ago against the fraudulent and un-
lawful use of the mails" said Nj.
Hitchcock. "In that comparatively
brief time we have wiped out OF ex-
istence concerns which nave muicted
the people of this country out OF more
than $100,000,000 by frauds perpe-
trated through the use OF the mails,
and the courts have sent many OF the
promoters of the first fraudulent
schemers to the penitentiary where
they are serving time. The wide pub
licity given to the arrests today Will
do more to put an end to this sort OF
criminality than any other process.
Approximately 80 Of the persons
arrested already have been indicted
by United States grand juries in va
rious parts Of the country; and the
cases Of the others will he presented
to grand juries now sitting as rapidly
as may be feasible.
Strict enforcement Of municipal
and State laws in the East was said
by the postal authorities to account
for the comparatively few arrests IA
the large cities in that part OF the
country. While it was declared that
violations OF the law are frequent IN
such cities as Boston, New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore, the &C
cused persons it was asserted, nave
been pursued closely by the State and
Federal officials.
Postoitce inspectors said the hot
bed of this class of criminality Is In
the Pacific Coast States. In San Fran
cisco, it is claimed, ficticious name
was used by several we'll known ply
s:cians who employed woman TO 90
the necessary advertising and cierF
cal work. Cases were solicited oy
correspondence and by printed circu-
lars sent through the mails. scores
OF complaints have been received oy
the department from respec1aD!e VIZ
men, complaining OF the receipt "
this class of matter.
Approximately 20 per cent OF those
arrested Wednesday are socallea p!tI
doctors'-men VITO advertised their
nractice by correspondence or othef-
p.se-and sent to their patients COM
nounds in the form OF pills or pow
ders. Careful analysis of these COM
mounds by the government autnorl-
; Ties is said to have disclosed tnat
some of them are wholly innocuous,
while others are dangerous polsons.
Under another section of the penai
cole. the sending of poisons through
the mails is expressly forbidden. one
Of the men accused is said to have
, been the secretary Of the board OF
health in the city of his residence. ne
| responded, it is stated, to decoy OF
test letter sent to him by the laspeo,
tors on the stationery OF the ooalo
/ of health. He has been indicted ae
: cording to reports received Dy tAe
postofice inspectors.
Robbers Loot a Bank.
-..4.. Tonp Rank Trust COU~