Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1912-09-19
Medicine PrDDLERS WORK
IN VIOLATION Of Law
INVESTIGATION MADE BY RICHARDS
MEDICINE COMPANY.
Fffures Show There Is Now Due the
County From Peddlers 1890
in Taxes.

Sherman, Tex, Sept. At
seems like whiskey is not the
only thing that is "bootlegged'
in GraysOn County recording to
an investigation carried on by
the Richards Medicine Company
of this city. Some time ago e.
f. Craycroft manager of this
Srm discovered that there were
quite a number of men engaged
in peddling medicine in this
county who are doing so without
complying with the law. After
wards TO make sure; he sent out
the following letter to a large
number of people covering pract-
ically every postofice in the
country:
Sherman, Texas, Aug, %.
Dear Sir:-Please advise US as
early as possible, the names of
the medicine peddlers working
in your vicinity. Please, also,
give their place of residence if
you can.
Something over 50, 900 is due
the State and county in taxes
from these people. Last year
over ten of them operated in
this county, and one only, paid his
occupation tax; where as, this
year we are Informed that even
one has dropped out and none
of them is paying any taxes
wha. ever.
There is a law requiring each
travelling person engaged in the
sale of medicine, to pay tax of
500 to the State and $50 to the
county, taxes for two years can
be collected from each Of them
making $500 apiece.
I'VE have tried to work thro-
ugh the Tax Collectors office,
but we are sorry to say, they do
not show interest in the matter,
and propose to handle it our
selves through another channel.
1t is the greatest Importance
that you give us all the informa-
ton you possible can concern
ing these peddlers, and if you
do not know the names of these
men. will you kindly make some
inquiries in the matter?
Your information will be
confidential and will appreciate
an early reply"
To this letter he received
nearly hundred answers and
was given the names of fourteen
men engaged in the selling of
medicine in Grayson County in
violation of the law This has
been going on for several years,
and it is figured that there is
due the country the sum of S4,
200 in taxef from these peddlers
If the same conditions prevail
ed over the entire State that pre-
vail in Grayson County then
there is due in taxes 81, OF, 400
in taxes from peddlers of patent
medicines.
Following the letter written
by the Richards Medicine Com
pany to the people of the county
the following has been ISSUED
and sent out to the same parties.
Lets stop this bootlegging
Of medicine.
Some of these wagon men
make the claim to their custom
ers that they are not subject to
taxation because they take or
ders. By this they mean that
they first go to the farm house
see what medicine is wanted
then go to their wagons a few
feet away, get the required artic-
les and make the delivery, claim
ing by this, that they are not
peddlers. They know better
than this and for your informa.
ton we quote the law below:
Art. 5O49 of the Reversed
Civil Statutes reads in part as
follows:
From every, travelling per
son selling patent or other med
icine $4,000, and no travelling
person shall sell till said tax is
paid, provided that this tax shall
apply to commercial travellers,
drummers Or statesmen making
sales or soliciting trade for mer-
chants engaged in the sale of
drugs or medicines by whole
sale.
Art ll2 of the Penal Code of
this State reads as follows:
Any person who shall pur-
sue or follow any occupation,
calling or profession, or do any
act taxed by law without first
obtaining license therefor shall
be fined in any sum not less
than the amount of the lax and
not more than double that sum.
In Cook County these medi.
cine men tried TO avoid the tax
by claiming they travel for a
wholesale house. This matter
was referred TO the Attorney
General at Austin and he said