The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-11-12
lie Mont Sought by Govern
ment, Inspects Local Herds
Suspected of Hoof and
Mouth Disease.
VISITS INDIANAPOLIS
lmpostor in Hiding After
Suspecting Police of Try
ing to Make Arrest on Seri-
Gus Charge.

W. ]. LeMont. posing as United
States agent attached to the bureau
OF animal industry, department of ag-
riculture. who yesterday inspected the
Glen Miller stock yards and visited
herds in Wayne county, suspected of
being infected with the hoof and
mouth disease, was today declared an
4mpostor by the department at Wash
ington, and his arrest was ordered.
The Richmond police department
was notified of the operations of Le-
Mont in Richmond by the Palladium,
after he had called at the Palladium
office. A drag net was Immediately
thrown over the city, but at a late
hour this afternoon he had not been
arrested.
LeMont appeared in Indianapolis
Tuesday and after an inspection Of
the stock yards there pronounced
them in a filthy condition and sug-
gested that they be cleaned No one
ut the stock yards questioned his
right to inspect and make suggestions.
Suspect CredibiIity.
Managers of the indianapolis yards,
suspected the credibility of his report,
and got into touch with Washington
officials. An exposure of LeMont's
operations was published in an In
dianapolis morning newspaper.
AS soon as the Palladium heard Of
IeMont's appearance in Richmond
It telephoned the Indianapolis News
and through its Washington represen-
tatives learned that LeMont had been
declared an imposter and that his ar
rest had been ordered.
LeMont registered at the Wayne
hotel last night, and disappeared
through the rear door of the hostelry
today when he became apprehensive
of arrest. Since then he has not been
seen. When LeMont first struck
Richmond he registered at the West
colt hotel, but he checked out there
last night.
b. ~LeMont, after he had, registered at
the Westcott yesterday, called on DR..
Wagner. federal inspector at the
Stole packing plant, and told him he
was making an inspection of stock
yards and of forms in an effort to
stamp out the hoof and mouth dis
ease. He did not show his credentials
to DR.. Wagner, an omission that at
once aroused the suspicion of the fed
eral inspector.
DR.. Wagner, however, kept his sus-
picions to himself, and spent the
greater part of last evening in COM
pany Of LeMont, who during an ex-
tended conversation covering the fed
eral insp ection of plants made num-
ber Of statements which further
strengthened the conviction of DR..
Wagner that LeMont was not act
ing in good faith.
Has Serum Cure.
The theory Is advanced by the po-
lice that LeMont is trying to put a
serum cure for the cattle disease on
the market and Is visiting counties
and cities to further the plan. DR.. Lee
G. Hoover. veterinarian surgeon, with
whom LeMont inspected herds sus-
pected of being affected, said today
that the man had made a proposal to
him of handling a serum which he
intended to put on the market
References to this serum cure were
also made to DR.. Wagner and to rep
resentatives of the Palladium. Lee
Mont said: II am getting tired Of
working for the government. l can
make fortune putting my cure on
the market"
Both DR.. Wagner and DR.. Hoover
say LeMont has admira BILE knowl-
edge Of the hoof and mouth disease,
and that it is quite likely that he once
was employed by the government as
an inspector attached to packing
plant.
LeMont used the name W. J. La
mon at Indianapolis. The department
of agriculture repudiates any connec-
tion whatsoever with LeMont and
denies responsibility for LeMont's
alleged reports on the indianapolis
stock yards.
LeMont said he intended to inspect
cattle at Union City today and at Co.
lumbus.