The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-05-28
CAPE DRUGGISTS
LOSE $1,000 TO
A MEDICINE MAN
Agent for st. Louis Firm, Who
Promised to Exchange
Drugs, Vanishes.
THEFT CAUSES HOUSE
, TO GO TO THE WALL
Victims Send Alexander to st.
Louis to Prosecute Me
Called SwindlerS.

Judge Harry f. Alexander has gone
to St. Louis in an effort to locate the
officers of the Metropolitan Drug
Company, which obtained more than
S 900 worth of medicines from Cape
Girardeau druggists more than a
month ago.
w. w. Chipley, who came to this
city as the representative of the St.
Louis company, promised the drug
gists he would send them drugs which
were more in demand in exchange for
the medicines that he got from the
local men.
The Cape Girardeauans have not
heard from Chipley since he left this
city more than month ago. Letters
written to the Metropolitan Drug
Company have been returned to the
writer's. Judge Alexander, acting for
the local druggists, telephoned the
manager of the Gay Building, in St.
Louis, the headquarters of the Metro
politan Drug Company, and was in
formed that the Astitution had failed.
He informed Mr.. Alexander that an
official of the company had obsconded
with several thousand dollars, which
caused the collapse of the company.
The Cape Girardeau attorney was in
formed that some of the drug COM
pany's stock of goods were still in the
Gay Building and that other material
which had been shipped in from vari-
Gus cities, had been stored in build
ing adjoining the Gay Building.
Judge Alexander, who has been en-
ployed by the druggists, is in st. Louis
in an effort to locate the goods be-
longing to the Cape Girardeau men,
and if he is successful, the medicines
will be returned to this city.
He is also authorized to request the
St. Louis authorities to institute pro-
ceedings against the officers of the
Metropolitan Drug Company on a
charge of obtaining property under
false pretenses.
The druggists say Chipley came to
this city and informed them that the
St. Louis concern was doing a broker
age business. 1t was exchanging drugs
that were in demand for patent medi-
cines that were slow 10 sell. But be-
fore he would enter intoa cOntractwith
the druggists, he was given permis-
sion to select $50 for some staple ar
tiele, after which he permitted his
customers" to unload all medicines
which they did not care to carry in
stock.
In exchange for these, they were in
formed, they would have any patent
medicine that they were in need of.
He requested the druggists to crate
their stock and ship it as quickly as
possible to the Metropolitan Drug
Company, in the Gay Building, st.
Louis.
These four druggists followed his
instructions.
The City Drug Store; Haman &
Wichterieh; Dalton Drug Company,
and the Finney Drug Store. The four
stores sent approximately $1,000 worth
of patent medicines to st. Louis.
H. H. Haas, proprietor of the St.
Charles Drug Store requested Chipley
to fill his order and upon the receipt
of it, he would ship the medicine that
he proposed to exchange. He has not
heard from either Chipley or his firm.
Joseph Wolsey, proprietor of the
City Drug Store, says Chipley present
ed orders from virtually all of the
druggists in this city when Chipley
called upon him. He has since learned
that several Of the druggists whose
names were used did not enter into a
contract with the st. Louisan.
Mr.. Wolsey says Chipley carried q
drug catalogue and promised that the
Metropolitan Drug Company would
fill orders for drugs for fifteen pei
cent less than they could be purchased
from the big wholesale houses.
Chipley presented letters from the
officers of the Metropolitan Drug
Company bearing out his statement
The company was able to make these
concessions, he said, because it was
constantly buying up bankrupt stock