Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-02
YOUNG COUPLE LOCKED UP
Charged with Obtaining Nor
phine by Forged Prescriptions.
Caught in WiuoOsl>i after W OrkinG the
Game with Some success IN Bur
IIugton Drug Stcrcs--IIad
Many Aliases.

A young couple of many aliases were
locked up in the Chittendcn county Jail
Tuesday night on the serious charge of
having obtained morphine and cocaine
contrary to the laws of the United
states and having forged a physicians
maine to Il prescription. Their arrest
followed quick action on the part of
Fred Whittcmorc, deputy collector of
internal revenue, who learned of their
game which they were carrying on in
this city Tuesday afternoon and fol-
lowing them up, arrested them at Shan
lcv'S drug store in Winooski in the eve
ming.
The couple, who may have come here
from New York. where they are want
ed for the same offence, had a very in
Ecnious method of beating the law.
They had printed regular physicians
prescription pads, such as are used by
physicians to prescribe narcotics under
the law. which recently went into eff
feet. These blanks read as follows:
"Edward l.. Payson, NJ. D.; 2Gi Church
street, Middlcbury; telephone number
-: registered number ASST" Tho last
number is that which identifies every
REGISTERED physician who has obtained
the right to prescribe narcotics. These
false prescriptions were presented at n
dru" store to obtain the dope" The
couple had many aliases under which
they obtained their small prescriptions
The suspicious of Deputy Collector
Whttcmore were aroused Tuesday
afternoon. whom clerk from Hender
sons drug store called at his office at
the federal building to obtain q. list OF
the physicians OF this state who are
Registered to prescribe narcotics. Mr..
Whittemorc accompanied the clerk
back to the store and, after seeing the
prescription. decided that it was a
forgery. To verify his suspicious he
tclephoned to MIddlcbury. where he
found that there was no Church street
and no Or. raYson.
The head Office of the New Hampshire
district. which is the district made up
of New IIar1r,hirc. Maine and Vermont,
| Is n, Portsmouth and when Mr.. White
more got into connection with that Office
hc found that there Was no such registra-
ton number as 4>6l lie then placed the
matter before United States District At
tornoy V. A. Rullard, who made ont war
rants for both tho man and woman.
Thinking that the couple might try to
operate in Winoosili, about every drug
store in Burlington having been tried by
them, working under various names. the
drug stores in that village were notified
and ordered to hold any suspicious per-
sons. AS had been anticipated. the couple
went to Shanley's drug store with a pre-
scrption. The deputy collector in this
city was notified and he, in company
with Deputy United states Marshal
Thomas Reeves, went to the drug store.
where they placed the man under arrest
The sin had stepped ont of the store but
she was found n little later at the Hotel
/ Brunswick Both We're brought to this
city and locked uu
| While it is suspected that the man may
be o user ~ dope" !; is not known
| whether they have been using the mar
! cotics as they We're purchased or whoth-
cr they have been shipping to some other
place for sale. New York city authori-
ties are looking for persons who are
wanted for trying the same game there
and it IS thought that the two arrested
: Tuesday night may be the ones wanted.
/ They ave both about % years of age and
the woman claimed last evening that
| they were man and wife They have
used the names Walsh, Lcoau, PaySon
! and Bouchor. and at the Jail last evening
! they save their names US Edward ana
J Florence Flint.
The namc Of Mildred BoUrhor was used
| on the prescription to which the name
OF Dr. +. Il. Gcbhardt of Rutland was
! forged, This was not made out on q
blank but was written on a piece of
! paper. with the forged name at the bot
! tom. While the amount of narcotics they
have obtained in this city is not known,
more than thirty places We're tried many
! Of whom ON account of the suspicious
! circumstances refused 10 sell the dope
called for.
Each had 4 different means of liveli-
! hood. The man threw his body into Il
crippled state and sold lead pencils on
/ sympathy. Tuesday when he walked
! into the drug store at Winooski he is
! said 80 have had a very normal locking
| and lass UP an envelope for inspection
On the back of which was printed about
as follows: Notice kind friends my
| father having died and having left me
! with a crippled mother and two smaller
sisters, ! take this way of helping IL
! support them, selling YOU the enclosed
useful articles" Inside were collar but
tons and the price was ten cents.
This is the first case of the kind in the
state, if not in this district since the
new law governing the sale Of narcotics