Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-26
DR.. X. W. WHITMAN
is TO Be TRIED HERE
Indicted Here Three Years Ago
for Using the Mails to De-
fraud, Has Been Captured.
CHASE LASTS THREE YEARS

DR.. Xavier w. Whitman, who
three years ago reaped harvest in
Omaha on a smooth medical fraud
has been tracked to earth by fedora
authorities after pursuit covering d
period of three entire years.
w. M, Coble OF the Department,
OF Justice in Omaha arrested Witt.
man in Wheeling, w. Va, and the
prisoner is now being brought to
Omaha for trial.
In May, 1913, DR.. Whitman. with
his wife and a man named f. D.
Brantley were indicted on a charge
of attempting to defraud by a fed
eral grand jury in Omaha. Coble
put the order of indictment in his
grip then and it stayed there ever
since until Whitman was captured at
Wheeling The three-year pursuit
reads like thrilling story of fiction
including two trips across the CONT
nent and fight to Europe and Aus
tralia.
Electro Oxygen Co.
On April |, 1918, reads the indict-
ment returned against Mr.. Whitman,
Whitman organized the Electro-Oxy-
gen company in the National Fidel-
ity building. He purchased expensive
furniture and fixtures from Orchard &
Wilhelm to outfit his quarters. He
advertised extensively in the newspa.
pers. He claimed to have an electric
treatment that was panacea for all
ills. He made contracts TO cure. One
instance specified is that OF a man
IS years Of age to whom he prom
ised to so restore vitality that the pa
tient would become as strong and as
healthy as a man OF 40. In the in
dictment as persons he dcfraudcd are
named w. H. Harrison, Mrs. NJ.
Shafer and M. p. Jordan of Omaha.
Many other cases, it is believed,
which have never come to light
helped Whitman reap his harvest in
Omaha the thirty days he remained
here. Included in his equipment were
machines which he claimed
cost $4,000, but which it was later
discovered could be purchased at
Omaha stores for $2z.
Make Their Getaway.
In May, 1918, the indictment against
his wife, and Brantley was
returned in the Omaha court. Witt
man had previously departed from
Omaha. His wife and Brantley were
still here at the time, but skipped be-
lore they could be arrested.
Coble started in pursuit OF Brant.
ley and discovered him in Memphis
Tenn, where he was first discharged
BY the United States commissioner.
alter indicted by the grand jury, but
acquitted because he was merely an
assistant of Dr. Whitman, believed to
,e the real culprit.
Brantley, however, gave Coble in
which led to DR.. Wittman's
irrest in Colorado Springs. Whitman
vas held under bond Of $500 after a
preliminary hearing before the COM
in the Colorado city. Witt
nan Immediately jumped the bond
md went east
Fake Drowning.
Coble pursued him to Flushing, N.
T., where Whitman attempted to stage
! fake" drowning. Some of his
lothes were found on the river bank
'ut the ruse failed to trick the
'fficer, because it was learned the
lothes found on the river were not
hose he wore when last seen leav-
ng the hotel at which he had been
topping,
Then Whitman went to Europe and |
hen to Australia. He returned lit |
lie over month ago. He went to
where he was arrested, i'm
1ediately after the boat locked at
an Francisco, passing through |
)maha on the journey. He had been
| Wheeling month when Coble cap
lred him, and was selling an alleged |
emedy he called "Vinlax."
To Be Brought Here.
A preliminary was held in Wheeling
efore United States Commissioner
gorge Z. Boyd, who ordered Witt
Ian held under bonds Of $4,000. Judge
!. G. Dayton issued the order Of re-
,oval which brings DR.. Whitman
'om Wheeling to Omaha for trial.
DR.. Wittman's wife, who was with
i'm in Omaha, was granted divorce
hortly after her husband became a
igitive from justice. DR.. Whitman
,arried again while in Australia and
rought his bride to America with
i'm. She declares she intends to stick
y him through his trial. ..
Federal authorities believe that
Whitman returned to the United
tates from Australia because he
fought the indictment against him
ad expired under a law of limita.
ons, A federal indictment, however,
ever expires.