The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-05-12
IS INDICTED
FOR "TlLTINC"
MORPHINE Law
DR.. B. L. Ellis of Poplar Bluff,
Gave Bond Before Rage
Sunday.
BOUGHT 5000 GRAINS;
ACCOUNTED FOR BUT 60
investigator Finds Records
Vacant and Goes Before April
Grand Jury.

DR.. E. B. Ellis of Poplar Bluff, we'll
known Southeast Missouri physician.
Sunday was brought to the Cape By
| Deputy L. S. Marshal George o. Or
| chard, to give bond before L. S. Con-
missioner Rage after having been
arrested on an indictment charging
him with violations of the Federal
anti-narcOtic drug law.
Doctor Ellis was indicted by the
April Federal Grand Jury along with
another Southeast Missouri physician
for violating the drug law. known as
the Harrison anti-narcOtic drug act.
In the indictment returned him he
is charged with having dispensed
morphine without keeping proper
record required BY the Federal law u
to his distribution.
Doctor Ellis and Deputy Marshal
Orchard were accompanied to this city
by f. Z. WhitwOrth. chairman Of the
Butler County Republican Contra
Committee, who signed the doctors
bond of S1CCO, which was approved
before L. S. Commissioner Rage.
| The three men arrived in the Car,
Sunday, and Mr.. Whitworth and d.
Ellis returned to Poplar Bluff Sunday
evening. Orchard departed early yes
| terday for tie lower counties on q
business trip.
According to the information fur
nished in the Federal Indictment. Dos.
tor Ellis purchased 5000 grains OF
morphine suIphate from Memphis
drug firm.
Under the law, which was passed
about year ago, physicians ami
druggists handling the narcotic drugs
are required TO keep an exact account
of all their supplies, showing to whoE,
| they issue portions Of It and in wha
quantities it is given. They are al
lowed TO prescribe doses only in ccr-
/ tain regulated forms and the size ot
, the dose must he kept within limit
fixed by the Law.
When Deputy Internal Revenue Col
Iector Frank T. Digges. OF St Louis,
called upon Doctor Ellis last winter he
found but 90 grains Of the morhpinc
supply which the doctor had purchgr-
ed from Memphis in his possession.
The revenue agent already pos
sessed the information that the doctor
had purchased 5000 grains through Il
system Of checks that the Governments
keeps upon the sales made by the
wholesale drug houses.
The records that Doctor Ellis filed
failed 20 show TIE amounts in which
he had sold his supply Of morphine;
it failed to reveal to whom he had sold
the drug, and likewise did not show
properly what his total distribution
had been.
At the last session Of the Federal
Grand Jury, Digges went before tn"
Jury and placed the facts he had di--
covered before them. They returned
an indictment against the doctor I'M
mediately.
Under the Harrison law the pcnaity
for any violation is maximum fine Of
$4,000 or u sentence of not more than
five years in the Federal prison, or
both.
When the Harrison law went into
effect year ago March 1 last, Fed
eral revenue agents in all parts Of the
country began their activity endeavor-
ing to stamp out the narcotic druc
evil that prevailed in many localities.
In the larger cities many arrests Were
made and indictment followed indict-
ment.
Under the terms Of the present law
1t is a violation for any person net
specifically authorized by the law IL
self to have am of the drug in his
possession.
C-IInI, y, 1--rNnx- xxrn4,Y- NM, ,nU,