The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1921-11-15
Two Statesmen Arrested By
Sheriff Lytle And Brought
Here For Trial
President OF Company Is Ar
rested In Chicago; Taken
To Cleveland, Ohio
Knox County Men Victims Of
Company; Grand Jury
Indicts Several

Indictments returned by the grand
Jury Of Knox county at the October
term Of common pleas court and ar
rests made in Cleveland Thursday at
ternoon by Sheriff 3. II. Lytle and an
arrest made in Chicago by government
officials, has brought to light an al
legged gang of sWindlers whose opera
tions are said to have extended over
Ohio, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvan-
la and Michigan.
II was through the efforts Of Prose-
cutting Attorney Paul M. Ashbaugh
and Sheriff B. H. LytIe Of Knox coun-
ty, assisted by detectives and gov.
ernment agents, that the alleged
swindIers were apprehended to be
brought to trial in the Knox county
common pleas court.
Discovery Is Made
During the past summer and fall
months discovery was made by Prose
cutor Ashbaugh that alleged swindlers
were operating in Knox county and
had fleeced several firms and individ-
uals out of sums ranging from $50 to
SIS.
An investigation revealed the fact
that a gang of Cleveland men had or
ganized company and had commence
ed operation under the name of the
UNITED Drug Co.." not the The Unit
ed Drug Company of Boston, so well
known all over the country. 1t is said
the company was organized in the ci-
|ty Of Cleveland with one James r.
Donovan as the president. Several
hundred statesmen were employed, ac'
cording to the charges, who offered
proprletOrs, for a consideration OF $50
to 800, the exclusive right to han
die certain lines of drugs in their
town. The payments varied, accord
ing to the apparent ability of the drug
gist' to pay, and were considered q
partial payment on the first shipment
Operate In Knox Co.
Towards the close of the summer
statesmen for the alleged swindlinf
company arrived in Knox county. Ac
cording to the information given out
by Prosecutor Ashbaugh the following
Knox county men gave up money
varying in sums from $50 to $75, t(
handle the certain lines of drugs II
their town:
j. NJ. Berry Of Bladensburg.
| Hull Brothers of Howard.
| A. j. Meeks of Brink Haven.
Charles Mitchell of MillwoOd.
Prosecutor Gets Busy
Acting upon information furnished
him by the above named Knox count!
men, Prosecutor Ashbaugh took thu
matter before the October grand jur!
with the result that indictments were
returned against the following men
all of Cleveland, alleging fraud:
James i. Donovan, alias James G
Henley. said to be president of the al
legged fake company; Frank Richard
son, alleged official of the company
Miss Il. B. Lederle, alleged secretar.
of the company, +. M Allen, A. A
Shaw, H. G. Milins. Harvey Snyde
and John RI Snyder, said to be sales
men Of the company.
Arrests Are Made
For several weeks, Prosecuting Al
torney Ashbaugh and Sheriff Lytlt
assisted by detectives and governmen
Iagents, have been searching the cour
try for James T., Donovan, alleged t
ze the master mind" of the swindlers
Thursday morning word came tina
Donovan had been arrested In Chicag
by government agents on n federa
warrant charging use of the mails |
furtherance of the alleged fraud.
Almost at the same hour Thursda
morning, Sheriff Lytle, with tho a
sistance of Cleveland police officer
arrested Harvey Snyder and John !
Snyder In the Williamson Buildinl
Cleveland, on warrants chargin
fraud.
Sheriff Lyle arrived In Mt. Verne
late Thursday night with the tw
Snyders, but arrangements had bee
made whereby the two men gave Dor
in the sum OF $500 each, for their a
pearance before the Knox coun
grand jury, and were not locked up
Jail. Bond was given in a surety col
pany.
Harvey Snyder is widely known
football official In Western conf,
ence circles and former coach
Oberlin and Western Reserve team
His brother, John II. Snyder. also