Evening star., 1937-06-24
THREE INDICTED
ON MAIL CHARGE IN
'EYE-CURE' RACKET.
Defendants Alleged to Have
Obtained $1,875 From
Virginia Woman.
ONE is REPUTED
WEALTHY JEWELER
Grand Jury Returns "a Other
True Bills and Ignores
Three.

Three men. one of them reputed to
be a wealthy Hot Springs, Ark, jeweler
were indicted here today on charge
OF using the mails in furtherance to a
scheme to defraud 83-year-old Mrs
Jesse w. Wood of Danville. Va of
$1,875 through what has come to be
known as the "glim" racket.
Post Office officials are conducting a
Nationwide search for J. Douglas Con-
ner, one of the trio: a second, Law
renee B. Holtkamp is serving a mail
fraud sentence in the Lewisburg, Pa
Federal Penitentiary, while the jeweler
Charles Weaver, who allegedly played
comparatively minor role in the
case. is said to be in Hot Springs.
Representing that Conner was an
eve specialist, he and Holtkamp are
charged with inducing Mrs. Wood to
sumbit to an Opera ton" at her Dam
vile home May 30. 1884, for the re-
moval OF a non-existent growth on
one eye
After pretending to perform an oper-
alton. Conner allegedly displayed to
the aged woman a thin substance
which he said he had taken from her
eye. Postal officials say Mrs Wood
gave them an 1915 check in payment.
$1,000 More Declared Asked.
About a month later the two men
returned to Danville. visited Mrs.
Wood and told her she would need
further treatment. according to the
Indictment. If she would wear a Ger
tain belt" which they would furnish,
they are said to have stated, she would
be cured. However, the belt was So
valuable that she would have to give
them $1,000 as security for its safe re-
turn. they are charged with adding.
A $1,000 check was duly made out by
Mrs. Wood and handed over. it is al
legged.
This check was sent to Weaver in
Hot Springs to be cashed, the Govern
ment charges, and was returned to
washington through the mails by the
Arkansas Trust Co. for payment by the
Union Trust Co. Of this city. which
posted draft to the Arkansas bank.
1t was this banking transaction.
conducted through the mails, which
brought the case within the scope of
the mail fraud laws. according to
Assistant United States Attorney
Howard Boyd, who drew the indict-
ment.
The present case is one OF a series,
extending all over the United States,
which postal officials have prosecuted
in recent months.
The grand jury returned "a in
dictments and ignored charges in
three cases.
Other Indictments.
Others indicted and the charges
against them are:
William c. Ringgold, non-support;
Jesse r. Mcdonald (three cases.,
housebreaking and larceny; Chauncey
Ashton, housebreaking and 1.-TWO cases)
housebreaking and larceny; William
Jenkins, housebreaking; Harry Bells,
HOUSEKEEPING and larceny; Matthew
Lee Davis and Leon Thompson (two
cases., housebreaking and larceny;
Matthew Lee Davis and Henry Lud-
low. housebreaking and larceny; Will
lie N. johnson, grand larceny: Virgil
B. Peyton and Preston Owens. grand
larceny; John Davis and Walter
Brown, larceny from United States;
Daniel G. Dixon, robbery; John Puck
EFT, assault with dangerous weapon;
Louis Solomon, assault with dangerous
weapon; Ralph D. Shurtz. forgery and
uttering; Curtis L. Anderson, embez-
clement; Georgianna White, forging
Government check; Herbert E. Miller
and Mary Walker, forging Govern
ment check; Dorothy H. McKethan,
forging Government check
These charges were ignored:
Arthur Wood. rape; Mary Jane
Walker, assault with dangerous
weapon; John Henry Agnew, bigamy.