Then the insolent vendors of fake drugs thought they saw a chance to get back at the officers of the law. They found a nice little loop-hole in the fact that when the raids were made a few chemicals, which were not contraband had been seized, in the rush and scurry of the raid.
Therefore a suit was brought against Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge, Charles M. Carr, editor of the N. A. R. D. Notes, a police publication, Henry D. Morton, Chief of Police Francis O'Neill, the Farbenfabriken Co. and Wooten. The suit called for heavy damages. After going over the evidence the court of first resort awarded damages of $1.00. Rather than be put to the cost of an appeal this $1.00 was paid by the defendants.
But the business of vending fake drugs in the city of Chicago had been broken up and the city made unsafe for this most detestable class of swindlers, who prey upon the sick and wounded and endanger human life by the sale of their nostrums. "It was worth $1.00 to put the rascally crew out of business," said Detective Wooldridge afterward in discussing the matter. "It is surely worth a dollar to a man to know that he has been instrumental in saving thousands of human lives." And there the matter rested.
[BUCKET-SHOP.]
Every day the American people squander $100,000 in fictitious speculation in grain.
There are 1,000 bucket shops operating in the United States at this time, their geographical distribution marked by the boundaries of the country.
For each of these 1,000 shops an average of $100 a day gross income is necessary to meet its expenses, chief of which are for wire and ticker service and blackboard writers.
Thus, in order that 1,000 of these shops may live and remain open, they must have $100 a day each, which, in a year of 300 days, means an income of $300,000,000 annually. Many of these bucket shops fail for lack of money, while others "fail" in order that they may keep the money of the investor. While $100,000 a day as the losses of the people in the illegitimate speculation in grain is very conservative, one must add another $100,000 a day as tribute which the gullible pay to the fake "get-rich-quick" and kindred sharper concerns of the country.