The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-09-27
A Victim Of the Opium Habit.

A terrible example of the results of
long. continued indulgence OF the opium
habit was offered yesterday morning in the
Court of Criminal Correction, during the
trial by Judge Cady of petit.larceny
case in which Emma Simpson, thirty-slx
years of age, but who locked more like a
woman of sixty, stood charged with steal
ing pair of shoes from one James
Smith, of 924 Biddle street. When all
the testimony was given in and the de-
fendant was invited to make statement
in her own behalf, she tottered to the wit
ness. seat and sat in it, quaking violently
for at least two minutes before she could
find utterance. Then her tale was told in
a very few words. She denied having
committed the theft, but pleaded that II
she had done so, she was net accountable
for the act, as the prolonged Use OF NOR
phine had so far deprived her OF her
senses that she has frequently not been
mistress of her own actions. The Court,
who spoke few appropriate words to the
poor creature, let her OFT with the COM
paratively light sentence OF one month In
the Work House. A few minutes a1ter
she left the court, Globe Democrat report
er visited her in her cell in the JAIL. he
found her lying, or rather tossing about,
in her bed, as rest seemed to be with her
physical impossibility. The poor creature
sat up on her bed and told the following
story, stopping every now and then, when
the agony from which she was suffering
prevented her from proceeding:
"How long have | been taking NOR
phine? Fifteen years, steady, until now,
and the want of it is killing me, killing
me. | took it first by the DOCTORS direc-
tions, for dysentery, and grew to like 1t
and to love it, and now can't live with
out it."
Here the poor creature flung herself
upon her bed and rolled about upon 1t
with pain. Composing herself she sud
denly sat up again and resumed her mar
rative.
"I first took it in weak solution, but
by-and- by took it stronger, until when
l first went TO the DOCTORS to get cured
used to take 375 grains week, and now
not grain have got, not grain, not
grain. Won't you get me some, Mister,
won't youF'
AS she said this she jumped up and
caught the guards arm flercely IN her
hand, and looked beseechingly in his
face. When he shook his head she sank
upon the bed again and trembled as one
sick of the ague.
Feel the want of it" she said, in
reply to a question, :" it's killing me, so
it is. I was crazy last night; yes, crazy.
Saw all sorts of things; saw my two chill
| dren standing right here, and when i
reached out for them there was nothing,
nothing. Then somebody brought me
morphine, and reached out for that, too,
| and there was nothing. All sorts OF
things there was all about the cell. Tell
you what they were like? No, no,
can't. DO I think l was dreaming? No,
have not slept since l came here on
Saturday night, not a wink, nor won't
have unless they give me some morphine"
Here the unfortunate victim of per
nicious habit crouched into corner of
the cell and pressing both fists into the
pit of her stomach, gave way TO another
paroxysm of pain. The reporter, who
had seen enough, withdrew, leaving the
poor wretch alone in her misery.-St.
| Toatso QIoIe Do11nep1f