The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-11-22
"The Opium Fiend."

Charles Tyler, known to the New York
police as the "Opium Fiend," is in the
Tombs of that city for stealing surgical
instruments and cases of morphia from
physicians. The instruments, he says,
he took to sell that he might procure
morphis. To reporter who visited him
he said:
"My right name is Henry L. Sanford
l was born in the District of Columbia,
and am twenty eight years old My
mother was Tyler, Of Virginia, but my
father was a northern man. They are
both dead. have brothers and q sister,
though they cast me off long ago on ac-
count of my habit of taking morphine
At twenty graduated from the college
of pharmacy in Chicago. / started out
as physician, but before long became
addicted to drinking whisky. 1 found
that the habit was injurious to my bust
ness; besides, as in all cases, after awhile
the whisky failed to give me the satisfac-
ton it did at first. 1t was then l began
to take morphine. That had splendid
effect on me, made me lively and aubi-
tious, and gave me an amount of happi-
ness cannot express to you. 1t trans
formed me at once. became strong and
independent. Nothing was too hard for
me to undertake. Ispeculated and made
lots of money. At the end of two years
my suffering began. | had to be con-
stantly under the influence of the drug
had married and lost my wife, and this
made it necessary for me to take stronger
doses until my mind became impaired.
l was put into lunatic asylum in Mas
sachusetts, and the doctors said they had
never heard of any one who took so much
morphine. l was allowed to leave this
institution partially cured. 1 again be-
gan taking the drug, and soon averaged
forty-ive grains day. If only had
about thirty grains now it would make
me so lively could dance all around the
room. The doctor gives me twenty
grains morning and night, but that's only
enough to keep me alive. take it by
injection. Long ago it failed to have any
effect on me when taken through the
mouth"
Here he barred his lett arm and showed
the reporter the effect of these injections.
They were made by a hypodermic syringe,
and from their frequency his arms, from
the shoulders down to the wrists, were
one surface of scars, and the skin was of
blush tint. Many of these punctures
were not healed, but Sanford declared he
was totally devoid of all feeling. One
might bore into his flesh with red-hot
iron, he said, and he would not feel it,
and as proof of this he showed scars on
his legs, some as large as a silver half
| Il al tx1I h0u ha
appears that adversely in its fullest meas
ure came upon him. He lost his hypo-
dermic Syringe and so procured a com
mon syringe. This he could not insert
into the flesh without first cutting a hole
He used to take razor and cut dash in his
thigh and then with pair of scissors bore
hole into the flesh, into which. he would
insert the syringe and inject the NOR
phine. All the tleshy parts of his body
which he could conveniently get al
have been cut and punctured over anO
over again.
During the last two years. said San
ford g" have taken over sixty grains OF
morphinea day, and have often taken ovel
a drachm in one day. One drachm o.
morphine is equal to more than five hun
dred grains of opium"
Being asked to explain his present pre-
dicament, Sanford said that when he los
every means of making money he SOLD
every thing he had, from time to time, tc
procure morphine. When everything
was gone he proited while on credi,
with druggists and dealers with whom
he had acquaintance. When this means
of getting the drug was denied him he
stole what he could, and with the pro.
ceeds got what he wanted.
knowing the ways of doctors and the
value of their instruments" said he, 81
devoted myself to this special way OF
raising the wind. OF course got caught
When want morphine l will do any
thing to procure it, l would sell my own
father in minute if could get enough
for one dose. When the desire comes on
me would not exchange the morphine
for heaven. Give me the dose and then
hang me if you like. l don't care what
they do with me after | have got the
morphine. philadelphia Bulletin.
A Coon ONE.-During the first year
of the war, says a Vermont paper, when
4