The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-31
LOW CHUNG, OPIUM EATER.
DYING FROM THE EFFECTS or MS
H1BIr IN 4 HOSPITAL.


posed, 1t IL well patronized by men OF all nation
alitics Nobody. white or colored. who is sober
and has sufficient money to pay for his accom-
mediation is turned away. and no surprise was /
expressed when. about threo weeks ago. Chi |
naman approached the office. in tho second /
story. and expressed n desire to hire bed for /
tho night lie did not so express himself in |
words. for ns far as the proprietor could after |
ward ascertain his Asiatic lodger could speak |
no English. But he made his wishes known By |
signs. In fact he placed 10 cents on tho coun-
ter. and looked eloquenty Mt tho officer In
charge He was asked his name but he shook
his head without speaking.
He looked at that moment like n man whose
sands OF life were nearly run out. Ho was
greatly emaciated. and seemed to be in the last
stage OF consumption. He was assigned TO
room In tho story above and another lodger,
hearing the instructions given TO him. went up
stairs and said to the orderly;
You'll have dead Chlnaman hero In the
morning"
"Why?" asked the orderly.
We'll" replied tho lodger. there's one
coming up who seems to be on his last legs"
In a few minutes the Chinapnn entered the
ROOM He was respectfully dressed in ordinary
clothes He had on n black cloth coat and vest.
gray tweed trousers II soft low hat. md good
shoes. 1t was evident that he was no longer
lbllNNtT OF AnnlhtlnS. lot MS INIT WIS 'hi'lhh1
fashion and the houored pietail had been cut
on He seemed to be- about 40 years OF age. anu
was rather good looking, He, was very, weak,
staggering rs ho walked. and his eyes had IN
them far away, uncertain look. As soon rs
! he reached his bed he sat YEARLY down upon IT,
md seemed to be falling asleep.
Ho came and went three or four times; grow
! ing weaker and weaker every day. but al
/ WAYS paying promptly. Efforts were made TO
/ find out his name. but they were unsuccessful.
/ He answered every question with II shake Of
! lia head huf only the occasion OF MS last
! visit was he heard by any one in the house TO
speak word. me proprietor OF IN, no io"GG,n5
/ stage OF consumption. but he believed also that
/ his lodger was reckless consumer OF opium.
! and disliked to soc him enter the house. Never
/ thcess when he went there on the 20th inst.
/ though he WIS hardly able TO WALK. lie was hd-
| mtied. He approached the counter ~ usual.
laid down his Is cents. and uttered the first
words he had been heard e, speak. , a..
chest with his bnnv hand. He seemed 10 be So
letting sympathy on account OF his nationality.
| and feared that, through some strange bundor'
he might be mistaken Tor Chinon4n.
Ii was then about eight O'Clock in the evening.
and he was assisted up stairs and put TO bed.
He was better in the morning but did not get
IN 50 early rs formerly. lie was unable or un.
willing 20 20 out. and day after day he remained
In Inc house paying his IS cents promptly
every night. but never speaking to any one.
Nobody ever saw him taking opium IN any
form. hut u was clear that he consumed great
deal Tho pupils 81 his eyes shrunk to IN eN-
traordinary degree and he moved about Ike
man in a dream.
pleases IN the Thompson Lodging House but
all who are In bed must be aroused bJ the porter
bedrooms have to he cleared. Al tho first. men
toned hour on Wednesday morning the porter
going around the rooms found the Chinanan
still In bed He had never slept 90 late before
since he had been an inmate OF the house. and
in some surprise the porter shook him hriskly.
return a few minutes afterward he saw that the
ledger had not moved, nnd then taxing MN ny
the shoulder ne SHOOK him more violently than
bnfgrs 4 upguliur TlEltlty OF tho boty al
tracted his attention. and looking, mo the
cred that h. was either dead or IN comatose
condition. The proprietor OF the house was
s",t a. The O,s street police. Tho man who was
sent saws that no told the sergeant that III.
Chnaman WINS unconscious from the effects ~
opium and the officer replied thnt tho police
| surgeon had nothing 10 DO with such cnses. and
would not go, ~ doctor at first visited he dy;
dny He oecns ionally moved his hands or legs
slightly but made no attempt iogst up lie dld
not seem TO be in any pain. aud when water WIS
put TO his lips no could not swallow H..
On Thursday morning, after he had been cen
beers Street Hospital WIS asked 10 tnNe charge
u the case. and u few minutes alterward nn
ambulance arrived. The surgeon who went
with II says that when he saw the Ohlnhman lac
was mutering 10 himself, and smiling, a.
though In an opium dream. His breathing was
lnhorrd and very slow-about twenty 10 the
minute-and his pulse was sharp and quick
! The most marked indication ~ the presence ol
the drug that WAS doing It's deadly work was
seen in tho pupils OF the mans eyes. They
we're shrunE." said the surgeon, 10 the size Of
Under the bed were found two bottles One
was a ginger ale bottle and the other n via
such Ms is used for holding c4sloria Thei
} clotted with a sort Of brown paste that looked
ike a preparation Of opium. A small horr
ease, about AS thick as n mans thumb. ant
> three inches long. containing similar paste
was found in one Of the Chinaman pockets
IL was supposed mat n ma Pesn Gaaed t
In another pocket was found letter Addresse'
Low Chung. 80 Mou street IL was written u
} Chinese characters. A messenger WIS sent u
J ! "a Mott street. and Chinaman who went to th'
I Chambers Street Hospital identified the man a
one who Ind been fellow ledger OF his. Enor
3 were made 10 resuscitate tn" opium enter Hn'
: after II time they were partially successiui, h
, native tongue, but said nothing that any on
5 around him could understand. He seemed Il
a improve. and on FRIDAY evening hopes wer
:. entertained that he might recover. But earl
on Saturday morning he began 10 sink rapidly
and though he smiled and talked softly TO him
self as though the drug when WAS destroying
. nothing more could be- done To- him. and at tel
minutes past o'clock he died quietly.
The body which lay IN the dead house Of IN
hospital yesterday was that OF man who ha
once. douplIess been hnhni3ime spreImah 4
: his race; Ills closely cropped mar wns sliGhtl
o streaked with gray, and the eyes were hal
= open. Tho long teeth were visible. ana a sm
rested upon the lace. Tho form was ttrrhl
& emaciated. the chest looking like That Of
- mummy. while the thighs were not as thick u
2. stout mans arm. The upper limbs wer
= shrunk TO the proportions Of IA child's, and tn
$ bones seemed almost bursting through the skin
= In fact IL was evident that the man. in his pms
g sion for opium had neglected 10 supply himsel
$ with the ordinary necessaries OF life.
u " His name was really Low Chung said on
Z OF his Mott street countrymen, VINO spoke re-
o marknby good English. and dressed like al
j. American. " But nOnB OF Us knew much NbOu
.. him He became Christian long ago in Chinr
;. and came to this country five years ago. II
II used an awful lot Of opium. and think he ha
10 consumption besides He didn't live AZ "a regu
larry. for he was a sailor. and was often ava
for a long time. When he got ashore he Won
q begin to eat opium again. aud then be would b
% ashamed to come to us, and would 20 some
l. wnere else. He WIS unmarried and hadnt
~ relative in the world He WAS very poor, an
y every cent he got he spent in opium, eNceI
II what il cost for his lodging. Our Protector
= Association has its rooms at 81 Mott street, an
n IL will take charge of the body and bury IT,
Is don't know whether Low Chung was Catholi
= or II Protestant. but he will be buried in Green
= wood Cemetery; oh, we Cinnamon never foI
n sake one another, We take care OF our sick an
n bury our dead
" The Sergeant ut the Oak street police static
~, says that there must be some blundor about tl
III lodgng-ho porter's assertion that he repOr
i ed Low Chung's condition on Wednesday morn
r ing, and the police took no notice OF II. II an
l. such report had been received. the SergeaI
said an officer would at once have been sent
invastipata md nm umbulanco teleRraDnoQ 70