Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-24
SAD HUMAN WRECKS.
VICTIMS OF THE OPIUM HABIT AND
 THEIR FATAL CRAZE.

Customers After NTidnight-A Miserable Glass of Trade--Despair and Suffering. Habituai Lying.
 ''You want to watch fiends, do you! We'll, just sit down. You won't have long to wait It's about time for them to begin to come in" It was shortly after midnight as the clerk in the Baltimore drug store made this answer to reporter:
 "We have about thirty fiend customers" he remarked. "I don't believe one of them is over thirty years old The habit kills them off young, guess. They generally begin to come in about 12 o'clock at night, and for an hour or two there is quite rush of them. Then the trade drops off until about in the morning. From that time on to they drift in pretty steadily. There is very little nor phine or cocaine sold during the day"
 The clerk ceased his recital to wait on two young women-such might be seen drink ing and looking for victims around saloons after dark
 The reporter was sent out of sight, behind prescription case. 'Gimme eighty cents' worth of coke Petite, an give Mamie the balance in dope" said one of the women, laying down a silver dol lar.
 The clerk gave them the cocaine and mor- phine
 Before they were we'll out of tine store O scrawny, miserable little young man of the Clover" type sneaked in. His cAinchilla coat was threadbare, and, with his turtle like head and neck and trembling chin, he looked disgusting enough.
 Gimme ten cents worth O dope, young feller," he said as he swaggered up to the counter.
 He watched the operation of weighing very closely. "How much did you girnmep he asked, looking with ill favor on the small quantity of the drug in the scales. -Four grains" replied the clerk, laconic- ally:
 II get six up to de udder corner,n n he nut tered.
 "Well, why don't you go and get it T' asked the man behind the counter, pausing with the wrapping paper in his hand. "You don't have to take this. Do you want it, or don't you f'
 As the man still kept sullen silence he took the little tray in his hand preparatory 1 to throwing the four grains back into the drawer, but the lover stopped him and paid 1 his ten cents.
 "We don't want the trade" said the drug clerk when the morphine fiends had disap- | peared, 'but on account of our location they come in here to get their dope. guess we charge them more than others do, but it doesn't seem to stop them. It's miserable class of trade. They get the drug by the dime or fifteen cents worth and are always finding fault with the quantity we give them"
 Another member of the same fraternity as the last fend shambled in. That fellows good two hours behind l his lime " said tha clerE EbHn eYSrYa1lu cyoSo his good night dose about Il o'clock. won- der what kept him. Couldn't get the money, l suppose, and at last he comes around to stand me off. We'll, he'll get left, that's all"
 The young man he spoke of showed plainly the effects of his deprivation of the drug. His wretchedness was extreme He was ner- vous and trembling, and he came up to the counter with miserable, despairing air.
 Let me have twenty cents' worth, and for 1 Gods sake crowd in all you can. It's ell got"
 He could hardly wait for the powder to be wrapped up. But the clerk carefully kept it in his hand until the fiend had dropped two dimes on the counter.
 "Let me have some waterf" be asked, talk ing a hypodermic syringe from his pocket
 'Take your stuff out of herel" answered the clerk, sharply. "You can't dose your self in this shop"
 The suffering wretch fairly rushed out | when he got the coveted drug
 The next applicant was e woman. She | could not have been more than 20 years old, and not great while ago must have been more than ordinarily good looking. Now her features were drawn into hard lines. Her big black eyes were sunken and lusterless | and her whole appearance was expressive of 1 despair and suffering. She shook the rain from her draggled, disarranged dress and loose, uncovered hair, and 6 pleading look came into her face and mingled with the beaten down expression already there.
 She stood there some moments without saying word
 "Well?" growled the clerk.
 She raised her dark eyes to him and cow cred as if struck with 6 whip.
 1T want some cocaine, !" she said in Q low tone.
 "How much do you wantfa asked the clerk, impatiently.
 II haven't got any money" she said, "butn-
 ''Then you can't get any cocaine" an- swered the clerk, starting away from her.
 "Oh, please let me have just ittle," shs moaned. II haven't had bit of 1t for two days and I'm almost dead. For Gods sake, give me some, and I'll pay you as soon as get the money. I'll pay you four times over
 
 She leaned far over the counter as aha begged for cocaine and extended her arms toward the clerk.
 "No; you kind of people don't get anything from me without paying for it, replied he
 'I haven't eaten a thing all day." pleaded the woman, land this hunger will kill me if I don't get dope or something. Ialways have paid for what I got here before, haven't Ii Give me some; - it, I'll do anything for you if you'll only give me few grains" In her earnestness she followed the clerk behind the prescription case. At sight of ths reporter she looked wildly shamed and started out of the shop.
 She was called back, given soms money and told to get something to eat. "No," she answered, glaring her thanks ''Il not feel the hunger if I've got what want"
 She again demanded cocaine, and the clerk, knowing she had the money, sold it tc her. An attempt was made to induce her tc falI how heoo fxaa ur add Aad &o o,