Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-02
SAD HUMAN WRECKS
VICTIMS or THE OPIUM HABIT AND
THEIR FATAL CRAZE.

VICTIMS or THE OPIUM HABIT AND
THEIR FATAL CRAZE.
Scene. in . Baltimore Drug Stors-"Etsnd"
cu.torers After Midnight-A Miserable
Glass of Trade-Despair and Suffering.
Hanhuai Lying.
.You want TO watch iends, do youi Well.
lust sit down You won't have long TO wait
Its about time for them to begin TO come i'm
1t was shortly after midnight, as the clerk
in the Baltimore drug store made this answer
to reporter -
I'VE have about thirty fend customers"
he remarked Il don't believe one Of them
is over thirty wears old The habit kills them
off Young guess They generally begin TO
come in about ia 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 as 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 q silver dol
lar
The clerk gave them the cocaine and NOR
phine. -,
Before they were well out of the store a
scrawny, miserable little young man of the
SnaaEad in His ehinchilta
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 staggered up to the
counter
He watched the operation of weighing very
closely. How much did you ginmeF be
asked, looking with i'll favor on the small
quantity of the drug in the scales.
-Four grains" replied the clerk, laconic-
ally. a..
~ get six up to de udder corner" he NUT
tered
We'll, why don't you 60 and get it r
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 r
As the man still kept sullen silence be
took the little tray in his hand preparatory
to throwing the four grains back into the
drawer, but the lover stopped him and paid
his ten cents
| 1--WE don't want the trade" said the drug
clerk when the morphine 6ends 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" L.,
Another member of the same fraternity as
| the last tiend shambled in.
THAT fellows good two hours behind
his time" said the clerk HE usually gets
his good night dose about II O'Clock won
der what kept him. Couldn't get the money,
| suppose and at last he comes around to
stand me off Well. he'll get left, that's all"
| The young man he spoke of showed plainly
the effects of his deprivation of the drug.
| His Indebtedness was extreme. He was ner-
| vous and trembling, and he came up to the
counter with a miserable, despairing air
LET me have twenty cents worth, and for
| Gods sake crowd in all you can. It's all
got"
He could hardly wait for the powder to, he
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 waterp' he asked, tax
ing 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
/ h.
could not have been more than 20 wears 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
despair and suffering She shook the rain
from her dragged, disarranged dress and
loose, uncovered hair and a pleading look
came into her face and mingled with the
beaten down expression already there
She stood there some moments without
saying word
''WelF growed the clerk
She raised her dark ewes to him and COW.
cred as if struck with whip.
81 want some cocaine she said in log
tone
| How much do you wanti" asked the clerk,
impatiently,
81 haven't got any money!" she said,
butt
Then you can't get any cocaine an
swered the clerk, starting away from her.
"Oh. please let me have just little" she
moaned. ~ haven't had bit Of it for two
days and I'm almost dead For Gods sake.
give me some, and III pay you as soon as /
get the money I'll pay you four times over
if you'll only give me enough for one dosen
| h. E.
begged for cocaine and extended her arms
toward the clerk. n.
mo; you Kind of people don't get anything
from me without paying for it." replied be.
~ haven't eaten thing all day." pleaded
the woman, land this hunger will kill me il
don't get dope or something. Ialnays have
| paid for what | got here before, haven't u
Give me some; - it, I'll do anything for
| you If you'll only give me a few grainsn
| In her earnestness she followed the clerk
behind the prescription case At sight of the
reporter she looked wildly shamed and started
out of the shop IL
| She was called back, given some money
and told TO get something to eat ~
No" she answered, glaring her thanks,
| III not feel the hunger if I've got what /
want" TT
She again demanded cocaine. and thu
clerk, knowing she had the money, sold it 10
her. An attempt was made to induce her to
tell how she became so abducted to the use Of
the drug, but her shame at being discovered
and her easerness to get away and apply the
cocaine would not allow her to talk, With
an oath directed to the clerk she tore out Of
the shop
"f you were us used to this sort Of thing
as am, SAID the clerk to the reporter. YOU
wouldn't make any breaks like that You
bet none OF them get any dope from me
without paying for it. Before got on to
their lies used to give them some once IN a
while, but you don't catch ME at it now.
Why. those people will lie for an hour to get
dope get pretty much afraid of the men
sometimes Vi hen they've been without
dope for while they are crazy When re-
fuse them always keep near this and be
picked I'D q reynlyeI:l and 50 far a.rau H..