Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-23
A REGAL OPIUM DEN.
DeScr 9tion Of q Club House FIRE.
quented by SWells Who are
Addicted to
TIE USE OF THE DEADLY NARCOTIC.
The Vice Increasing at an Alarming Rate
Among the VerV Fashionable
People of England.
HANDSOME WOMEN AND TITLED MEN
TIE USE OF THE DEADLY NARCOTIC.
HANDSOME WOMEN AND TITLED MEN
Among the Fiends Who Hit the Pipe in Palstal
Joint in London.
rcoRREsPoxpENcz OF THE DIsPkTcH.l

rcoRREsPoNpKNcE OF THE pIsPATCH.l
LONDON, June 15.-It was but few
years ago that opium smoking in London
was a vice known only to the very few in
the West Emo, or to the lowest slums of
Radcliffe highway or Whitechapel in the
East End. People read about it and talked
about it, but few practiced it, and those who
took the drug at all took it in pills, and did
not "hit the pipe" But within the last few
years this has all changed, and not only
have opium joints increased in the East
End, but the peruicious habit has taken
root in the aristocratic quarters of the West
End, and, judging from what saw the
other evening, it will have taken such a
hold upon its votaries that all the crusades
in the world will fail TO much more than
mitigate the evil. They say that once an
opium fend always an opium fend, and
that the craving for the drug is greater than
for drink.
The effects OF opium are, think, worse
if possible, than the effects of drink. The
latter is bad enough in all conscience, but
have seen some awful sights among opium
smokers. Strange to say, however, can
not call to mind any very bad subjects
amongst what l may term high class hitters
oil the pipe
THE SMELLS AS SMOKERS.
have been round the joints in San Fran
cisco, Chicago, New York, and other large
cities, as well as in China, and in the low
down joints 1 have seen sights that it would
require the pen of Zola to depict, but in all
these cities there are as well swell opium
joints, and there the sights are not so bad.
L. ohf
dreaming their lives away in the hunks of
the lower dens, have graduated from the
better places, but have known of men
smoking opium for years and being COM
paratively free from any evil effects. But
in the long run they say it always masters
either man or woman and they become its
slave.
had no idea until the other day that
hitting the pipe was ever practiced among
the upper ten in London. How 1 came to
find it out was through talking to an old
globe trotter like myself at the club the
other evening with reference to che looks of
young Lord A, a young man who recently
came into his title and vast estates.
she looks as If he had been hitting the
pipe" said 1; ''but suppose that is an un-
known vice in London"
A REGAL OPIUM JOINT.
Far from it, was the reply. "They
not only hit the pipe, but do 1t in a style 1
can only characterize as regal. Within the
last few years drinking has been voted bad
form with a certain set, but as a set-of they
have gone in for hitting the pipe. They keep
il very quiet, but the secrecy OF the thing
adds to the zest- Stolen pleasures, you
know. The swellest joint in the world was
opened about a month ago not two miles
from where we are now. Lord A. there is
one of its chief supporters, and, you
know him, you ought to get him to take
you there.
81 certainly WILL" 1 replied. Shortly
afterward I found myself in conversation
with young Lord A. There is a peculiar
freemasonry among opium smokers all the
world over, and although personally have
not shit the pipe" half dozen times in my
life, and dislike it rather than otherwise,
knew enough of the shibboleth to ingratiate
myself in a very short time with the young
Lord and led him to infer that was even a
greater fend than himself l bemoaned the
want of a good joint in London, which
had no sooner done than he volunteered to
take me to what he termed the nearest ap-
proach to paradise that there could be.
A SECRET CLUBHOUSE.
"a few of US got together" he said,
''about six months ago and took the house
and grounds, We practically rebuilt it,
and it has cost us pot of money. 1t is
really club, and both men and women
members must be balloted for the same as at
any other club. We are awtully particular,
and if 1 take you there you must give me
your word of honor that you will never re-
veal its whereabouts. We are allowed to
bring friends, but only on this condition,
and each member is personally responsible
for whoever he introduces, that this secrecy
will be maintained"
l readily gave the required promise, and
in giving this account OF what saw in the
swellest JOINT in the world 1 am in no way
breaking iaith, as do not tell where it is
and as to the fact OF its existence that is
known to many outsiders.
a cab took US to the corner of s. place
and NJ street, where we dismissed it and
walked the remainder of the way. The
house my guide stopped at was a large one,
standing in a garden Of considerable size
We rang bell at the gate and at the door
of the house we knocked, and then Lord A. |
pressed an electric button which was hidden
under the ledge OF the topmost step, and the |
existence of which could only be known to
the initiated.
LIKE GREAT GREENHOUSE.
The pressing OF the button was followed |
by the door swinging slowly open, and we \
found ourselves in a small hallway with |
another door barring our progress. Lord |
A. pressed a second button and this door
also swung open, and we were admitted to
the club proper. Here we found three East
Indians, dressed in flowing Oriental robes.
with gold embroidered turbans, and who
had been summoned by the ringing of the
bell at the outer gate. They bent low as
they salaamed and removed our hats and
coats. found that we were in large, Gen.
tral hall, open to the roof, which was of
glass and of cupola form.
1t was really like large greenhouse and |
was full of plants OF all descriptions and the
air was heavy with an indescribably sepsu-
Gus ador. From the hall we were conducted |
by one of the East Indians to an inner room,
gorgeously furnished, but at the same time |
not gaudily, and off this were small cabinets,
reminding me of the dressing rooms of
Turkish bath. These, Lord A. explained.
were private rooms where any smoker who
SO desired it could have complete privacy. 1
saw the doors of two only closed and pre-
sumed that those were the only ones occu-
pied. When in this room heard
THE SOUNDS OF VOICES,
and my guide led me toward where the
sound came from, and soon found myself
in large room in which there were at least
30 people OF both sexes, all in evening dress.
The ladies were one and all beautifully
dressed and many of them were resplendant
in jewels. Among them 1 was astoulsbed
TO see well-known Countess and a society
beauty, about the last person in the world /
should have suspected of hitting the pipe.
Among the men also saw several whom I
and one knew well, who seemed
as much astonished to see me as I was 70 .aa |