Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-10
HITTING THE PIPE
A Sentancs Of imprisonment Imposed on
the Proprietor of Joint
Results of the Police Raid Of an
Opium-SmOkinE Place-victims
Of the Habit.

About lO:3O o'clock last night Sergt. Moore,
with q dozen policemen. raided the house
425 10th street. where the Excelsior Pleas
ure Club have two rooms. Forcing an en-
trance into the rooms. they found a number
of men lying about. partially undressed,
and all more or less under the influence of
the drug. They were too much stupefed to
offer any resistance. and they walked
across to the 18th street station in a daxed
sort OF manner.
At the station one OF the men by the
name of Edward Williams was held for
trial as the proprietor of the place. and the
others were released to appear in court
this morning witnesses. Williams claim
ed TO be simply the steward Of the club and
said that the proprietors of the place were
absent from the city. According to papers
found in the rooms it would seem that there
was a regularly Incorporated club occupy
ing them. with a constitution and bylaws
much the same any other club.
But In the house were found all the para
phernalia of regular joint, benches. pipes.
of the club the Excelsior Pleasure Club
was Incorporated three months ago by w.
A. Austin and E. II. Weideman.
Among those arrested in the place was a
man named Israel Hepner. or, as he is gen.
orally called. Gypsy joe who is known
to the police as about the worst opium
fierd in town. The others were Of the bet
ter Sort although they all showed the Ill
Is supposed that they all gave fictitious
Eames. They gave the following names and
addresses: Edward Brown. 1206 E street;
Israel Hepner. no address; Charles ID. Low
RE. 1909 Per nsylvania avenue. upstairs,
Her ~ Weslyn. 245 Randolph street north
east: Arthur Curry, $50 E street; Peach"
Russell. 70S 18th street: Fred Lowe. 10th
and I streets, and James Lambert, 11f5
Rhode Island avenue.
Lowe and Lambert, as they called them
selves. were well-dressed young men, and
are understood to belong to two prominent
families of this city. Lowe Is nothing but
boy, but al the station he presented a
horrible spectacle of the effects of opium.
Williams Sentenced.
Williams was in the Police Court this az
ternoOn. charged with keeping a disorderly
house. He was rather a nice looking young
man and well dressed, but with a face that
was CHASTITY pale. He had counsel. and Mr..
Mullowney acted as the prosecutor. On the
clerks desk there were a half dozen hand
some pipes. a number Of bowls. and a lot
of opium tins. most Of which were empty.
but all OF which had evidently paid duty at
the custom house.
Sergt. Moore told about the raid and the
finding OF the men and paraphernalia IN
the joint, and Officer McCort testified that
he had noticed disopderly conduct around
the place on various occasions.
Residents on either side OF the house were
on hand TO testify that the place was gen
eral nuisance. and that they frequently
heard profane language and all sorts OF
noise and disorderly conduct.
Hepner, or Gypsey Joe. and q young man
who was arrested last night, but who gave
further evidence. and Judge kiuibaH SEN
fenced Williams TO two months i'm jail and
to pay a fine OF $50 with two months addi-
tional IN default Of payment