The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-18
MOVABLE OPIUM DEN
DOC LUNG AND PANG WING CARRY
ONE FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE.
Arrested by Health Officers While
Dealing Out Opium Smoke to
Three Women.

Doc Lung and Pang Wing were arrested
last evening at private house West
Market street, where they had gone to give
a private opium smoke for three women,
by DR.. carp, secretary of the Health
Board and Health officers Mattlock Duval,
Scrotz and Sheppard. Two pipes, a lamp
and a quantity of opium were captured in
the raid, which was made shortly before
10 O'Clock. The women were not taken
prisoners as the house is not a regular
opium den. and there was no charge upon
which to slate them.
The raid was the result of the efforts
of Officer Mattlock, who for three weeks
has been investigating reports made to the
Board of Health. About three weeks ago
Afattlock received information that num-
Der of Chinese in the city are making a
living by calling at houses upon call and
giving these present hits at the pipe
charging from s. to $40 for their services
and the of their pipes and opium. The
informant said the Chinese adopted this
method for the purpose of evading the
ordinance making it misdemeanor to con-
duct an opium den. AIattlock reported his
information to the members of the board
who directed the health officers to proceed
with the investigation.
Ofhcers Duval, ScrotZ, Sheppard and Matt
of Chinese laundries and found that several
occasional trips throughout the city Doc
Lung, who keeps a laundry at No. 212
West washington street, seemed especially
1T was noticed that he carried a package,
presumably pipes and lamps. Mattlock
convinced that he could be caught. The
board directed the officers to make an
laundry Was S' Watched and about o o'es
he and another Chinaman were seen to
Leave carne the e. shop They were followed to the
where they entered a small house - The ne
officers were in the vicinity, as well as
house entered by the Chinese was sur
rounded, after they had been given ample
o o'fd IN to light their pipes, so they
Duyal knocked at the front door, but re-
ceived no answer. He then pushed the door
in in and in the front room discovered the two
Cnnamen and three women. Two of the
latter had just commenced to smoke and one
of them was slightly under the influence of
the drug. Pang Wing, Doc Lungs assistant,
was sitting cross-legged on the bed bending
over little lamp, cooking the opium for
the smokers. Doc Lung was manipulating
the pipes The women We're lying across
the bed. The room was very warm and the
carp came in soon after the officers, but he
returned to the door for minute to get a
preatn OF fresh air. The women stood about
speak or offer any explanation. The Chinese
were at first unable to speak, so great was
their surprise, but they soon grasped the
situation and began to gesticulate wildly.
In the worst of broken English they said
they had been called to the house to doctor
one of the women, who was sick. Doc Lung
made several desperate attempts to get at
a pocket the inside of his coat, but Off
Ger Schrotz designed his motive and took
from the pocket a large, Notwithstanding
knife, which had point to 1t like a needle
and an edge like a razor. The Chinaman
tried to regain possession of the weapon,
but it was placed beyond his reach.
The women were questioned, and they
said they had asked the Cinnamon to call.
They said 1T was their first experience
smoking pipe, bat they knew others were
smoking and they had a curiosity to ex-
pertinent. The two Cinnamon We're taken
to police headquarters, where they were
slated for keeping opium den, and Doc
Lung was also charged with carrying a
concealed weapon. During their inyestiga-
tons the health officers have learned that
there are at least dozen Cinnamon in the
city who have been conducting business in
the same manner Oftentimes persons adj
dicted to the opium habit meet at some
house room, and, after calling in a
Chinaman, hold opium-smoking seance,
1t We're. The same complaints nave
been made to the police, but the latter have
been unable to make any arrests. 1t Is a
question whether the two men arrested last
night be successfully prosecuted on the
charge upon which they are slated, but
there is no doubt of their guilt. 1t is said
that some presumably respectable people
receive occasional visits from Cinnamon who
carry pipes, but the trade is confined more
to the unsavory element. 1t is said that
disreputabe houses are frequently turned
into opium-smoking dens for time.