The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-15


had better talk with Lee" And with
this she called aloud: "Leei Lee! come
here. There is gentleman that wants
TO see you and do business"
With this Lee came out of a side room
a little 10 the rear and on the north side
of the room He was in a deep stupor
and advanced to the reporter with
yawn.
The reporter grabbed him by the hand
as though he had been a long lost broth
er and told him ne was dying to hit the
pipe.
'Howdee. youee knowee?" said the
sleepy proprietor
The reporter assured him that his in
formation had come from a correct
source, and mentioned three persons
whom he felt assured had been hitting
the pipe.
Gomez byee mee," said the proprietor,
leading the way to the den, where the
fumes of the smoke could be inhaled
Entering the room low table was
found extending along the entire north
side Of the den, which was covered with
a blanket and white sheet, resembling
an ironing board. Next to the wall was
d head rest, which closely resembled an
apparatus used by tailors for putting
up pantaloon legs while ironing out the
hens.
Lee jumped upon the table, folded up
his legs and got out the pipe, which
was about thirty inches long and re-
sembled fishing pOle-that is, the stem,
About five inches from the end farthest
from the mouth is a silver bowl which
resembles an ink stand. This bowl is
about an inch and a half in circumfer-
ence and about two inches high. On
the top of the bowl is a silver plate
which resembles the covering for large
pipe Lee then reached over and got a
1.T.rN-r hot !,
placing a gum substance over the plate
and then placed lighted match in the
the bowl and began sending the william
Gus smoke out through his nose, while
an expression Of 81 don't care whether
school keeps or not" came over his
phiZ.
He told the reporter to get upon the
table and get ready as half dozen
could smoke at one time.
How much is the cost?" asked the
reporter.
-Four bitees" was the answer, which
was so indiStinct that the reporter had
to ask the woman TO interpret for him.
The reporter was ready for an argu-
ment or anything else to keep that vii
famous pipe out of his mouth and at
once recorded a kick, declaring that he
had been informed that two bits or %
cents was the price.
Two bitees littlee smokee; four biteeS
goodee smokee,' said Lee.
The reporter handed him two bits, but
told him that he had some business to
attend to and would be back in a half
hour and take little smoke if he could
possibly get time. 1t is needles to say
that his time was too fully occupied to
get time to return. The smoke is paid
for and the reporter received the full
worth of his money, if the description
and actual facts as here related viii be
the means of saving one person from
the villanous practice which is being
permitted in the very heart Of this city.
THE HABIT IN DETAIL.
An Eagle reporter met a gentleman
last evening who is thoroughly up to
date and he is on TO everything that
goes on, IN other words, he is called
"a man Of the world This gentle
man has travelled the United States ov-
er and has seen life in all its phases.
The reporter asked him if he knew
of the hop joint or opium den on South
Lawrence avenue, which is run by
Charley Chung. He answered yes,
and went on TO relate his experiences.
To gain Ambulance to any hop joint
in THE country all you have TO say is
''Savvy inchaqua John" The celestial
who is the proprietor will answer yes,
and take you back to the room and
begin to get the pipe in order. After
a person becomes addicted 10 the habit
he is known as an Indian" and then
he is capable of using about thirty
pills each time he goes against the
pipe.
The prices vary according to the city.
Here in WichSta they charge -bitty''
which viii send an 'InGian" to New
York, Saratoga or long Branch with
the all pervading idea that they are as
rich as Croesus. There are about one
hundred Indians" in Wichita and
among the number are some young men
who belong to the most prominent fam
lies. Quite few we'll known men are
seen to go there once or twice each day
as regular as the hour strikes.
If an Indian" should go a few min
utes past the accustomed time he viii
begin TO get nervous, his eyes will va
ter and he VIII make some excuse 10
get TO the den. Should he be broke
and is a regular patron, the Chinaman
VIII give him a short smoke or as it is
known among The fiends Number
two" which is their Vernacular for a
short smoke.
The opium is brought in on a COM
mon playing card. but should the hab-
itue be a gambler he will insist that the
hop be brought in on the Ten of Dia-
m0nds. This viii be black looking
stuff which very much resembles sor-
ghum mOlasses and occupies about as
much space on the card as 4 common
poker chip. The attendant will then
ask The subject TO recline on the raised
platform or if a swell joint on a sofa.
He WEI ahen heat the needle. or as it
is called in hook over the opium
lamp which has no chimney ana throws
out an intense heat 2 : nothing but
sweet oil is burned in the lamp. before
using the needle they carefully wipe
out the bowl with the ''suey pow"
which is nothing more than a small
channels skin.
If fiends become hard up for a
smoke they will take the needle and
dig in the bottom of the pipe bowl ami
get out a small ball or pill similar to
the heel in A tobacco pipe which they
WI treasure tin the next smoke is nee
esSary. This is called in che" and is
very strong.
After a beginner has smoked twenty
or 1hirty pills he is unable 10 eat or
drink anything till the effect i gone.
Should he Go 50 il Will cause vomiting
but with no nauSearing effects.
Charley Chung has only one pipe for
his numerous customers and as a con-
sequence there is Quarreling going on
from those who are impatient TO begin.
After each smoke The bowl must be
scraped with a steel Instrument which
goes by the name of ''inche Eou-'
The stem of the pipe is about two
feet long. the bowl Is put over the
lamp fame and with long draw the
person is gone 70 happiness complete
When some twenty-five pills or more
are consumed they are then complete