The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-08-26
MADE MAD BY COCAINE.
George Smith of WestmOreland,
ROuses the Chesterfield.
Cried For Mercy and Jumped
From Second Story Window.
Ran Then and Hid in the Laundry
Guests Frightened-He is the Son
of the Dean of the Albany
Law School

Mr.. George Smith, a prominent citi-
zen of Westmoreland, Pottawatomie
county, went violently insane last
night at the Chesterfield hotel from the
effects of an overdose of cocaine. He
leaped out of his room in the hotel to
the roof CT the adjoining building and
from there jumped to the ground. He
then broke a pane of glass in the base
ment of the hotel and crawled into the
laundry room and hid in one corner.
He was discovered there by some of
the employees of the hotel, and fed up
stairs and entered room II. There ST.
mon Greenspan and PatroInan Fowkes
captured him and the patrol wagon
was called and took the unfortunate
man to the police station.
About o'clock this morning the
guests and employees of the hotel were
startled to hear a man in one of the
upstairs rooms talking loudly and
pleading for mercy. It sounded as if
someone was after him and he was
trying to escape. Shortly afterward
the man jumped out of the window
and alighted on the roof of the adjoin-
ing building on the south. He was but
partly clothed and he ran to the rear
of the roof and Ieaped off into the al
ley. The fail stunned him slightly, but
in an instant he ran to a basement
window and broke out the pane of
glass. In doing this he cut his wrist
He climbed into the basement and hid
in one of the corners of the laundry
room. From there he was frightened
away and he fed upstairs to room II
where he was taken in charge He did
not resist the officers at all and seemed
to be glad of their protection.
This was George Smith of West
moreland. The story of his downfall
is a sad one.
He is the son of Horace E. Smith,
dean of the Albany law school of I'm
ion university at Albany, N. Y.
Lawyer Aaron P. JetmOre of this city
and George Smith were memb ers of the
same class in the law school, and grad
Uated together.
He was a bright young man. but he
had one failing and that was the ex-
cessive use Of liquor. His father tried
every means in his power to persuade
his son to leave it alone but to no eff
feet, and he sent him to Kansas think
ing that the prOhibitory law might be
good thing to save his son.
George Smith became well known
and generally liked.
He took the Kelley cure and it seem
ed that he was going to do all right
but the old appetite came back, and
instead of taking liquor, he com
menced taking cocaine.
He used it moderately and it did not
affect him much. But occasionally he
took an overdose and it would make
him raving crazy. He has been away
has been taking considerable cocaine.
He registered at the Chesterfield last
evening as z. S. Ingalsbe, Abilene.
He paid for his room in advance and
room after he had been taken away
was found an empty bottle labeled
''Sulphate of Cocaine A gold ring
which belonged to him was also found
Lawyer A. B. JetmOre, in speaking
of George Smith said to Journal re-
porter today: Yes, he graduated in
N1,oc 11r
bany law school His father is a very
fine man, and is dean of the school If
I mistake not this man was county at
tOrney of POttaWatOmie county. It is
too bad for young man like that to
be so unfortunate
George Smith was seen today at the
city jail by a State Journal reporter.
He is man of medium height, was
neatly dressed, and wore glasses. He
seemed very much fatigued and want
ed to get out somewhere to lie down.
The effects of the drug had not en-
tirely worn off him. To the reporter
he said:
L left home a week ago last Monday
and ever since that time there hasn't
been a day when I haven't taken at
least twenty grains of cocaine. know
more about the drug than a good many
doctors. A little of it makes a man
have extra strength. Often times I
have taken a little when 1 was dicta-
ting letters, and I could keep going a
long time. 1 took an overdose last
night and it gave me a halucinatiOn I
thought some one was after me. You
see I cut my wrist when I broke the
glass. Once when 1 was in Kansas
City I had a hallucinatiOn and I ran
down two flights of stairs and into the
street. I used to be the chairman of
the Republican county central COM
mittee of POttawatOmie county. 1 wish
I could get out of here and lie down
some place, for I'll go crazy if have to
stay here much longer"
While he talked to the reporter he
started to climb up on the circular Jail
door to sit on top of it, but he was re-
strained by a prisoner who was near
by. He told them in the Jail room that
if they didn't let him out soon he would
begin yelling and keep up such racket
that they would have to release him.
At times he seems rational, while at
other times he is as crazy as any luna
tic. He has an idea that there is a
woman confined in the woman's ward
of the Jail whom he knows. 4 didn't
see her face but I saw part of her
dress said he ''and if she is the wO-
man I think she is she will be an in
valuable witness in my case"
George Smith is at present a lawyer
of WestmOreland He is a member of
the firm of Means & Smith, attorneys
at law He has a wife and three chill
dren living in Westmoreland.
He is man greatly to be piued, as
he is finely educated. The use of the
drug has weakened him physically and
mentally. He is being held at the city
jail until some disposition of his case
is made by his friends