The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-18
TAKES GREAT NERVE
YOUNG MAN SAYS he CAN'T QUIT
CIGARETTE HABIT.
RIDICULED BY HIS FRIEND
Bystander Tells Story Showing How
Famous Jack Chinn Fought
q Battle With Nor
phine.

II wish I had nerve enough to quit
these things" sadly remarked a young
business man of Butte last evening, as
he sat In the rotunda OF the Finlen
hotel and gazed sadly at a cigarette he
was rolling.
You have. if you only thought So"
said a friend, smiling slightly. Take
my own case, for instance. You know I
used to drink a whole lot, but I made up
my mind to quit and quit have. Moth
ing but water for me now
Say Billy, this reminds me Of an ex-
perience l had at Saratoga several
months ago." cut in a young man, who
has been quite prominently identified
| with racing matters.
"A party just about like this was in a
cafe sitting at a table and discussing
racing matters. Among the number was
Jack Chinn.
Drinks were demanded. Chinn turned
his glass down. There was a chorus of
Obs and Why's from everybody.
"'Well, boys said Chinn, Pm with
you, but out of the game. I swore off
more than year ago, and ding me if I
ever take another drink in my life. The
cause of it? I'll tell you. got drunk in
Colonel Was No Piker.
"'There was no piking about it. went
the pace for about 10 days. Then man.
aged to crawl onto train and get home
down at Harrodsburg. My wife doctored
me up and in the course of a week was
able to see few things besides turkeys
with straw hats on their heads.
~ felt cheap. l said to my wife, "Old
i,.1 - ho1yo NV oS7fn 70
the best part of 60 years. am done
with booze. have taken my last drink"
She ridiculed the proposition; said had
made the same pledge many time be-
fore. and that knew I wouldn't keep it.
my answer was this: II quit the
dope, and any man who can do that can
quit whiskey if he wants to. l want to,
and I'm going to do it,
"'Why, Chinn. you were never a dope
fiend, were YOUR
"'No, not exactly was the reply. AT
least did not think / was, but 1 was, all
the same.
How He Learned to Use Dope.
"It happened this way. Nearly 10
years ago, was shot in Chicago and my
spine was injured. I laid in a hospital
for about six months and during all
that period the doctors had me under the
influence Of opiates.
when I got out the first thing I did
was to go and buy a hypodermic and a
bunch of dope. Whenever I felt out of
sorts l jabbed the needle in. I did not
think very much of it. but nevertheless
soon became an expert. This went along
for several months.
Finally, one Sunday, down at home
my Oldest son. the only one of the boys
that ever dared to speak out in meetin'
to me, came up to the house and saw me
working the needle. His first remark
was:
Say, father why don't you take
dose of strychnine, and end it. That's
what 1t will come to, anyway"
"'This riled me. and I replied: How
dare you talk to me that way, sir. Durn
it, what do you mean, sir?'
Sons Plain Talk Saves Him.
What I mean Is that you are NOR
phine fiend, and I would sooner see you
dead than to continue as you are doing"
by gad," SIR" said, you think am
a morphine fiend. You think l have to
use this stuff? BY CAD, III show you,
SIR" and gave the syringe toss that
landed it over in pasture.
THAT night went to bed. But could
not sleep. got up and walked the floor.
I walked about 40 miles. The next day
was worse. felt a craving. There was
something 1 wanted. And I could not
get it.
81 saddled up an old mare and gal
loped her over the country roads all day
long. That night was worse still. There
was no sleep for me.
"'My wife and children finally saw I
was In desperate state, and they
begged me to use "only a little of the
drug" 1 said, mo. I'm going to quit
or die"
Longs For Death.
"'Well, this went along for month.
During the daytime 1 galloped across
country, over the fences and ditches
hoping that the horse would fall and
break his own neck and mine. too.
AFTER about month I began to get
some relief, but even yet the craving
sometimes comes back.
"'No, boys concluded the famous
Kentuckian. when man says he will
quit, the only thing to do Is to quit. I
have drunk barrels upon barrels of Ken
lucky booze. l have had my fling. l am