Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-24
COCAINE VICTIMSFINED
GEORGETOWN CoLoRED MEN
HAVE BEEN PULLING POLICE.
dope" Epidemic Checked - Judge
O'Neal Imposes Sentence, but
Makes No Comment.

Three colored men were arrested IN
Georgetown yesterday morning between
midnight and dayoreak, and their adm:s-
sions to the police furnished solution OF
the problem of how so many colored people
have been getting dope during recent
weeks The police have been troubled with
colored men who were apparently under
the influence of liquor, but who were really
under the influence of cocaine.
They have been going about Georgetown
with their eyes almost popping from their
heads and looking like so many jack rab-
bits, remarked Sergt Schneider at the Po-
lice Court this morning.
The officer explained that some of them
were in a sleepy condition and others were
in fighting huIror. 1t was not until last
week that the police learned the cause of
such condition of affairs. Then they We're
told that a colored man had been selling
( cocaine powders. Yesterday morning the
three arrests were made, and two of the
men had supplies of the dope" on them
West Beckett was the principal one of the
trio, and Charles Jackson, it was alleged.
had been following in his footsteps by sell
ing the dope powders in addition to using
them. The third person arrested was Mark
Carter. 1t was only alleged against him
that he had been using the cocaine. The
chief witness against him was Robert Bur-
CESS, also coiored. who occupied a room
with him. He had noticed the peculiar con-
duct of Carter, and had felt uneasy at
times.
Every time l would wake up in the
night" said Burgess to Judge ONeal this
morning, Il would see him snuffing some
thing up his nose. and l didn't know what
it was
1t was explained to the court that his
condition was something terrible when he
was arrested His eyes appeared as If they
were about to pop out of his head, and he
seemed almost lifeess. Even when he APP
peared in court this morning he did not
seem to fully realize what going on.
Acting Sergeant Brown and Policemen
Peterson and Moffett We're in court with
Lieut.. Jordan this morning to explain the
case to Judge ONeal. Packages of the
cocaine powders were spread upon the
judges bench. and bottles of vaseline were
also exhibited evidence 1t was stated
that the vaseline is used externally to pre-
vent injury being inflicted by the repeated
use of the cocaine. The powders. it was
said, cost about 1 cent each, and were sold
for dime. Beckett told the police that he
bought the cocaine in Dead Mans Hol-
low, across in Virginia. where the bust
ness of selling it was conducted very much
on the order of the moonshine method of
selling liquor He said he would place a
sum of money on the stump of a tree. make
a sign and disappear. A few minutes later
he would return and get the cocaine. The
police did not take mucn stock in this
statement, and learned that he had made
some purchases in this city. After the
men had been arrested it was thought by
the police that charge of alleged violation
of the District pharmacy laws might be
preferred against them. Detective Proctor.
who has charge of such work, was con-
suited, and he failed to find any law under
which the men could be prosecuted for the
alleged sale of the cocaine about the
streets.
AS a last resort the colored men were
charged with vagrancy, and 1t was upon
such charge that they were arraigned.
Beckett and Jackson were represented by
Attorney Collins and he said he would en-
ter a plea of guilty for his clients. The
police presented their side of the case. ex-
planning the conditions as stated. Beckett
was placed upon the stand, and he ex-
planned how he had become addicted to the
use of the drug.
Are you a cocaine doctor?" he was
asked.
mo, sir he responded; 'but I've been
using 1t for four years"
He said he had catarrh of the head and
blood tumor caused by an injury. The doc
tor he told the court, prescribed from two
him.
Everybody about here knows that used
to be a drunkard," said the prisoner, but
the cocaine takes away the thirst for
liquor and nobody ever sees me drunk
now"
Beckett said he was a teamster during
the war with Spain, and went to Cuba. 1t
was during his service there that he got
sick Jackson's excuse was that he used
cocaine for sore throat and admitted that
it made him sleepy. Carter had no eXpla-
nation to offer.
Judge O'Neal disposed of the case by i'm
posing a fine of SO or thirty days impris-
onment upon each defendant. and made no
comment on the conduct of the defendants