The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-18
He SOLD COCAINE
G.. e. Smith Convicted, Fined
and Sentenced to Jail.
Witnesses Negro Women Who
Are dope Fiends."
X OFF A TRAIN.
Wichita Girl Who Was Running
Away From Home.

Though Indignant at Interior
ence, Returns to Parents.
1.-THE man that invented whisky
was a great man." declared Thomas
Lonegan to Sergeant Ross when
brought in last night on a charge OF
drunk and vagrancy. This morning
the prisoner confided to the jailer
that the man that invented water was
the greatest man in the world.
w. S. Plummer and G.. E. Smith,
druggists, were tried in police court
yesterday on the charge of selling CO.
caine Illegally. Plummer was dis
charged and Smith was found guilty
on one count and fineG $50 and SEN
fenced to 30 days in Jail. He ap-
pealed the case This was the first
trial in police court under the cocaine
ordinance passed last December. The
increasing number Of dope fiends in
the city last fall caused the council
to take some steps to stop the reck-
less sale of this drug. The police had
a dozen witnesses in this case and
they were all colored people addicted
to the use of cocaine. The court
room was filled with a nondescript
lot of people when the cases against
these druggists was called. The trial
was not without interest. Jesse lar
| ris, one of the witnesses, was under
the influence of the drug while on the
stand. She was wild. She said she
had bought cocaine in one Of these
stores, but could not identify either of
the defendants. The other witnesses
were confused and uncertain in their
evidence. All admitted that they were
in the habit of buying cocaine.
Teenie Stammers, an old negro
woman. declared that she had bought
a fifty cent package of the drug from
Smith. Anna Lee. another negress,
said she had bought a $3.50 package
at the Smith drug store, but could not
remember the date. In spite Of the
lowly condition and color of the wit
nesses in yesterdays trial, it is a fact
that the selling of cocaine without a
prescription given by a doctor of
society-worse by far than selling
whisky by the barrel. cocaine num-
beers more men than women among
its victims. Its effects are worse hi
whisky and its grip on all who use it
ncomparably stronger.
Cities generally over the country
are recognizing cocaine as a new evil
to be dealt with and are taking steps
to suppress its sale. In New York
city recently it was Developed in the
trial of a druggist that mothers had
pawned their wedding rings ana lock-
cts containing their babies pictures
for this drug. The use of this DRUG
has lately spread to alarming proper
lions. Topeka has an ordinance
against the selling of cocaine except
by regular prescription. Everybody
should cooperate with the police in
enforcing this law to the letter. 1t
was also developed in rne trial that
other Topeka people much higher in
the station of life than the poor negro
witness in court were addicted to the
| use of this drug.
Acting on advice Of a wire from
Wichita, Sergeant Ross and Detective
Hutton met the $3.50 Santa Fe train
o Wichita yesterday afternoon and
captured a young woman who was run
ming away from her home in Wichita.
The girl did not intend to stop here,
but the officers searched the train and
found her with the aid of an exact
description. The message causing her
detention was sent by her parents, who
came after her last night and took her
back HON with them. Her parents
are we'll known people in Wichita and
were anxious to avoid publicity in the
matter of their daughters escapade. 1t
was impossible to learn from them the
cause of the girls leaving home. The
runaway is a girl of II years and at
tractive. She was much cast down
over her detention by the Topeka Off
Gals, and refused to discuss her case
at all. she SAID she was mi away
from home, and that was as far as she
would go into her affairs. When her
parents came she made no trouble
about accompanying them home. Her
ticket was from Wichita to Kansas
City.
May Burns was arrested yesterday
at Alb East Eighth street on charge of
conducting a disorderly house. Nora
Smith was arrested at the same time
on charge of being an inmate of this
house. Their trial was set for $3.50 this
afternoon.
L. E. Conner, who was arrested in
the Santa Fe yards at 100 this morn
ing on charge of vagrancy, admitted to
the officers hat he had at one time
served in the regular army, but claim
ed that he had received his honorable
discharge last winter. He gave his
home at White City, and said tina he
got his discharge from Co. I, Third
battalion of the Engineers corps at
Fort Riley, after a little more than a
years service, on the strength of proof
support other than his son could give
him. Uncle Sam let the boy go to his
father, but -he latter does not seem to
have been very much benefited by the
deal, as the boy Is now in Jail here on
q vagrancy charge at best, # his story
, is true.
EOur Were Drowned