The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-20
POLICE JOTTINCS.
Officers Stumble Upon an Opium
Joint.
Get Three People who We're
Using the Drug.
ON ANOTHER SCENT.
We're Searching for Women
Who Robbed a Doctor.
Didn't Know of the Existence of
CeIestial's Retreat.

The first opium joint dropped ont'
by the police in months was stamped
/ out last night near morning when
den of colored dope fends were nab
bed by the police in a house in the
rear of No. 325 Kansas avenue. The
place was well covered and happen
ed onto only in a search for a holdur
negro woman who few moments be-
fore had been out on the street and
busy,
When the den was entered two wo-
men were in a the place rolling the
pills while a young well dressed young
man lay on a couch under the influence
with the tiny. curl of smoke weaving
about his face Beside him was tray
with the complete set of accessories
for the dreamers dope. Another tray
sat on a table near also fully equipped
The outfits were fine ones. The. pipes
are silver-mounted and highly polished,
the bowls are of quaint Chinese carv-
ing. the lamps were of fancy brass
make the receptacles of the opium are
of solid brass, the small cusp1dors OF
highly polished brass and the whole mt
ing seeming to be rather the property
of a refined and tasteful fiend than OF
the negroes.
There is a good supply Of the opium
in the cans and it would seem that
business had been brisk as the bowls
were all uncleaned and a pile of the lit
tie cloth rings soiled from service were
stuffed into a receptacle.
1t was near midnight when young
doctor from out west somewhere hur-
ried into the station telling a story OF
robbery on the street near the Throop
hotel. He had been approached by two
colored women, he said, who tried TO
drag him around the corner of the hotel:
He finally broke away, however, ana
found that in the violent pleading the
negresses had relieved him of about $50
Sergeant Kenney and Patrolmen WOOD
ard, England and Wyatt immedlateiy
went on the search with the man. Ihey
took up the trail where he had left 1t
and turning down the alley dropped
into this joint back of the jewelry store
of Paine Bros.
Two two women found gave the
names of Lutte Davis and Mrs. Bertha
Howard and the man smoking was
Ed J. Howard The Davis woman
was identified by the doctor as one OF
the women who accosted him. so the
police made a double haul and as
clean an opium find as any yet
located. The outfit was added to the
collection of the chief of police and
the three negroes locked up.
In police court this morning before
Judge Urmy. Lutte Davis, charged
with keeping the den, claimed her
name was Lue Atkinson and insisted
that she was just renting rooms ana
that the other people had just come
She has been in the city only eight
days she said, coming from Kansas
City though she lived here formerly
Howard said he just came from Kan
sas City two days ago and had just
gone to that place that was all. He
is a table waiter in Kansas City, well
dressed and of neat appearance. A
n n
person in Kansas City received by the
police fits him pretty well and he will
be investigated for that also. Mrs
Bertha Howard came to Topeka day
later than her husband.
What were you doing with those
pipes in your house if not running
den,'' asked the judge of the Atkin-
son woman after she pleaded not
guilty to keeping an opium joint.
''They amt mine, they belongs to that
fellah theh and another somewhere
about the town" Upon their pleas of
mot guilty. the three were bound over
until this evenings session when the
officers who made the arrests can be
on hand to testify, although the evil
dence shown in the court room is
sufficient for conviction.
The young physician promised to
return later when the trial of the
woman could be arranged to add his
mite to her prosecution.
1t may be a surprise to the legisla-
ture to learn that their absolute liquor
law with teeth in it has already had
one tooth pulled and that within few
hours after it was announced. An old
man rs years old found the solution
of the never any booze, however" law
last night in a bottle of HostetterS
Bitters. Lee Hill, the old man, was
gIoriously drunk, acting a little like a
dollar-five drunk. Probably the Bit
ters are not more dangerous than the
bad whisky, though the "sea weed
stew is a trif1e blacker and looks more
like poison. Mr.. Hill got quite cute
with the judge when told that his dis
covery had been found out, He SEEM
ed to think he had it patented, and
was wrapped in q perfectly just and
scientific "souse" but Urmy, the man
who has the right to say, excused Lee
from his presence with the assessment
of SIS.
H. L. Peppmyer, who was arrested
for selling a load of coal slightly un-
rl.1 atrrI,f