Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-09
CHIEF DlSHMAN
TO TRY TO KILL
COCAINE SALES
POLICE DEPARTMENT ORGAN
lZES COOKE" SQUAD
INCREASING USE OF oPIATEs
DEMANDS ACTION
Pharmacist Under Arrest for Selling
Drug Begs to Be Fined and
Agrees Not to Sell Any
More "Dope"
YHIEF or POLICE DIsHMAN has

INHIEF OF POLICE DISHMAN has
organized a coke squad. The
" increasing sale of opiates in the
city, with a proportionate increase in
the number of justice cases, directly
traceable to the use of drugs, has led
the chief to believe the evil has become
so great as to demand drastic and de-
cided action.
A detail of plain clothes men has been
organized to begin systematic work IN
the arrest of sellers of drugs. 1t is
known a score or more of purVeyors or
cocaine make their living selling it in
the lower sections of the city and
among the novels along the river bed.
Frank Sohn, proprietor of a drug
store at 1924 East Ninth street, pleaded
for eniency when he appeared before
Police Justice Frederickson yesterday
morning to answer to charges of SELL
ing morphine and liquor illegally
Sohn staggered to the rail when his
name was called, and, bowling his head,
burst into sobs. Finally he regained
his composure enough to ask the justice
not to send him to Jail, and promised,
if only fined would never sell another
grain of opiate or a drop of liquor
without the required prescription.
Sohn was fined twice previously for
selling liquor without a license. At
that time he was told by the justice
before whom he was tried that a repetl-
tion of the offense would mean jail
sentence.
The accused pleaded with the justice
to allow him to go on the payment of
a fine, and in long appeal asked JUS
tice Frederickson not to send him TO
Jail.
Admits He Did Wrong
Sohn admitted he had done wrong
twice before and that he failed to heed
the warning, and asked for clemency
because of his having to support
wife and two children. He declared he
had hesitated long before selling the
drug and thought he was only doing
the purchaser d favor instead of violat-
ing the law.
Sohn has given the police much
trouble He is said to have had large
trade in opiates, and the habitual drug
user, when unable 7 purchase the drug
elsewhere, is said have been accom-
modated readily at sohn's drug store.
After listening to the plea for
clemency by Sohn the justice stated he
had intended sending the accused to
Jail but in view of the fact that friends
OF Sohn had pleaded with the justice in
the accused's behalf and promised they
would see that the druggist would not
wolfe the law again and because the
accused had a family dependent on MIN.
Justice Frederickson fined Sohn $500 on
the cldIS6 OF SelllHS lltluoi anu 9AoV I'll
selling morphine.
Sohn had given bail in the sum of
$500, and when his fines were imposed
asked the justice if he could tender
check for the balance of $3.50. After
being told no checks would be accepted
SEhn was allowed to go after the
money. He thanked the justice pro
fusely and left the courtroom and soon
returned with the necessary amount.
The second druggist to be fined for
selling morphine without a physicians
prescription was Charles D. Bernard of
the Reliable Drug company, 735 East
Third street He was fined $500, which
he promptly paid
Many Addicted to Drugs
The number of drug users that are
arrested for various offenses is astound-
ing. The percentage of the inmates
confined in the city jail and at the
workhouse that are addicted to the
drug habit is remarkably high.
While Sohn was pleading for Glenn
ency, George Sargent, barely 20 years
old, was on trial in Police Justice
Chambers court for vagrancy, the
cause thereof being his craving for
opiates. He was sentenced to six
months in the workhouse.
Sargent was arrested in a shack down
in the river bed, where it Is said a num-
ber of drug users make their headquar-
ters. His father appeared in court and
stated the young man was a habitual
drug user and nothing could be done to
break him of the habit. In connection
with the case the system of smuggling
drugs to inmates of the workhouse
was revealed by a police official who
declared it was impossible to prevent
opiates reaching prisoners at that place.
According to his statement, those ad-
dicted to the drug habit are more clan
nish and stick together better than any
organization in existence. If one has
any of the stuff he will share it with
his less fortunate brother and do his
utmost to assist him.
The fact that some unscrupulous
druggists, who are tempted because of
the large profits, sell the drug to any,
body who has the money to pay for it,
makes possible the secreting of the drug
and turning it over to prisoners.