Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-24
FATHER ASSISTS IN
DEFENDING HIS SON
staplcton. Charged With Forgery. Tells
How Fatal Appetite for Drugs
Grew Upon Him

With his aged father. John Staplcton,
an attorney OF Chicago. directing the
examination OF 4. ID. Staploton. charg-
I'd with the theft and disposal Of
United States money orders he took
the witness stand in the United States
federal court this morning and told Of
.his habit for drugs. which had affected
his mind and led him to the prisoners
bench. While stapleton admits that
he is now cured OF the use OF NOR
phine and cocaine. he declares that
when ne stole the money orders and
disposed of them ne was insane
Stapleton says that he does not remem-
Der taking the postOficc orders or where
ne cashed them. His memory was a
blank for DAYS az "A time he said while
he was using about so grains OF cocaine
ana 80 grams OF morphine a day. AS
evidence that he has been cured Of the
habit. he declares that he has no hal
lacinatlOns, has recovered from his ner-
vousness and has gained IS pounds Ia
weight These changes have been
worked slice he was arrested and placed
In the county Jail When he was taken
into custody last November he weighed
about 1856 pounds according To the rec
ords at the Jail. Now he weighs l5t
pounds and his physical appearance Is
much better.
While employed in the drug business
In 1908. Stapleton had an attack OF
appendicitis which resulted in an op-
| GRAFTON. The wound became infected
and a solution Of cocaine was Injected
into the wound daily for weeks while
he lay In the hospital After he recov-
cred Assesses formed on the abdominal
wall and he had To- undergo another
operation six months later lie suf-
fered so much pain that he was given
cocaine and he gradually became
addicted 90 its use Each month he
grew worse and increased his daily
doses until ne was spending about $50
day for the drug He was Ia this
condition when he was arrested. and
denies all knowledge Of his arrest The
hrst he remembers In connection with
the case was when ne was taken be-
fore the United States commissioner.
When the court adjourned for the
noon recess, Stapleton was still on the
stand telling his story He will be
cross-eXamined by Col Hiram f.
Booth during the afternoon
Before Stapleton was called to the
stand. several Witnesses were examined
In regard TO the prisoners actions. l..
G. Mariger, president OF the Seeing Salt
Lake company. who employed Staple
ton for two and a half years Immediate
Of his strange actions Staplcton was
sick SO much during the fall OF 1909
when he was arrested that Marigcr
said the company had 10 discharge him.
Stapleton had admitted that ne used
drugs but the company held on to him
a. long as they could. Mariger said.
because he was a good and faithful
worker while he was on duty on one
occasion. the witness said. Stapleton
was invited out 20 dinner He ac-
ceptod the invitation ana took his bed
clothes with him. Several other strange
and weird things that he did while UNI
der the influence Of cocaine we're mar
rated
Mr. Staplcton. the father. was ad-
mitted 10 practise I'M the state Of Utah
and the federal court here yesterday
SO that ne could assist i'm defending his
son Mr.. Stapleton has been prac-
Using attorney in Illinois for a number
Of years lie viii probably make the
leading argument To- the jury In the
rnen