The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-03-24
HOP FIENDS ARE ALERT.
And All Because Uncle Sam Will
Cook $4,000 Opium Pills.

Dope fends in New York and New
Jersey are in a state of nervous pros
tration about the plan announced Dy
the federal authorities TO burn opium
valued at $4,000 in this city, and an
other batch of the dreaIa-inducing and
death-producing drug, valued at SS'-
600, in Trenton, says the New York
Press.
Victims of the habit of rolling tiny
balls of opium, cooking them and
placing them in pipes and smoking
away until they drift into a dream
land so ecstatic that the; are willing
to give up home, falliiy, health, and
even life itself, are wondering what
the sensation will be if they are per-
mitted to inhale the fumes of S22,-
900 "pill," burned here under federal
supervision, or of an $4,000 "pill'
burned in the jersey capital.
Frantic efforts were made by the
fiends to ascertain when, where and
under what restrictions the opium
will be burned. The federal officials
are keeping these facts secret. The
thing that is worrying them is what
the effect of the incineration will be
on customs men who perform the act
ual work OFF burniLs so much hop
at one time. There is no desire among
the United States treasury offlclals to
have as an aftermath of the opium
cremation a squad of men who have
become opium fends as a result OF
performing an official duty. There
fore it has been decided to surround
the burning of the drug with extraor-
dinary precautions, that the law OF
1909, under which il will be destroyed,
may not serve as an instrument to de-
moralize the customs service.
The opium, valued at $4,000, was
seized in this city by Deputy Survey
or of Customs Norwood and his men
in raids made on opium joints in Eth
avenue and in Chinatown. The tins
filed with opium now are deposited
in a large safe IN the custom house
in Bowling Green. The opium will be
destroyed as soon as it has served its
purpose as a government exhibit
against the men who are to be tried
on indictments charging them with
! having violated the anti-opium law.
News that the drug will be burned has
reached Chinatown and the Tender
loin, and every day delegations of
dope fends are seen wandering
around Bowling Green, shifting the
air and shaking their heads sadly.
They would not miss their fill of air
laden with the fumes of opium valued
at $4,000 for anything in the world.
What is true Of the situation in
this city is also true, in proportion,
of that prevailing in Trenton. The
opium awaiting destruction there was
seized in Atlantic City and Hoboken
The news of that seizure and Of the
impending destruction of the drug
soon was known to the opium fiends
| in Jersey City, Newark, Trenton and
Philadelphia, and a picket system was
established to give notice in advance
when the hop" would be burned in
Trenton. Those pickets still are on
duty, and so are the pickets in this
city. They express confidence the
! federal officials can not burn so much
! opium without the fact being discoV-
cred.
! "Why, if they burn $4,000 worth o1
opium at one time the fumes will be
strong enough 10 put everybody II
New York city in a trance" one Of the
pickets said, but just think Of the
! fun the men who will actually do the
+ burning will have. They'll be seeing