New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-05

terday that though he had NOT heard n,
Assemblyman Smiths bill, he would
favor any legislation that would aid the
police in reducing the drug evil.
He said that the work Of curbing IN.
caine selling was up to the district
commanders in exactly the same way
as the curbing Of other crime. and that
the idea Of special squads for one thing
and another had been abolished. The
only squads in action now are those
which, under the direction Of the Com
missioner, check UP on the work of the
district commanders, and so far az
could be ascertained no special SQUAD
has been assigned to check up on the
conditions with regard to the cocaine
evil
Commissioner Waldo said that the
reports received from his inspectors
showed that there had been a large
number of arrests for cocaine selling
or possession within the last few weeks.
the figures on which would be given
out later.
Druggists Promise Co. operation.
The following letter from the Ma
tional Pharmaceutical Society shows
the spirit Of the legitimate druggists
with regard to the cocaine traffic, which
does not, Of course, infect the small
Tenderloin drug stores which cater to
this Illegal trade:
To the Editor Of The Tribune: - oo..,n.
Sir: Your article dealing with COCAINE,
its distribution and uses was read WIN
great interest at a meeting OF tne Nd
tional Pharmaceutical society last even
ing. The members expressed surprise am
smazement that the traffic had reacheu
such Wholesale proportions and could be
purchased with such ease ana openness.
We decided to express our views Oh TINS
subject and thought IL deslrapic' III view
OF the wide publicity afforded the iso,s IN IN
YOUR columns to draw your attention 10
the fact that the legitimate druggists Oh
the CITY are unalterably opposed 10 INC
practice. and we assure you OF inc earnes1
co-operation OF the one thousaho i,ie en-
hers of the National Pharmaceuucai 90,
ciatv Of Registered Pharmacists In any
effort TO eradicate this grave menace 10
the morals and public health of the COM
munity. Ill, .coor,niisb
great public service IL IL succeeus !"
"ip'"s Jul IOHN r, WALL. Secretary.
New York, Dec. 3, lSlz'
Til. records at the District Attorneys
ofBce show that although last winter, up
TO the latter part Of January arrests LOT
illegal selling of cocaine were MADE Tor
the most part by four detectives-o Con-
nell. Woods, Mccartney and McGo~an-
after January % those who were arrested
were brought in by other detectives
Few Cocaine Prosecutions.
II appeared from the records kept by
Henry D. Sayer, Mr.. whitman chlei
clerk and from the recollection OF assist
ant district attorneys who handled CO.
cain. cases after that date. that the sub
seouent arrests were made haphazard ny
any patrolman or detective VINO nap
pened to be on the spot
In the month of January. 1872, only
three cocaine cases came up In Genersl
sesshns. The defendants were Arthur
Donoghue, James Lorenzo and charles
savarese. Savarese pleaded guilty to an
attempt 10 sell cocaine before Judge Ma
lone. and was sentenced to two months In
the penitent!ary.
Donoghue and Lorenzo went to trial
before Judge Malone and were acquitted.
Their defence was that the detectives mad
nut the drug in their pockets and haG COM
mttted perjury in court. Judge Malone,
in charging the jury. pointed out that u
wss simply a question Of veracity be-
tween the detectives and the alleged CO.
came verders. The jury in each case
chose 10 believe the defendant.
Although there have been at least nifty
arrests for the illegal sale of cocaine
since last January. a scrutiny OF the
records In the District Attorneys office
did not disclose the name OF any one OF
the four detectives as being the arrestinz
policeman in any OF them O'Connell.
Woods, Mccartney and MCGOWAN appear
TO have dropped out OF the business TN
mediately.
Specialists Drop Out.
Up 10 January the four detectives ap-
pear TO have had rowing commission TO
capture cocaine vendors. On the aflda-
Wits hich they signed In the magistrates
courts they described themselves as Cen
trail once detectives. OF the three de-
PENDANTS who came to trial last January
one Of them was arrested on East 18th
street and the other two on West Seth
street. That circumstance would seem TO
show that the detectives were not as
signed to any particular precinct or dis
trict, but that they went to various parts
of the city to pick up cocaine sellers
II is the opinion at the District Attor-
ney's Office that men who have had expe-
rience in dealing with any particular form
of crime or vice are able to present theT
evidence in better shape when they make
arrests than those who makes arrests tor
the same c.Ane. but who have not mao
much previous experience with crimes o.
that nature 1t was said that whlle men
experienced in the ways Of cocaine sellers
might have some trouble In avoiding rec
ignition, yet their knowledge OF tnen
quarry and its habits would help them 10
offset that difficulty.
AS a matter of fact most Of the case
which detec tives bring to General Sessions
against men charged with selling cocaine
rest on the testimony Of some user OF the
drug who is acting as stool pigeon for me
police.
II was said that somewhat similar
state of facts existed regarding the Worh
of the Health Department In appreneho-
inr cocaine venders That work. II was