New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-06
COCAINE BROUGHT IN
BY STRIKE BREAKERS
Former Chief City Food Inspector Says Cuban
Negroes Introduced the Vice in
New York.

The coke" habit is the coming evil OF
this country, unless strenuous and imme-
diato measures are taken to suppress H.
according to Bayard C. Fuller. who re-
tired q year ago last July as chief 1000
inspector Of the city's Department OF
Health, after twenty years Of service IN
that department. For about Ave years
before his retirement, he said yesterday
he made relentless war on the cocaine
traffic in this city. making between Two
hundred and three hundred arrests In the
last three years OF that period.
During that time" Mr. Fuller contin'
ued, I'VE made more arrests In month";
on the average than the police did In a
year. The two men who helped me most
and too great praise cannot be bestowed
upon them for their stand In the matter
were Magistrate Joe Corrigan and
Magistrate Harry Steinert. now judge
of Special Sessions.
THE habit first got hold in this city
a number Of years ago. when there was
big strike on the Ward line of steamers
and the company imported negroes from
Havana to take the places Of the strikers.
/ wasn't chief inspector at that time. and
my duties used TO take me down along
the wharves, where I would see these big
black fellows lying around hopelessly I'M
der the influence OF the drug.
Negroes the Distributors.
They introduced Il into the negro dis
tricts in the city. and from there 1t has
spread TO the whites. There isn't a tough
negro in the city who doesn't use IT, and
they arc the ones who distribute II now.
1.-The police. in their present condition.
are absolutely Incapable Of coping With
the situation. no matter how stringent the
laws. You've got TO understand these fell
lows to catch them. They're all jealous
and suspicious OF one another and Of
every one else. and they'll trick you TO
the last degree II you don't know how TO
handle them.
But, give me five polcemcn-le. me
pick them myself-and enough monc7 and
I'll drive the whole bunch out OF tn. city
in six months time. There ought to he n
special squad assigned 10 the work, like
the gambling squad. IT'S easy enorgh to
trace the sellers. II you go about II In
the right way. and after you've sent a
goodly bunch OF them TO states prison
you won't find them so numerous as they
are now.
THE point Is TO get at the sourc, Of the
supply-get the manufacturers and the
wholesalers. who don't comply with the
provisions OF the law. When you get
man with the coke on him he IS pretty
anxious TO tell where he got IL, IL BY
doing so he will escape six months on the
island. A few jud!ciously suspended SEN
fences will work wonders in tracing tho
supply 20 its source. and when you get
there-well, then you have II.
National Law Needed.
The only way to stamp out a habit
like this Is to take II from Its source and
trace every bit OF the drug manufactured.
Manufacturers should be required by law
10 report every sale they make. and the
same provision should apply 10 whole
saIers, jobbers and retailers. Then there
should be q section prohibiting any phys.
ican from buying over q certain amount
a. month, say. and forbidding a druggist