The Detroit times., 1912-02-23
PRISON OFFICERS SMASH
DRUG VENDORS RING
Breaks Up Well-Organized Traf-
fic That Had Been Carried
On by TRUSTEES

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Feb. 23.-
Taking prison term by preference
as matter of profit is not a thing
10 be considered likely. Yet such
has been the case with certain ven
doris OF opium, cocaine, and otner
drugs, commonly known as dope" In
this county for the last two years.
The reform administration recently
voted into power has found ana
broken up complete ring OF such
traders, which extended TO all parts
OF branch No. OF the county jail,
and conducted large business.
Sheriff Fred Eggers several weeks
ago put the county jails In charge OF
A. J. Gilfether as superintendent, with
orders to clean up" Gilfether inn
mediately began thorough inspec-
ton of conditions, and one OF the
first things TO come under his notice
was the abundance OF drugs supplied
the prisoners in the branch Jail. He
looked into the matter and was as
tonished by the facts. Thirteen men
who had been prosecuted by the state
board OF pharmacy for selling drugs
to the public had been made TRUSTEES
and were engaged in the same line OF
business.
Two of these TRUSTEES were on duty
at the front gate They were thus
able to get full supplies from outside.
The drugs were passed TO three other
TRUSTEES who were assigned TO the
garden and were not under the SUI
pervision OF the guards. Their head
quarters were under the stairs at tae
main entrance 10 the jail and here
they kept their store OF dope. The
supplies we're distributed through q
butcher shop trusty. a cook, a cook s
helper. the head waiter I'm the pris-
oner's dining room. a walter in the
guards dining room. and men In the
laundry. pantry, and oilroom. The
latter place was favorite place OF
distribution. as the matter OF dolinG
out oil TO the convicts brought the
men there into contact with all whu
wanted drugs.
Prisoners other than those in the
ring must have had large sums OF
money struggled in TO them WIN
which 10 satisfy their cravings, for
the profits of the ring were startling
John Black, notorious criminal, who
prison. and who escaped just before
Mr.. Gilfether took charge, probably
with the connivance OF the gatemen
lis said to have taken $1,000 with him
| in a belt, although he had no money
| when first incarcerated. Others were
found TO have large sums OF money
concealed in their cells, and are sup
posed TO have sent other large sums
out.
This traffic had been going on for al
least two years under the old corrupt
administration. IL had become
known 10 the dope" peddlers who
we're being harassed by the state
board of pharmacy under the poisons
law that the Jail was a good place 10
carry on their traffic. As result
most OF those who were sentenced 70
a fine with the alternative OF prison
term chose the jail That this WIS
so was quickly demonstrated after
Mr.. Gilfether broke up the ring and
nut the TRUSTEES back into cells, keep
| ing them from getting or selling tie
drug. Right away several of the men
paid the balance OF the fine that had
not been worked out by prison ser
vice and got out.
One OF these persons was Lee Dun
ply, sentenced TO 5000 fine or 100 days
! Imprisonment. He had been assigned
| 10 the oil room. where In 10 days lie
had made good start toward opu
lence through the drug trade com
bfned- with graft in selling oil 10
prisoners who wanted more than their
allowance. He was OF such import
ance under the old regime that nc
was not put into convict clothing but
was permitted TO wear a silk shirt and
other like garments and to have other