The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-20
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

HfQ1LOT OF Inc H'aIm0Es
Sir: That amidst the morbid efvi-
ronment of squaIor and poverty, with
which the opium smoker 1S usually
surrounded sentiment, love and beau
groseer passion, seems 1mpronaple.
Yet in the case of EDWARD +. Conroy'
convicted of being an opium smoker
before Judge Foster recently, sucn
paradox has appeared.
Conroy in a talk with student OF
psychology Laughing at fine ana SEN
tenceJ but displayed a love for his IN
strunent which even threatened his
death were he compelled to part with
the object Of his Devotion ana admi IRA,
parted from it as he goes to conhne-
ment in the county jail pending
bonds for his appeal, its attractions
wall and space.
To one not Versed in the question
able pleasure gotten by the t'hop-
f1end'' from his fayorite layout, the
bamboo pipe with it's peculiar 1nvert-
ed bowl-shaped table, lamp and wire
would attract little attention. Yet to
the police and those versed in under
world habits the layout taken when
Conroy was arrested represents an in
tr1nsicr value of between 500 and and SIP ;o.
pay. It may, vet be of far greater
value to the curio collector, as 1t is OF
undisputed oriental origin and is cred
fifty years while some have placed its
age of activity at more than a CEN
tury.
Conroy in moments of confidence
impaired but, little Of it's history
through the prison bars yesterday,
but that little not only convinced his
has smoked it for the past twenty-five
years, opened broad fields for discus
sion as to the harmful effect of the
drug by caucasian as compared with
the monaghan methods of using the
drug. The prisoner, at various times
in his extended career as adventurer,
u 49, 10
borer upon the streets of Bridgeport,
credits his long life partly to the pipe,
which he says not four of the hun
dred odd users he alone knows in
Bridgeport could smoke. The other
features which have contributed to his
long life after becoming addicted to
which he received during his four
years, Sojourn in the Land of the Ce-
Iestial Sun. AS his methods which he
freely discussed, though for obvious
by well known medical practitioners of
Bridgeport who admitted under GER
tain conditions the smoking OF OPT
LIN does not kill quickly as is COM
monty supposed.
The present owner of the opium out
fit has had the curio for thirty-two
years, it having come into his possess
sion while yet a young man, and
kept as such for several years before
a return voyage to the land from
to the ssdream-stuff. He was told
at the death-bed of it's former posses
sor that it had been in his use for
it had descended through several gem
erations OF "hops''-meaning smokers
Of opium.
In appearance the pipe is but a
large ebony or bamboo reed, an inch
in diameter, closed at the further end
fitted with flattened ivory tip with a
quarter Of an inch aperture for the
mouthpiece. Surrounding its neither
end is a lotus shaped bowl of terra
Gotta with smooth surface but for
numerous minute holes. closely re-
seInbling a pepper-shaker. The other
implements are a whOfe-oi1 lamp OF
hexagonal shape, euriousIy carved and
engraved a glass blowl the size of a
half-dollar and a common wire. A
pungent nicotinish cdor enanateS
from the tube upon close proximity
and having been cracked through long
usage it has been wound over and over
with wrappings Of tape.
Il The police while not fully crediting
the relation OF Conroy as to his hav-
ing been it's sole user for SO many
years agree as to its age and fear
that It's simple exterior has been the
death of many persons who have eaar-
MED. Yet Conroy swears he would
rather be dead than parted from the
object Of his devotion and said that
but for the love III had inspired be-
tween an old man and handsome
young woman he would not have been
in jail yesterday. Such is the power
of its potent fumes that MS V1fs1ont5
are fraught with forms of youth and
loneliness and should it be taken from
him, the victim threatens even to take
his own life rather than smoke the
American-made and unseasoned sub
stitute Such is the picture of SEN
timent, love and beauty, and as the
grim spectre of death which has evolv-
ed from the taking of this simple piece
of human or devilfsh ingenuity.
Also it is interesting news to learn
that there are so many devotees OF
~ i11faA IN HrrHn1 doh
was partly confirmed by the number
of bulgy eyed, paSty faced individuals
who with intent interest watched ev-
cry phase of the case during its trial
in court.
LOCKER ON IN VIENNA