New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-02
CRIMES OF GUNNER
Are LAID TO DRUGS
Cocaine Is Used by Hired
Murderers to Give Nerve,
Writes Judge Swami.
FAVORS BOTH BOYLAN
AND FRAWLEY BILLS
Mrs. Vanderbilt'S Counsel, How
ever, Disagrees, Fearing Eff
feet on Tribune Law.

Judge Edward Swami of General SEES
sions. who. with James A. Delehanty, AS
s.stan, District Attorney. drafted The
Tribuue's anti-cocane law, has written
for the April number Of The Medical
Times" an article entitled The Growing
Menace OF the Narcotic Drug Habit AMI
the Efforts 10 Combat It." judge Swami
says that OF the 194 homicides in Manhat-
tar in 1918 n ore than one-half were COM
mitted by gunmen-users OF cocaine and
heroir.
History repeats itself" says Judge
Swami. lin the evil uses of this dele
FERROUS drug (cocaine). with the variations
10 be expected from modern conditions.
The derivation of the word assassin sug-
gests the historical parallel to the modern
summon. ready for hire and salary to as
sassinate the man marked by their en-
ployer for destruction. The word assassin
is the English corruption of the Persiao
word 'hashishin.' which means hashish
eater.
When the shelk required their services
TO assassinate an enemy, or troublesome
subject they were first supplied with
hashish n habit forming drug made from
hemp leaves. under the influence of which
they would obey his slightest command;
they would count their lives as nothing
and would perform most daring deeds of
heroism from which their cowardly
natures would have recoiled had they not
80 49,
Judge Swami said yesterday that ne
thought the number OF modern gunner
who were users OF drugs was well above
90 per cent In his article Judge Swami
points out that when opium was excluded
from China the Chinese took TO morphine
and SAYS that in 1906 more than "a per
cent of the Chinese were drug users He
gives a summary of the Boylan ant-drug
bill which, with the Frawley bill, is now
awaiting the Governors signature.
THE Boylan bill does not make the pos
session of heroin Illegal" said Judge
Swami. There is no law on the statute
books to-day affecting the possession OF
heroin. The Frawley bill makes the mere
possession of heroin a felony punishable
bv not less than FIVE years nor more than
twenty. Possession is the easiest thing IN
the world to prove, while the sale is about
the hardest.
'The Boylan bill, II signed will put in
the hands Of the courts weapon as Ell
fective against drug users and vendors as
the Sullivan law is against gun toters.
The certificate required under the law for
the legal possession Of heroin or cocaine
corresponds TO the permit Issued oy
MAGISTRATE for the possession or re-
volver."
Judge Swami says in his article: "A
comprehensive legislative plan, federal
and state. is necessary TO combat the evil
and those in sympathy with the progress
and welfare of the race should give IT
thoughtful consideration"
He has assisted Charles NJ. Van Beuren,
Of Paterson, TO draw up a law for New
Jersey similar in its provisions to The
Tribune anti-cocaine law The bill was
drafted because Of the ravages Of cocaine
among the textile workers OF Paterson
Tennessee and several Western states
have followed the provisions of The Trio-
une statute
Ernest K. Coulter. counsel for Mrs
W. K Vanderbilt, who has been pushins
the Boylan bill, does not agree with Judge
Swami as to the value Of the F'rawley bill.
Mr.. Coulter believes that it will take the
teeth out OF" The Tribune anti-cocaine
law. He points out that it will take every
case.of alleged possession of cocaine away
from Special Sessions into General ses-
sions. where. with hve-year penalty at
tached. IL will be tried before jury. he
believes that few convictions Will be OBJ
tanned.
The misdemeanor section OF The Tribune
,aw has been regarded as an excellent
feature both by District Attorney Whit
nan and by the justices Of Special Ses-
sions. After six months In actual opera
ton II was shown that more than l"-
cases had been tried in Special sessions
with convictions in more than ~ OF theni'