New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
HELD AS QUEEN OF
DRUG VENDORS HERE
Woman Trapped in Raid
Which UncoverS Big
Sale Of Cocaine.
THOUSANDS MADE IN
ILLEGAL TRAFFIC
Carrie divers Flat Was Dis
tributing Point for Many
Agencies Police Say.

In the arrest yesterday Of Carrie oliver
AT 22O East 25th st the detectives OF Lieu
tenant Henry Scherbs special squad, who
have been dealing with trafickers in habit
forming drugs. unesrthed what they be
nevc 70 be one Of the largest distributing
centres in the city Of cocaine, heroin and
other insidous narcotics Books and rec
ords found in the oliver woman's apart
ment have furnished clews TO the police
Of five or six other distributing agencies In
different parts Of the city, and Lieutenant
Scherb and his men expect TO make other
important arrests.
The Oliver woman was trailed by the
police through notes sent TO her by Emile
Cuzzo, alias John oliver, who was ar
rested. with five other men, on Friday on
the charge Of distributing drugs. OhYer
lived at the East 25th st. apartment, &C
cording 70 the detectives, and carried on
the drug traffic from there with the WON
an. She is said 10 have made full state
ment TO the police.
The police found a large amount OF
cocaine. morphine, opium, heroin and
.trvchnine tablets. together with a large
mortar and other utensils used for mixing
the drugs, in the oliver apartment There
was also complete and carefully KEPT
set Of books. which show an extensive
sale Of drugs throughout the city and In
other cities. including Bridgeport, New
Haven. Newburgh, Pittsburgh, Altoona
and points in New Jersey.
According TO the figures deduced from
the books by the police, this distributing
agency did A drug business" of about
s. 600 q week. More than $500 worth OF
drugs was purchased from Baltimore
firm. il was said, every other day fo-
some time past
According 10 the detectives, the Oliver
woman was preparing 10 clean up the
apartment and vacate when apprehended'
One Of the notes sent to her by Cuzzo was
Eaid to have tipped" her that she had pet
ter leave the city for a while She was
srraigned in the Essex Market court yes
,erday and held in 81 900 bail for exam
ination on Wednesday. Cuzzo is held IN
the same bail for examination tomorrow.
Cuzzo is known TO the police as the
"Chop Suey Kid" and has a police record
He was arrested on a charge OF homlclne
on MAY IS, 1908. but later discharged lie
was convicted of grand larceny and SEN
tence suspended by Judge Mulqueen' in
General Sessions, on February "a. 1909.
The practice OF the Oliver agency. the
detectives allege, was 10 dispose OF the CO.
caine and heroin powder in s. or So lots 10
the runner" who sells 1t on the street
IA persons addicted 20 its use. The run
ner" divides his purchase into email
papers, or decks" which he sells for :;
or 81 cents. In that way he clears from
e. 70 "a on his original purchase. One OF
@be detectives said runner" told hin
that he had sold as much as 500 worth OF
the drugs in day.
Despite the discovery Of the East Side
distributing centre and the large number
NJ arrests lately of persons either charged
with selling the drugs or having them II
their possession, the police say the sale o.
narcotics is not nearly as prevalent as II
was a few months ago. prior 10 the pub
ucitv given to the subject by the cam
paign, through The Tribune, for the pas
sage OF the Boylan bill. Mrs. W. X. Van
derbilt backed a crusade at the time FOL
better legislation on the subject.
The old law does not make the mere
possession of the drugs a crime, anC
makes the selling Of them misdemeanor
Possession. except for substantiated medi
cal purposes. is a misdemeanor, and traf
~ in the drugs is felony under the new
law, which also provides that any one II
whose possession the drugs are found anC
Is shown TO be addicted to the habit car
be committed to a sanatorium by tn
court for treatment. Hundreds more o.
arrests are expected to be made by thu
detectives under the new law after July ]
who now hesitate TO take persons int'
custody merely because they find the drut
on them.