New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-22
WAR
ON DRUGS PLANNED
Mrs. VanderbiIt'S Counsel
EnIistS Aid of Chief
Magistrate McAdOO.
PRISON OFFICIALS
JOIN MOVEMENT
Federal Government Also May BE
Asked TO Take Hand in
Campaign.

Definite plans for a statewide crusade
against the indscriminate sale and use Of
poisonous drugs, which later will tie
hroaGencd TO a national investigation. at
the instance of Mrs William X Wander
bilt. sr, as told exclusively I'm The Tri0-
une yesterday. were got under way yes
terday by Ernest Is. Coulter. Mrs. Van
derblt's personal counsel ia the matter.
Mr. Coulter was in conference with Cniet
Magistrate McAdoo I'm regard 10 the local
situation. and met representatives of the
state Prison Association to discuss means
Of preventing the use Of cocaine. heroin
and other drugs in the prisons.
Mrs Nanderbilts representative will
meet tomorrow Edward J. McGoldrick,
Assistant Corporation Counsel, who has
charge OF state legislation affecting the
city. 10 discuss the feasibility OF more
drastic laws 10 prevent, or at least curtaN
to a large degree. the sale of cocaine,
heroin and morphine. While laws re
stricting the sale of cocaine were enacted
as a result of The Tribune's crusade a
year ago, the Vanderbilt investigation so
far has disclosed the drugs sale in large
quantities TO "hends' in this city under
the gulse of heroln.
Both drugs are sold by Illicit dealers
here and throughout the state" Mr..
Coulter said. but the cocaine dealer gets
away with his case when arrested by
pleading that the drug in his possession
was heroin. the sale OF which is not pro-
hibited by law. The chemists in the De
partment OF Health cannot keep up with
the analysis of the large number OF sam
pies sent TO them from the police courts,
and there is no adequate way Of holding
the accused until the exact nature OF the
drug found on him can be determined.
Mr.. Coulter added that while IT was
first proposed TO direct efforts toward
strengthening the state laws and carry
ing on a campaign to see that they were
enforced, he believed that national con-
troll was needed. In his opinion. .he most
effective way TO forestdll the increasing
drug habits was to strike directly at the
source of the drugs and restrict their
importation or interstate sales.
Chief Magistrate McAdoO told Mr.. Coul-
ter that he and the Board OF Magistrates
would heartily cooperate with me in
vestigators in an effort to improve condi-
tons.
O. f. Lewis. secretary Of tho Prison
Association Of New York, whose aim is
to ameiorate the condition Of prisoners
and aid reformed convicts after discharge
had a long talk with Mr.. Coulter yester-
day in regard TO the use of drugs by the
prisoners in the Tombs and other city
prisons A separate tier was set aside IN
the annex of the Tombs. known rs dope
corridor" for the use of drug addicted
prisoners. he asserted. The habit was 30
prevalent in that institution, he declared
that the Department of Correction was
considering the placing OF a Visltors
booth in the prison yard, which Nouid
accommodate about a hundred visitors at
a time. with screens, sucn az are used ia
state prison, to prevent friends from
passing the dope to the prisoners.
one of the largest seizures of heroin
ever made in Brooklyn was taken from
prisoner. who said he was Frank Levy, OF
No. l03 Myrtle avenue, by three detectives
from the Stage street station yesterday
afternoon The detectives were 1T Broad
way and Leonard street, when they no.
ticed Levy with a large bundle under his
arm AS they started toward the man ne
ran lie was captured after snort
chase and the bundle was found TO con-
tain l23 packages OF heroin Levy was
arraigned before Magistrate Manner and
held without bail.
Dr. William G. Anderson, Of the Brook
lyn College Of Pharmacy. introduced
resolution last night at the convention OF
the new York State Pharmaceutical AS
ISOLATION in Madison Square Garden,
commencing Mrs. Vanderbilt for her
stand and offering her the fullest assist
ance of the association and its allied or
ganizatlons, which include about N'@
druggists The resolution was adopted.