New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-23
Victims Rush from This
City to Hudson County
Rob to Get Narcotics.
BAFFLED LEGISLATOR
is INVESTIGATING
Morphine Sold as Part OF treat
ment-Prisoner Here Tells OF
Dope Ring at Blackwelrs.

would call the attention OF the gI"hN
Jury to the alarming increase OF drug
tends in Hudson County. These VIC
tins. mostly from New York driven
across the river for their supply are
desperate. A Hoboken drugstore was
robbed on Monday might Of more thah
$500 worth Of narcotics, supposedly by
New York "dopies" Narcotics only
were stolen" said police official. ,,,
with the passage Of the Ostrom Dill
regulating the sale and distribution OF
drugs in New Jersey, an inquiry was
started last week when It became Jaw
Three arrests have been made.
The Federal authorities. stirred 10 &C
tivitv by the shocking examples dis-
covered in Hoboken, have been watch
ING one place which is said TO be one
of the largest distributors of drug
cure in this country. Reports or the
drug addicts coming to Jersey IN droves
were borne out yesterday. by actual
count more than one hundred victims
were found in one building alone.
When Assemblyman Ostrom reached
Jersey City after the adjournment o.
the Legislature yesterday he imme-
diately interested himself in the situa-
tion there. ,..
81 cannot conceive that conditions
will be allowed TO 20 on after l take
this matter up with the authorities:
Why, it is too horrible to believe. !
never thought there could be such ter
rible examples as have seem he said.
Sees Drug Cure as Lure.
drug fends abound in Hudson
County, despite the fact that we
cleaned up year ago. Ny recent in
vestigation impels me to call the at
tention of the grand jury TO the alarm
ing number of drug users who come TO
US from New York City TO take the
drug cure.
ii know nothing about the merit Of
this cure. But ! do know that one con-
Germ admitted that of the more than
two hundred victims each week seeking
relief three quarters came from greater
New York. This alone raises some
question in my mind. How dld they
suddenly learn of this method OF killing
their habit? The people that handle
the cure do not advertise. / tried to
find out, but my informant was unable
10 reason II.
The word has gone out: If you want
dope, you can get 1t across the river.
II was this information to the under
WOIlu lIdl NhuStN a I 4 lbAllN * bNA'
10 investigate. At one place in New
Jersey where q drug habit killing prep
aration was sold he counted more than
one hundred victims of narcotics.
Many Of these were young women. one
of the young men said:
This place is great. II cured friends
of mine. 1t will cure me. My supply
in New York was cut off three weeks
ago. fell TO pieces shortly alter
ward Then some one tipped me off to
this place The stuff they hand you
hasn't the kick in 1t, but it's fine
where do you work. ! asked.
"Ain't able to do much just now;
lost my strength; but itll soon come
back, now that / can get the stuff.
Morphine Distributed Freely.
"But you're taking the cure now?'
he was asked.
ayes, but | can get enough of this
to last me for some time. can get
six bottles like this if ! have the
money" He showed a small bottle con-
tanning almost ten grains OF morphine.
"Can you get all that morphine at
one time" was asked.
airy it yourself; it's easy"
An attempt 10 confirm this mans
story was made The doctor in charge
Of the place said that victim coming
for treatment could get six bottles Of
the cure for $40. "Of course, we grad
uate the amount of oIiatc. In some
instances VIC give as nigh as 10 grains
TO the liquid ounce. We reduce this
until IN its final stages the cure merely
consists of alcohol. glycerine and the
harmless drugs which tone up the sys-
tenn"
"Do you prescribe this medicine for
all your patients ?" he was asked.
ayes, always. OF course, our out-of-
town customers find IT impossible to
call on us, so they write, and we take
their cases under consideration
"Do you ship much of your cure
every day.
1.-TWO Hundred to four hundred bot
ties"
GLOW far sway?"
"To South America. We have Gus
toners IN California. You know we
distribute this to sanltariums. Our
business has been long established"
Fears WorkhOuse Tempters.
Begging to be sent TO a hospital
rather than to the workhouse at BLACK
wells Island, where he could still OBJ
tain morphine. Walter Shay, an actor,
of 30l West Forty-frst Street, who
pleaded guilty in Special Sessions yes
terday TO the charge of having NOR
phlne in his possession, was sent 70
the worAhOuSe for six months. A pro-
viso was written IN the commitment
requesting that he be placed in the
hospital squad.
81 would have given FIVE years OF
my life rather than have had that
sentence he said bitterly, when seen
an hour later in the Tombs. at
means that my efforts at cure are
hopeless. ! can get the drug in the
workhouse more Of it than | could get
in the city and, unless ! have treat
ment ] can't 20 without It.
IL got the habit while acting" he
said; there are many actors that use
it. When the police got me ! was
taking treatment and doing we'll 1t
was a frame up" he 1ared out, sud
denly, "a frameup. and because
of this frameup I've got to 80 back
there, where there is no treatment,
and III take to the stuff again and
die"
When asked as TO how dope came
20 the island, Shay said that some
was brought over by Grls on the Wis
itorS' boat.
"Its 25 cents q jab in the work
house. Many Of the fellows want
something that VIII make thcm sleep,
so they take morphine. Much is
brought in by a man making regular
traffic of il. Do we get II from the
guards, you say? Well, I'd rather not
say"
Accused Of Selling Herein.
Philip Herbst, of % Leroy Street
employed by the Watkins Medical Com
pany. Of 1876 Perry Street, and jacob
Helms. of 1928 Hancock Street, Brook
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