Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-17
DRUG-BROKEN CROOKS
BEAUTIFUL WIFE WINS
HIS FREEDOM IN COURT
johnnie Morgan, Found Lying
Under Department Store
Counter, Seemed to Be Up
to His Old Tricks Again
TAKES HIM TO COUNTRY

The glowing health Of Johnnie Morean's
wife was in strange contrast with the
faded prisoners in the City Hall police
court today, and particularly with Johnnie
Morgan. He Is a notorious and worn-out
safe-cracker, who took to heroin long be-
fore he lost his skill as a burglar. Now
the drug has" him He was a pathetic
and harmless looking, shabby man beside
his spruce and comely wife, in whose
cheeks bloomed the roseate vigor of coun-
try life.
Morgan, half dazed with adrugs. lay
last night under a counter on the second
floor of Market street department store
half an hour after 1t had closed it's doors
A watchman found him there. II looked
bad, because II was Johnnles old trick
this getting into store and hiding till
everybody was out. For then, in tho
past. with his pals. he would steal out in
the night and blow safe and get away
with the stores ready cash. He served
two years for that in the Eastern Peni-
tentiary and after he got out was tried
on an old charge in Montgomery County
and served is months more In Norris
town jail He was n free man again only
n few weeks ago, for the first time in
nearly four years.
1t was probably n question of sending
Johnnie Morgan to prison again to die
there. His first act on gaining freedom
had evidently been to get drugs in some
manner This was not hard for him. even
under the stern regime of the Harrison
law, for 1t had been Morgan who first
brought heroln in large quantities to
Philadelphia years ago for the dismal de-
light of the Tenderloin. He is n college
graduate an expert chemist He comes
of good family.
WIFE LOYAL TO JOHNNIE
AS Magistrate Beaton was about to
dispose of Morgan's case his wife stood
up beside her husband. There was a
murmur of astonishment and admiration.
Her golden hair. neatly arranged, shone
glossy and vital, beneath her hat. Her
blue eyes were as clear and brave as
Johnnie's were dimmed and shameful
and downcast. Her black silk dress per-
fectly fitted a youthful and graceful
figure.
Now. don't send him to jail. Judge"
she said, in a calm, firm voice, touchlngly
for the wreck she had never
ceased to love, in spite OF the grotesque
failure he had made of her life
"I promise you he won't stay in Phil
adelphia, won't 30 back to the Tenderloin
ever again. want to take him away
to the country. where I live with my
mother and father. There II is so healthy.
and can take care of him there. He Is
broken up, you can see. He will get
little better there in the green fields. with
good food and none of that awful stun
to take.
"I can promise you." her voice rose
clearly and almost with a note Of tragic
of motherliness, that Johnnie
Morgan will never trouble the Tenderloin
,r the stores and their money again as
ong as he lives"
He was set free. OF course. and hus-
oand and wife, the man STOPPING and
Gaming heavily on her arm, the woman
ooking steadily forward and with high
leld head, passed out OF the room and
later they were seen walking |
,ver to the Broad Street Station to take |
train for the green fields. Curious |
persons took the elevator to follow at |
distance, for last look at the fine |
wife of Johnnie Morgan. They felt that, |
.fter all. her life was not a failure.