The sun., 1916-01-23
Trnf ne Iinrd 20 Check.

Another means employed IL To- have
the opium cooked in pellets ready for
use Thousands OF these pellets can be
and are carried in the dresses or clothing
OF passengers to New York and safely
delivered to the headquarters OF the ring
there.
The men composing the ring have ex-
Nnsive acquaintance. and IL Is not ex-
aggeraton to say that during the last
few months scarcely "A steamship has left
This side for New York without one or
more carriers of opium aboard. Stranded
Americans have frequently been em-
ployed. as the difference in price between
opium here and in America enables the
r.ns ~ give the carriers not only a Hist
class passage but Also a good sum ot
money besides. From what THE SrN
correspondent has been told. the ring has
had great luck with it's Carriers who
have all got through safely with the
GOODS
The authorities. who are aware Of the
existence Of the ring" have the greatest
difficulties In coping with the situation.
because opium smoking and drug-taktmg
are no, prohibited under the English
law, opiun and similar drugs are not
supposed 10 he sold In England save
through a physician'r certificate and the
seller must keep IA record Of the sale and
tho name and address OF the purchaser.
but these difficulties have been sur
mounted hy means Of tame" druggists
and reliable" wholesalers.
On the question Of export, from which
the ring AT present receives the greatest
profit. the only means Of prosecution is
under the merchandise act. and then only
" false manifest is found to have been
used
I'm the case Of opium shipped in film
tins the authorities point out that IL
would he extremely dangerous for them
to open every Tin. thereby running the
lsk Of spelling invaluable films on the
mere chance that they contained opium.
They say they would require almost alb
solutc proof before they would take such
step.
Recently. however. the police in the
London docks have nipped several at
iempts to ship opium out Of the country
frauduently In barrels containing
cheeses or grease. Several Chinese have
been prosecuted and fined but the fines
we're immaterial and the Chinese only
minor factors in the game.
London Authorities Alarmed.
But the society craze for drug taking
N spreading so rapidly, particularly
among the better class women. that q
new dangerous social factor has arisen
with which the authorities are seriously
concerned Means Of graphing with II
are now being discussed. but the sup
\ preston Of the vice will require the
! passage Of new laws giving the police
greater powers than they now possess.
few years ago the drug taking habit
and particularly opium smoking. was
comparatively rare in England save
among the Chinese along the docks III
me East End and small number OF
American crooks who frcquented dens IN
Inc same neighborhood. by system OF
exchange Of intelligence the American
cope hends knew just where to go wher
\ tney arrived in London and wanted their
mop Like homing lfgeons they made
n'recuy for ldmehouse causeway, neal
lhe d"'ha II is n narrow, horrible
darks"nc street, whers lights are few
ana shadows many. 1t is not nice
pace 20 81 * alone. The houses are Oi
lhe "a" story kind, broken here anC
't'le 10y dugy shop fronts On the lefI
N" haven Of the Americans. II Is run
"V chinese whose name is known Il
V'ry American opium fiend from New
YORK to san Francisco. For years il
mas nee" the mecca Of pipe fends visit
g London The interior is as dingy a'
'h" "N."r'or. Several rooms arc lineo
WIN 'ld" hunks and the dim light o
'r OIL lamps shows flthy paper and 8
Y ''led cheap c'Iromo or two.
me chimes" VINO runs the place Is o
uncertain hge. lie might he co. 20 ol
''' with n felted slippers he pads
'"'1' ''"m room 10 room giving to eacf
ttN'"Ih'r his proper degree of attention
w never trrgets patron and In sofn'
"?H.tipur manner keeps in touch with
q. 'h'n movements and happenings
w." t .""- ~ no one has been able 4
''N"'" Do" iuSe he has never beer
S"'" Il" loav" the narrow precincts o
"N ""h narrow street Perhaps II II
"t'''.'" h world comes to him. Yet
'' som" Chinese Moriarty. he seems I,
'h. '"n're of web whose hbre
h''' lr,#"n'
""'"n for Expatriat-d Crooks.
N'cr" Is Norris NJ" he was asked
Or" nigh,
"' b" south Africa. Joburg thi
"uh next week Cape Town"
NNdl S become OF S." mentioninI
"' nam" OF 4 man who had been cuttinI
h"tc.s wv
a." no hear lie went back New
''rN. ''' he'd, forgery doing thrc
,,ar sur, ,"h lie gave me bad check
hf'N N''H" dollars"
"h"t'"r venture, and the informatiO
va promptly forthcoming that the maj
was hcad, and so ON aIicstInp after a,Ies