Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-16
FEDERAL GRAND JURY
URGES DRASTIC LAWS
TO END DOPE SCOURGE
Inquisitorial Body Sweeps Prec-
edent Aside to Call for Action
Following Evening Ledger's
Exposure
ARSENAL" MEN INDICTED

The Federal Grand Jury. Immediately
following exposure OF the narcotic drug
scourge in this city by the EVENING
LEDGER. has swept aside precedent and
sent TO the court a report urging drastic
action 60 curb the constantly increasing
trnfic In morphine. heroin and cocaine.
The Jury took this unusual action after
a night session In which startling revela-
tions as TO the narcotic drug situation In
Philadelphia were made by officers OF the
United States Internal Revenue Depart
ment As was described in the EvENINo
LEDGER, they told how narcotic drugs are
smuggled into Philadelphia by the hun
dred pounds and how they are dispensed 20
thousands OF victims by unsorupulous deal
ers peddlers, physicians and druggists
In It's communication to Judge Dickinson,
Of the United States District Court, the jury
recommended enactment OF stringent Fed
eral and State laws 20 halt illegal traffic
in drugs. TO punish persons guilty OF sup
plying victims with narcotics and the estab-
IIshment Of public institutions TO care for
drug victims.
The Jury particularly urges drastic action
against INSCRIPTIONS physicians who aid
| drug victims In obtaining narcotics byfssu-
| ing prescriptions.
In its presentment the jury returned tn
dictments against seven physicians charged
| with this offense. The physicians are:
Doctor Frank NJ. HendriclS. oolored. who
is indicted on 1888 counts; DR.. Alvin j.
| Kistler on $50 counts: DR.. william Lamb.
king, on 4s5 counts; Dr. Howard M. Shirt
ner, 42s counts Or. Frank I. Cohen, 4eE
COUNTS DR.. Cyrus c. Moore, 81 counts. and
| Dr. Edwin Y. Seyler, 80 counts.
The Harrison law prescribed a maxi.
mum penalty OF five years in prison and q
| hne Of $4,000 for each offense, so that n
| Doctor Hendricks case, he having the most
counts against him. IL he were convicted
the court could sentence him 20 more thar
5000 years.
TEXT OF PREsENTMENT
The presentment OF the Grand Jury tC
| the Court reads:
| We, the members OF the Federal
Grand Jury, desire to call your Rtten-
| ton 20 the very unfortunate condi-
ton of affairs which seems TO exist
at present in the city of Philadelphia
with regard to the illegal traffic in
narcotic drugs. We learn from what
has been told us by witnesses that such
drugs are being sold in large quanti-
ties to unfortunate users-persons who
have acquired the morphine, heroin or
| co-aine hablts-and that the authori-
tics have found II difficult to prevent
such demorallzing traffic under the ex-
isting laws. We understand that the
Supreme Court of the United States
has recently decided that Congress did
not mean in the Harrison act to pun
ish the mere user of narcotic drugs.
but only the persons who make money
out of the same improperly-that is,
the persons who sell directly or indi-
rectly TO dope hends
4 We are laymen. and, OF course, must
take the law from the courts and what
the Supreme Court has decided IL, Of
course. the law. Moreover, as practi-
cal men, we can see why the mere user
or talSer of drugs should not be pun
ished He is At for the hospital rather
/ han hA himself
sold or peddled drugs and thus made
| money out of the business.
We believe that the distinction made
by the Supreme Court between the
mere user and the dealer is good
and sensible one. We only wish that
the law could be enforced more ef-
| fectively as against the Illicit dealer.
He ought TO be punished with severity.
and we trust that the District Attor-
ney will be able, by circumstantial
| evidence or otherwise. TO obtain con-
vie<ions In proper cases. We hope that
wherever there Is evidence. direct or
Indirect the man Is dealing and maxi
ing money illegally the evidence Will
be carefully considered. so this great
evil may be checked and the really
guilty persons brought to Justice.
STATE LAWS WEAK.
our attention has been called to
the fact that the State laws do not
prohibit the improper sale OF NOR
mime and heroin, as the laws that do
exist apply only to cocaine II would
certainly appear that the State laws
| sho;,ld be extended, so as TO prevent
the improper trsfflc in morphine and
heroin which seems TO be even more
used than cocaine We also hope that
the state authorities will make proper
proyision for the care Of drug habitues.
80 long as there 10 no adequate pro-
vision for their confinement and cure