davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17

pier than New York. The women upon
whom they preyed were not as cum
ming as their American sisters and
were apt pupils in the art of robbery
under the influence of drugs, SO the
expatriated crook simply gave him
self up to q life of ease, with very
little necessity to resort to violence
except in an occasional fight with
those Of his kind.
The drug habit spread rapidly
among the women. From opium smok-
ing they quickly passed to cocaine
snuff1ng and ether drinking, until now
it is a rarity in that class to find any
body not addicted to some drug.
But with the war came a new de-
velopment Of the traffic. China, India
and Egypt, where the authorities had
been suppressing the opium and hash
ish habit, offered an illimitable field
of operations. The film-tin idea was
hit upon and the ring got to work in
short order.
Women Taught to Smoke Opium.
The restriction of night clubs in
London, where for two Jears women
of the better class had been following
the craze of ragtime, raised a demand
for some other sort of palliative for
the depression of war, so the ring"
came into play again. Houses in Soho
and flats in inconspicuous parts of the
West end were taken and fitted up in
luxurious style, and the same methods
of touting which were so successful
when the "chemin de fer craze was in
vogue in London were again employed.
Parties were made up to see an
opium joint. The mere suggestion of
the Orient was enough to appeal to
women suffering from abnormal de-
preston after the excitement Of gam
bling and night clubs. They went to
see. The furnishings of the place with
their attractive divans and suave at
tendants we're attractions in them
selves. The operation of transform
ing the pasty opium to a puffy choc-
olate and then rolling it into little
pellet ready for smoking was in itself
a process of interest.
"Just try one Whit After MUIR
murings and objections and the usual
rigmarole about it being harmful an
swered by the stock phrase, why,
have been smoking It for years and it
has never hurt me-" the victim usu-
ally tried.
After the first plunge the rest was
easy. Any fit of depression was
seized as an excuse to try the pipe.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
New Charters Are Issued,

New Charters Are Issued.
The Ardmore Company of Winston
Salem is chartered to buy and sell
real estate. When $500 of its total
authorized capital stock of $1OO, 900
is paid in the company may begin
business.
Yadkin Drug Company of Salisbury,
Wholesale and retail druggists. Au-
thorized capital $4,000, with $4,000
paid in.
j. c. May Company of Black Noun
tain. Wholesale and retail groceries.
Capital stock authorized $4,000. Paid
in $1,000.
The Southside Drug Company OF
Wilmington, retail druggists Author
lied capital stock $4,000.
The Lexington Building Company
Of Lexington was chartered to do a
general building business, buy and
sell real estate, etc. Authorized
capital $4,000, paid in $4,000.
Cross Town Transit Company of
Wilmington will operate taxicabs, car
riages, ETC., in Wilmington Author
lied capital $4,000, paid in $4,000.
Powell & Nimocks, Inc, of Ashe-
vile. Retail druggists Authorized
capital $4,000, paid in $3.50.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
WAR SORROWS
DRIVING WOMEN
ITO USE OPIUM
Many London Society Folk Re-
ported Addicted to Pipe and
Other Drug Habits.
TRAFFIC is HARD TO CHECK
Ring, Whose Operations Are World
Wide, Unchecked by Law-Use
Moving-Picture Film Tins to
SmuggIe Into the Unit
ed States.

London.-A craze of opium smoking
and the extensive use of other drugs,
including cocaine, heroin and ether,
has recently been taken up by London
women of means and many in society
and actresses as well.
Eagerness to alleviate the terrible
depression caused by the war has led
many cultured women to seek the con-
ISOLATION of drugs, and this desire has
been cultivated and exploited by a
ring composed largely of Americans,
who maintain opium dens on a luxuri-
GUS scale in the West end.
The activities of the ring are not
confined to England. 1t is a serious
business organization, worldwide in
its ramif1cations. Managed by half a
dozen principals it maintains estab-
lished agencies throughout the East,
particularly in China and India, and
also all over the United States, with
headquarters in New York. 1t is large
ly imported into New York by means
OF personal smuggling One of the
favorite methods of smuggling is to
conceal the opium in tins containing
moving picture films, which are not
likely to be opened or to be even
under suspicion. The films are shipped
to certain firms who also conduct film
trading agencies, but the drug scheme,
as may be imagined, is the hugely
profitable side of the venture. These
op1umed films have been shipped IN
large quantities to New York and I'D
to the present have escaped detection.
Traffic Hard to Check.
Another means employed is to have
the opium cooked in pellets ready for
use. Thousands of these pellets can be
and are carried in the dresses or cloth
ing of passengers to New York and
safely delivered to the Headquarters
of the ring there.
The men composing the ring have
extensive acquaintance, and it is not
exaggeratiOn to say that during the
last few months scarcely a steamship
has left this side for New York with
out one or more carriers of opium
aboard. Stranded Americans have fire.
quently been employed, as the differ
ence in price between opium here and
the carriers not only first-class pass
age, but also a good sum of money be-
sides. From what has been learned
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 taking are not prohibited under
the English law. Opium and similar
drugs are not supposed to be sold in
England save through a physicians
certificate and the seller must keep a
record of the sale and the name and
address of the purchaser, but these
difficulties have been surmounted by
means of tame" druggists and re
liable" wholesalers.
On the question of export, from
which the ring at present receives the
greatest profit, the only means of pros
ecut1on is under the merchandise act.
and then only If false manifest is
found to have been used.
In the case of opium shipped in
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17

ing about thirty five hundred men,
After the last of this month our
lines will be so weakened that the
minutemen and militia must be called
In for our defense, and these, being
under no kind of government, will de-
stroy the little subordination 1 have
been labOring to establish and run me
into one evil while I am endeavoring
to avoid another. But the less must
be chosen"
After five years of experience in
command of the armies, Washington
thus expressed himself in a letter to
the president of the congress, dated
August 20, 1880:
Had we formed permanent army
In the beginning, which, by the con-
tinuance of the same men in service,
had been capable of discipline, we
never should have had to retreat with
a handful of men across the Delaware
In IT'S, trembling for the fate of Amer
lea, which nothing but the infatuation
OF the enemy could have saved; we
should not have remained all the sue
ceeding winter at their mercy, with
sometimes scarcely a sufficient body
of men to mount the ordinary guard.
We should not have been at Valley
Forge, destitute of everything, in a
situation neither to resist nor to re-
tire. We should not have seen the
country ravaged, our towns burned.
the inhabitants plundered, abused.
murdered, with impunity.
Army ExnAneAo nouhlnd
? THE arrangement of our finances is
essentially to be ascribed to it. The
expenses of the war and the emissions
of paper money have been greatly
multiplied by it. We have great part
of the time had two sets of men to
feed and to pay-the discharged men
going home and the levies coming in.
"Our discipline has been much hurt.
II not ruined, by such constant
changes. There is every reason to
believe that the war has been pro-
tracted on this account
little later Washington wrote re-
garding that defeat of General Gates
at Camden: Regular troops alone are
equal to the exigencies of modern war
fare, as we'll for defense as offense,
and wherever q substitute is attempt
ed it must prove illusory and ruinous.
I'm my ideas of the true system of
war, the object ought to be to have a
good army rather than a large one"
During the entire war the lack of
money entailed greatest suffering upon
the army, but the men of the continent
tai army, with the exception of one
or two regiments, were true to the
end through hunger, cold, sickness,
poverty at home, nakedness and de-
feat For this fidelity there were three
reasons training and
George Washington.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
COuNTRY'S DEBT
TO WASHINGTON
Probably the Only Man Who
Could Have Won Liberty
for the People.
Difficulties Which He Had to Encoun.
ter We're Almost lnsurmountabIe
Lack Of Proper Training
Hampered Continentals in
All Their Battles.

~ GORGE WASHINGTON, the
commander Of the American
armies, knew better than any
one else the offensive and de-
fensive value of the forces under him;
and he has left vivid written record
of the relative value Of unframed
short-term men and of disciplined
long-term body made of individuals of
the same class. He plainly expressed
his opinion, fully confirmed by military
men since his time, of the army need
ed by this country when, soon after
the disaster at Camden, he wrote to
congress: what we need is a good
army, not a large one"
Probably no war was ever carried
on where the one side was represent
ed in the field by so great proportion
of unorganized troops, not under
central national control, and no great
commander, before or since, has ever
succeeded with so rapidly shifting
body Of badly equipped men.
Bunker Hill Analysed.
At the battle of Bunker Hill, an
army of unframed American minute
men and militia, under the command,
however. of veteran officers like Pres
colt, Stark, Putnam and Knowlton of
the higher rank, and among the lower
officers a sprinkling of men expert
enced in the French and English wars,
from behind intrenchments hastily
erected, but Of value against low-pow-
er armament, successfully resisted
two attacks Of well-organized and
disciplined British veterans, with
loss to the latter Of 1854 killed and
wounded. But these same troops, by
virtue not of superior individual cour.
age, but of their combined valor and
discipline, were rallied by their we'll
trained officers, made a third charge.
and, although outnumbered, succeeded
in driving the Americans, at the point
OF the bayonet, from their trenches,
their supply of powder being exhaust
ed and their muskets not having bay.
onets.
The American force was Justly
proud of its resistance and of the
heavy punishment it had inflicted. but
the result was, in spite of it's good
hight, defeat to its arms-perhaps
only through failure in the quarter
masters department. The British,
however, carried the hill on account
of the better discipline of their line,
the better control of their officers, and
because their supply of ammunition
was not exhausted. And they there.
by prevented the success of the CO.
lon1al military plan.
Continental Weakness.
This story in various ways was
many times repeated in the war of
the revolution, always with the same
result. In spite of the brilliant gen
eralship of Washington, Greene,
Schuyler. Lee and others, the Ameri-
cans did not win single victory over
the British regular troops when the
latter were not outnumbered.
A brief examination of the powers
OF the Continental Congress will show
what were the chief causes of this
weakness in our armies that led SO
near to the collapse of our national
defense and caused the intense anxiety
anu distress to Washington and the
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17

band OF patriots about him in the armv
and in congress.
The congress presented as able and
devoted men as were ever gathered in
single body, but they were not
trained in the systematic methods of
great deliberative bodies; and above
all represented one of the very weak.
est forms of governmental power-a
mere confederacy or league of several
states or colonies and without real
governmental functions.
Although it assumed both executive
and legislative powers. it had no au-
thority to raise revenue and could only
emit bills of credit, their redemption
being pledged by the twelve United
Colonies" 1t is not singular that the
states refused to surrender to this
loosely connected congress the control
OF the militia, with officers of state
selection, gathered by sacrifice, for the
protection of its own state, not fore
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17

The gold dust started at Dawson
City, Alaska, being sent bv FranL
wires, Mr.. Lalone's son-in-law. It was
part OF the first treasure taken from a
NINE which young Wires discovered
while prospecting, and which later
netted him a fortune.
Inc first address attached to the
sack was Schenectady, where Lalone
was living. Before it arrived, how
ever Lalone had left that city, and
after few months the gold was sent
oack to Dawson City. Wires. the
sender. was far from civilization. and
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
MARRIED BY FAKE PREACHER
Pennsylvania Couple Have Knot Tied
Again After Discovering
the Fraud.

Reading, Pa.-sylvester Rose, an
electrical engineer, and wife, formerly
Elsie Helen Arnold, a Reading girl,
were remarked here by a civil cere
mony. When the license was issued
Rose explained that he and Miss Ar.
mold were married four years ago III
Cleveland, O., their present home, b,
a man supposed to be minister.
few days ago the supposed cler
gyman was convicted of fraudulent1v
posing as such and performing illepa1
marriages. They then came east for
a second wedding.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Cover Crops Add Wealth to State.

Cover Crops Add Wealth to State.
Over one million and a half dollars
have been added to the wealth of the
state during the last year by increase
in cover crops planted according to
the estimate of State Demonstration
Agent c. R. Hudson in his annual re-
port to the director of North Carolina
extension service conducted jointly by
the A. & M. College and the state De-
partment of Agriculture.
This, it is held by Mr.. Hudson, is
one of the most important features
of the work of the past three or four
years, during which time it has been
especially stressed. The following
acreage has been secured in the past
year: Crimson clover 66,16O acres,
rye 50,315 acres. red clover 22,437
acres, vetch 1873 acres.
Valuing this at $40 per acre ST.
ATS, 400 is the total worth. To this
also may be added 1880 acres of sum-
mer legumes and 7,O76 acres Of small
grains, which brings the total up to
164,985 acres, valued at $1,649,85O.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
state Guard Shows Increase

The North Carolina National Guard
shows an increase in strength of elev-
On officers and a hundred and sixty
siv men for 1915 against the total for
1914 according to the report which
Ad1utant General Young has just for
warded the war department.. The re-
port is for the year ending December
81. The force by regiments is capitu-
lated as follows: First Infantry, 81
officers and 7S3 enlisted men; Second
Infantry. So officers and 763 enlisted
men; Third Infantry, 81 officers and
7s5 enlisted men; Coast Artillery, %
officers and 401 enlisted men; cavalry
officers and 100 enlisted men; SAM
tary units. Is officers and 126 enlisted
men.
The total figures show 222 officers
and 2.975 enlisted men as against the
1914 report of 211 officers and 2.809
enlisted men.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17

his whereabouts was unknown. I'm
claimed, the sack lay in the Dawson
post office until it was learned by a
friend of Wires that Lalone was in
Terre Haute, Ind. There the package
was sent, but again too late. Since
then 1t has travelled to Seattle, to
southern California and back to Alas
ka, until finally Lalone was located in
Potsdam. Three tags, bearing 20 ad.
dresses, were attached to the rack.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
GOLD Travelled is YEARS
oack OF Precious Dust TraiIed Con-
s'gnee Thousands Of Miles to
Twenty Addresses.

Watertown, N. Y.-After travelling
for thousands of miles during 16
years, a sack of gold dust mailed in
1899 was delivered to Christopher La
lone of Potsdam
The gold had been trailing Lalone
for years, but, wherever it was sent.
Lalone was always Just ahead of It.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Program For Shakespeare Day.

DR.. ]. Y. Joyner sent to the printer
program for the celebration of Shakes
peare Day. on March a. The pro-
gram was prepared by Mrs. Lindsay
Patterson Of Winston-Salem, chairman
OF the North Carolina Shakespeare
Tercentenary Association and is de-
signed to stimulate interest in the
works Of Shakespeare on the part of
tho children of the state. Doctor
Joyner pronounces the program a de-
Hghtful one in every respect and one
that will encourage the study of
Shakespeare in the schools of the
state.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Farmers Begging For Lime.

Major Graham says that farmers
are simply begging for marl and lime
and that the states mari beds at
Bowman are being operated at top
speed. Major Graham will go to Bow
man next week to arrange for a night
shift. The plant there Is turning out
100 tons per day. The night force
will increase the output to 16O tons
per day. The demand for lime for
agricultural purposes continues to in
crease. The commissioner says that
the mari plant II sold out up to
April I.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Laundry Cabinet.

Have laundry cabinet If it is no
more than starch boxes, one on top of
another. Keep in it starch. soap. blu
ing, javelle water for stains, soap DOW
der. washing soda. Keep also q bun
die of small clean rags. Close with a
roller shade, cut to fit.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Keep Teapot DRY.

When putting away a teapot which
will not be used for some time wash
and dry 1t as thoroughly as possible,
and then drop into it lump of sugar
This will absorb any dampness that
may be left and SO prevent the musty
taste which is often noticed in tea
made in 4 pot which has been left IN.
used for some time.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
HEALTH WORK IN
ALAMANCE SCHOOLS
eEvEN1Y-ONE PER CENT OF
CHILDREN HAD SOME
DEFECT.
LATE STATE CAPITOL NEWS
WovloW Of the Latest News Gathered
Around the State Capitol That
Will Be Of Interest to Our Readers
Over North Carolina,
Raleigh.

xAAA0l&Hs
DR.. T. M. Jordan, county health Of
nee OF Alamance county, is here con-
ferring with the state board of health
In regard to his work. He also filed
his report of work done in the schools
OF Aamance since November Is, 1915,
when he began his campaign of school
inspection. The report contains many
striking facts and shows just how val
liable good health officer can make
himself to county.
Doctor Jordan's county, Alamance,
was the first county, to adopt medical
inspection of schools. He began No
vember 15 and finished his work Feb
ruary II. In that time he visited
81 schools and examined 4,124 chill
dren. OF these he found that II per
cent, or 1850, had some defect.
These figures include all defects, Sc
r1ous and minor. Those having de-
fects Of such serious nature as to
hinder the development of the child.
mentally or physically. numbered L.
40. or So per cent. In every case
Doctor Jordan gave advice that If
followed will result in Improvement
to the unfortunate
Not all of his work was examining
the children, through that he consid-
cred most important. The morning
hours were devoted to inspection of
tho children, the afternoon to health
talks and study of health literature
and at night, in 81 different schools,
he delivered lantern-slide lectures to
all who would come to hear. He
spoke to $3.50 people in these school
houses and travelled 379 miles.
Doctor Jordan carefully examined
the school houses and found only
one, the graded school building in
Graham. in perfect sanitary condi-
ton. Prizes offered the schools were
won by the Altamahaw public school,
Miss Florine Robertson, teacher, first
prize, and second by the Burlington
graded school,
1t is worth noting that in the Ora
ham school, where sanitary condi-
tons approached nearest the stand
ard Of perfection, the children showed
fewer physical defects.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
SOUGHT Brotherhood Of Man

My first wish is to see the whole
world at peace, and the inhabitants
OF 1t as one band of brothers, striving
which should most contribute to thu
happiness OF mankind.-George Wash.
iNgtOn,
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
For Biscuits.

When making biscuits try rolling
them thinner and using two cuts for
one biscuit. laying one on top Of the
other, Made in this way. they wifi
break evenly and are much daintier
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Departments Are COOPERATING.

The State Insurance Department ia
getting in some fine work among the
farmers. The department has Joined
with the department of agriculture in
institute work and now has two women
experts, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Hollo-
WELL with the institute parties. Both
are making fine impressions and do
1ng1ng good work among the farmers
me department is preparing to dis
tribute a great quantity of printed
cards. containing warnings against
IRE and carelessness.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Folk Leads Pig Club Work.

B. P. Folk, who has been county
farm demonstration in CASTOR county
since 1914, has resigned to accept the
position of agent in pig clubs at the
experiment station in West Raleigh.
The vacancy was made by the ap-
pointment of J. D. McVean to agent in
charge of pig clubs throughout the
United States with headquarters in
Washington.
Mr.. Folk is graduate of Clemson
with the class of 1911, and has since
ben engaged in teaching and demon
stration work. Mr.. McVean came to
West Raleigh from Washington, where
he had ben engaged in extension work
since his graduation from Pennsyl-
vaia State College. Since his stay
with the North Carolina department.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
NJ ashed Potatoea

Mashed potatoes will be fluffy If one.
half teaspoonful # baking powder in
added to the milk put into them.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17

Sheffield, England. employs wo.aau
car conductors.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
New Automobile Taos.

A design for number plates for auto
mobiles in North Carolina has been
selected. The new numbers will have
blue background, with white raised
letters of very large size, monogram,
N. c., and date of expiration The
numbers will be easily legible in al
most any sort Of light
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Fifty-Five New LAWYERS.

Fifty-fve of the 50 applicants for
license to practice law who took the
examination passed. The three ne
groes failed. Miss Lillian E. Clement
of Asheville, the only woman appli-
cant, passed
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-02-17
Senator Majette Before COMMITTEES

senator Majette Before Committee,
Senator Mark Majette of Columbia
Tyrrell county, is here attending the
meeting of the State Board of Educa.
ton. Mr.. Majette represents the
board In matters relating to the swamp
and waste lands in Eastern North
Carolina and will appear at a hear
ing In regard to several large tracks
OF land near Newbern. Senator Ma
1ette says that people in his district
are showing but little interest in pol
1tics. Why" said he, they hardly
know that it is campaign year down
there"