Evening journal., 1918-05-15
l(OUIT Defendant
ON TECRNCAHTY
Doctors Definition OF Heroin
Doesn't Conform With IN
dictment Against Wren
ANOTHER PRISONER
HIS OWN LAWYER

Because the Indictment upon which
Odie Wren, one Of the defendants in
the heroin prosecutions that have been
such prominent feature OF the pres
ent term OF General Sessions Court,
called heroin a compound" Of NOR
phine and the States chemist witness
insisted that the sample be examined
for the authorities was not a compound
Of morphine, but "derivative," not hav-
ing been treated with acetlc acid, the
State lost its case against Wren yes
erday afternoon, when Wren was placed
on trial upon the second OF six bills
against him. Upon his first trial last
week he was convicted. The Verbiage
was the same in each bill. but the
states chemist witnesses were different
ones and described heroin differently.
Deputy, Attorney General Green, who
conducted the case for the State, after
outlining the things he expected to
prove, placed on the stand Paul Ed
wards, who has been the prosecutions
chief giver OF testimony In all the cases
that have been tried.
Edwards said that he had visited
Wrens home on Sunday March II last
st. Patrck's Day, and bought two
decks" or packages OF her0in. Wren,
he said asked him n he intended to use
10 there, meaning Wrens room, and the
witness said he Intended using one OF
the decks which he did, employing
therefore a hypodermlc syringe lent to
him by Wren. The other package he
gave TO Sergeant OF Detectives Green,
who had given him a dollar wherevith
to make the purchase from Wren.
L. Irving Handy, who represented
Wren last week, again defended him.
and cross-examined the witness as to
how long ho had been addicted to the
use OF heroin, seeking to show that
habitual employment OF this would
have a tendency to affect his credibility
as witness. Edwards replied to these
questions that he had used heroln for
about eigh years, but that he had not
used It since the middle OF April
Edwards was followed on the stand
by Or. Robert r. Brown. He said he
had examined a package given him hy
Sergeant Green, finding in IL heroin and
sugar OF milk There was no morphine
in It, nor said the witness was ii a
compound, which in heroin exists when
morphine Is treated with acetic acid.
This heroin was the hydrochlOride
variety, and in chemical language was
A derivative Of morphine, not a COM
pound
This placed the drug Edwards bought
beyond the description Of il in the In
dlctment upon which the prisoner was
being tried, which called It a compound
Of morphine.
This closed the States case, and Mr..
Handy III once began addressing the
court on the failure Of the proseeu-
tion TO prove what the indictment al
legged. Judge Helsel told Mr.. Handy
there was no need TO go into the mat
ter, and instructed the jury to find a
verdict Of not guilty, informing thom
that the drugs prescribed 10 sale under
The drug act save to or by the proper
ly authorized persons, We're morphine,
opium, cocaine chloral hydrate or any
Of their compounds
The. jury complied without leaving
the box.
After some discussion between the
court, Mr. Reinhardt and Mr.. Handy. q.
was decreed that each side should be
ready any time after Monday next to
aA sue tit ANlNlHl llukluu lnI new
trial, fled after Wren's conviction last
week
Charles T. Pusey. a youth in his
teens. entered a plea OF guilty yester-
day afternoon before Judges Rice and
IIelsel TO an indictment charging the
larceny OF a bicycle. His counsel, j..
Frank BAN. asked the court for lenl-
ency on the ground that the offense
was Puseys first one. and that he is
suffering from a functional trouble OF
the heart. The State didn't oppose
giving Pusey another chance. and he
was paroled In the custody Of his
father for two years.
WalcTyan Duchalkiewicz was found
guiliy by "A jury Of embezzlement by
bailee Of a check for $4,000 belonging
to Antonio Tcherkovsh. Although not
represented by counsel, the defendant
made motion for a new trial and
asked for an arrest Of judgment. lie
was allowed the prescribed four days
in which to file his reasons for a new
[ fpfa1