The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-13
By MAJOR c. E. RUSSELL.

TN July, just before the last Dig
German drive. there was a large
= increase In the number Of our
mon who were found under the in
fuence Of drugs, especially cocaine.
Over 10 per cent. of the men OF one
regiment OF colored stevedores were
laid up and away from work owing to
the use of cocaine. And every night
the military police were arresting men
who either had drugs in their possess
sion or who were lying around the
camps and streets under its influence.
We had known for some time that
there were some persons in France
that would do almost anything to
but We did not believe they would
30 to such an extreme as to supply
our men with dope. The fact re-
manned however, that drug users were
on the increase and the situation was
becoming serious. or course. in an
army as large as ours and recruited
as ours was by the draft. some users
OF the drug were bound to get in. But
the very large number made 1t evil
dent that some one was teaching our
men TO use II and seeing that all who
wanted 1t were well supplied
Drug Victim Gives q Clue.
As it was well known that the Ger
mans We're adopting all kinds of
methods to break the morale of our
troops, it was decided that they were
at the bottom of the large increase in
drug users and were trying out a new
scheme. Prostitutes who piled their
trade on the streets were one Of the
agencies used, and men who were
known users Of the drugs were easy
victims. Others learned to use these
drugs by their desiring to find out just
what kind of a sensation was caused
when one used cocaine. France has
some very drastic drug laws. But
four years OF war had created a ten
dency to lower the standard of en-
forcement. SO we were confronted
with a serious condition.
We finally decided to take one of the
well-known users OF the drug who had
been arrested while under its influence
and, by combining him in hospital,
shut Off his drugs entirely. This was
done so that when his craving for the
drug became very strong, in order to
obtain It, we believed he would tell us
where he had been securing his supply.
We fought this man for three days.
but he finally weakened and said II we
would only give him some OF the drug
he would tell US what We wanted to
know.
II have been a user Of cocaine FOR
three years." he said. land have had
treatment twice. But a short time ago
the old craving came over me and
tried several drug stores for supply
Not one would give me any. So next
resorted to an old trick Of mine. and
when in front OF a doctors Office l
pretended to have a fit and staggered
UP his steps. By playing on this doc
tors sympathy / succeeded in persuad-
ing him to give me a prescription and
to tell me where l could have it filled
at once took it to the store and had
no trouble In securing supply.
Gets Dope I'm "spanish Town."
when that was gone tried to get
more at the same place, but the drug
Rist refused to sell me any. While I
was pleading with the man I noticed
that a F'renchman was listening, and
when went out he followed me. In
English he asked me II ne could help
me; and, knowing that he had heard
me talking with the druggist. I told
him the truth. He offered to show me
a place where I could obtain all I
wanted, II had money. I told him /
had plenty. Then he took me down to
Spanish Town (the slum and dive
district of BordeauX) and there 1 was
sold a supply. l have been getting 1t
there now for some time and have told
others about the place"
After this poor devil had been given
dose by the doctor. he was placed in
an automobile and with one OF our de-
tectives driving they went to this dis
trict, where he pointed out the house.
On our detective staff at this time
were two sergeants, ON and r..
They were two very clever men and
I detailed them on the case. They
were first placed in theguardhouse
with some OF the users OF the drugs In
OAuCI tldN lilCy ihlBHS iCu4 u bncii ihbu
and also that they might study the
mannerisms OF these poor unfortu-
mates. Then the doctor, was called In
TO help. and he made them up SO that
they looked like habitual users of the
drugs.
When we felt that they were perfect
for their part a Frenchman was called
in to assist them in becoming &C.
quainted with the p~dlers Of the drug
They ficaIly succeeded n purchasing
some Of IL. During their investiga-
ton, however, we discovered that the
local people were only retailers. while
we were anxious to get the big Eel
lows at the head of the combine. Sc
the local people were told that ON
knew OF a man who had plenty OF
money who wanted to do a wholesale
business In cocaine, and that he would
deal only with the principals. After
some talk and the sending OF numer-