Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-11
CHENOWETH IS A
VICTIM OF HIS OWN
DRUGS, SAY POLICE
Former Chief of Dope Ped
dlers Sells Furniture to
Satisfy His Cravings
COOPERATE WITH STATE
Chief Wetzel in. Conference
With Bureau of Drug
Control
MANY ARE SUFFERERS
Easy to Arrest Half Hundred
More Mental and Physical
Wrecks in the City
COOPERATE WITH STATE
MANY ARE SUFFERERS

Efforts of the Harrisburg police
force and of the Bureau of Drug
Control of the PENNSYLVANIA Depart
ment of Health are being co-ordinat-
ed to discover evidence sufficient to
convict the peddlers of narcotics and
others responsible for the furnishing
of drugs to dope" fiends of the city
and surrounding territory.
The Bureau of Drug Control has a
number of inspectors working
throughout the State AT all times,
whose duties are to work with city
police. especially when wholesale
violations occur. such as evidence
brought to light yesterday shows
have existed in this territory. This
procedure will be followed out in
dealing with the local situation.
Chcnowcth Is Ex-king
Robert Chenoweth. we'll known to
the police and the city generally as
the King of the Dope Peddlers," has
fallen a victim of his own illegal
trade. day he is described by the
police as being down and OUT and
nearly a physical wreck from using
his own powder.
Chencweth. said to have been one
OF the most fragrant Volators of the
Harrison anti-narcotic act. has been
dIItSltu Il hulIlDtI Ol llIlleS anu NOIi-
victed by federal courts, but he al
ways escaped with light penalties.
He was last taken into custody last
summer and since then he has suf-
fered considerably from the dope"
habit. He is now having difficulty to
secure a sufficient supply to ease
his body and his money supply is be-
coming short. To-day, police officials
said that he is even moving the fur
niture from his home to-Secure ,suf-
ficient funds to provide narGtics for
his use.
Many Pcddlcrs Here
Within the past several months,
the number of dope" peddlers who
have been attracted to this city as
new field has been unusually large
and greater complaints have been
made to the police department than
usual, it was said to-day. This situa-
ton has resulted largely through ac-
tivities which have reduced the abil-
ity of drug addicts to secure their
usual supply from druggists or ply
sicians.
When pressure is brought to bear
on disreputable druggists and ply
siclans and has caused them to limit
their sale of such goods, a good field
is opened for the sale of narcotics
and other drugs and this is what
has happened in Harrisburg within
the past several months, police Of
flCials sav.
Many Drug Addicts
Drug addicts CT the citv are well
known to the city police. Chief Wet
zel says and it would be possible to
arrest at least a half hundred of
them. he says.
The greatest trouble in solving the
drug situation here is to secure evil
dence sufficient to convict the per-
sons who serve as a source of sup
ply. The addicts themselves will not
give any information, Chief Wetzel
says. And the arrested go-between
who secures the dope to furnish
to its users will never give informa-
ton that will lead to the conviction
of the person who supplies it to him.
Chief Wetzel SAYS that every effort
is being made TO curb the evil in this
city. For obvious reasons. hn did not
furnish any details of the u'~0.