The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-09-13
9OY'SSTORY
PAINTS ship
As DOPE.DEN
Cinnamon Ply Trade in Mar
CoticS on Vessel With
Alaska lab0rerS


SAN FRANCISCO. Sept is.--out
II the hold OF the bark McIaurin.
Known as the oldest ''hen ship" In
Alaskan waters came Lad Of q to
day with story OF the sea. which
reeks OF vicious living. violent deaths
and deadly hate.
Dick Tcschner. Is days III with
fever below decks on the vessel.
lcrccd TO breathe. he says. the fumes
a. opium smoke day and night. told
Of his experiences today In a voice
oearccly more than whisper.
Four months ago. Tcschner. Just
cut OF the navy and celebrating the
INIT. was nanbed by imam
catcher recruiting a crew for the
McIAnrin IN Sacramento.
GOT BONUS. But
COULDN'T KEEP III LONG
"Aiong with so other homeless
men. went aboard declares the
Nd.
we were to get $40 bonus before
ne started on the cruise. We got II
ocon enough. but We couldn't keep 1t
and made US buy from the ship
store. II didn't last long.
'.It wasn't until We cleared the
Heads that Nc found she was a
dope ship The chinks got II by the
customs men somehow. II didn't
hook to me like the inspectors tried
very hard to stop them
The China gang had the dope
eherts listed as merchandise adj.
vanced to the men. What tho Gus
enms men imagined that crowd was
going to do with $40 worth OF mer-
ehAndise apiece. l don't know"
He continued:
s-Somc OF the boys took a chance
and went overheard while the boat
was still In the bay.
dRCNCH or THE BOYS
- ZCONiE ADDICTS
As soon as we rot under way the
6pium began TO make It's appearance
tght there a bunch OF the boys b.
work for TN to do they had the dope
handy for US.
Il stayed off Of II and the spike
eyes hated me for Il.
II didn't mind them. but I found
that l had made an enemy on board
that I had reason to keep my eye on
He was Doc Blake.
s.He was tho company physician
and hired to give US treatment when
ever we necied II without charge
But he made US pay anyway and
sold the boys dope at his own price
"One night l went to him for one
" the boys who wanted some medi-
cine. If they don't come up here
ana set their own pills I'll fix EN-
Ae told mo. And he pasied the As
hs always carried at his belt. nigh,
ers6iay.
COMPLETELY UNDER
SPELL or THE CHUNKS
"About this time the 'hypos.' as
Ne called the dope users. were com
plcfeiy under the sn~li OF the
! Chinks. II a Chink wanted a cur
1T water he ordered one OF the
Hhypoe' to get H. They ob~yed with
out the least resistance.
One night after we went ashore
On the koguing river. where the
nneries were. Doc Blake nearly
out an end to me. I asked him for
some medicine. He came over to the
bunk where I was lying and told me
/ I'd never get any from him: that
Iaxiness was all that was the matter
with me.
when objected 70 that, he
grabbed me by the throat and drag.
Red me to a corner. with me gasping
for breath. ] stumbled over a shot
gun that was leaning against the
vail.
''Riake drew his gun before I knew
what was happening and was ready
to shoot when he saw that I didn't
have a gun.
AFTER that we didn't see him any
more. Old Dad Mclaughlin died
eup there one night and the men said
Blake didn't take extra pains TO
keep him alive The doctor fefs
after that
MANY or THE MEN
BECAME DEGENERATES
1.-THE morals of the men grew
worse. That country and the life at
the canneries made degenerates out
Of many Of them. The dope was
easier to get as the work became
harder.
There was the two for one sys-
tenn.
THE gang bought canned fruit for
Soc. They sold it for Csc. When
they got soc that way they gave H.
for dope.
"As soon as the job was done up
xfhere the boys couldn't get any more
klppe. They nearly went crazy for
want of II.
1.-THE chinks smoked II before them
day and night on the way down and
had them begging on their knees for
the stuff. 1t was a hell ship ON the
way back. III tell you.
'They paid US off Sunday. We
were to get $3.50. Most Of us got less
than a hundred. We paid IL all
back for items they said we pur.
chased up there. We were 80 glad 10
get away that we didn't care what
they took. Half Of the boys are
penniless now. There are at least a
dozen in Jail. picked up for yagrancy
and being dope crazy"
Milwaukee Officia1s