The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-06-24
BUTTE Is CENTER
OF dope" TRADE
MORPHINE AND COCAINE VEN
DORIS TRAVELLING ON REGU-
LAR SCHEDULE
Federal Agents Say Drug Runners
Have Been Laying Narcotics Down
in Butte at $14.48 Per Ounce and
Selling Drug for $50; Stuff Is
Struggled in From Canada.

That Butte is me of the stations
on a regular route maintained by
drug vendors, who bring the stuff
from Canadian points and dispense
it to hundreds of unfortunates in the
mining city who have become addicts,
was the statement of A. M. J. Prit-
chard, a special agent of the internal
revenue department, who has been
Investigating the traffic in narcotics
in Butte. Agent Pritchard said that
the traffic in drugs in this city
amounts to thousands of dollars each
month and the addicts in the city run
in the hundreds.
During his stay in Butte, the spe-
cial agent has secured evidence which
resulted in the filing of complaints
and the arrest of DR.. G. d. Bryant,
and Wan Sing and Quong Chung,
200 and 207 China alley, on federal
charges. The homes of the Chinese
were raided and a quantity of opium,
together with full layouts for smok-
ing the stuff, were seized by Agent
Pritchard, assistant by Deputy Uni
ted States Marshal L. s.. Croft and
Revenue Agent H. M. Dengler.
Profit Is Enormous
Tracing shipments of drugs which
are sold in Butte, we have discover
ed that narcotics are being laid down
here at a cost of $14.48 an ounce, at
least that is the quotation I have re-
ceived," said Special Agent Pritch-
ard, in describing the traffic. "The
drugs are then put out to interme-
dsn rsnn 81 con -, anI 4L4-N
men in turn sell the stuff to fiends
at prices which vary up to $3.50 an
ounce. The latter figure is reached
when the vendor becomes too greedy
and sells magnesia and milk, with a
small quantity of drug mixed in.
"The drugs which are being ped
died in Butte come in through Sweet
Grass, Great Falls and Helena, over
a regular route which has been es-
tablished," the special agent %contin-
ued. From Butte the route leads
to Boise, Idaho, and then to Salt
Lake, where a route from the South
connects. The drugs which are
brought in from the south cross the
Mexican line at Tia Juana and follow
a regular route to Salt Lake. The
ring of drug vendors travel over the
lines on regular schedules, similar to
those of travelling men, and carry
considerable quantities of the stuff
for distribution in the larger cities of
the west"
Posed as Drug Addict
Special Agent Pritchard has been
working in Butte for the last three
weeks, posing as a drug addict and
f~requenting the establishments where
drug vendors operate. During the
time he has worked there he has pur-
several hundred dollars
worth of cocaine, morphine and
opium, known in drug addict's par
lance as mud" he said. The drugs !
are to be used as evidence before the .
federal court. f,
"A1l drug fiends are friends" said :
the agent, "and when one drug user
meets another person whom he be- :
Iieves to be an addict he will cheer :
fully give you a line on where the {
stuff can be bought, especially if :
have money with which to buy. =
are invariably without money !
when the craving for the stuff :
becomes strong enough they will do =
anything for a shot even to stealing /.
he stuff from another user" 9
DR.. d. G. Bryant, arrested by De- g
,uty United States Marshal Croft, on :
warrant sworn to by Agent Prit- q
hard, was arraigned before United =
states Commissioner Van Etten and
,ound over to appear before the fed =
raj grand jury. Bonds were fixed .
" the commissioner in the sum of y
Il 900, which were furnished and u
he physician secured his liberty. He =
S charged with violation of the Har- =
ison drug act. u