The New York herald., 1921-03-16
HE PLAYED HOCKEY
TO PEDDLE DOPE
Model Pupil Comes to Grief
When He Makes Sale to
a Detective.
LEADS COPS TO CACHE
Is Only One Of Many Boys
Lured by Profits Of Two Bits
on a Dollar 'Deck.'

Paul Sprofra, 10, curly haired and
good looking, and from 9 A. NJ to 3
P. M. every day until recently one of
the most attentive pupils in the GA
grade In Public School 70, was locked
up at Police Headquarters yesterday
afternoon on a charge Of Juvenile de-
linQuency.
About 4 o'clock Paul stood at the
entrance to Extra place, a blind alley
opening into First street and running
parallel between Bowery and Second
avenue. His school books were tucked
under his arm and everything con-
sidered he appeared TO be a model
school boy At various vantage points,
but where he couldn't see them, were
Detectives Kuhn, Meisenzahl and kir-
ley.
The detectives, watching carefully,
saw several youths walking up and
down Extra place go up to the boy,
converse with him briefly, pass some
thing to him and receive something
in return. They then disappeared
Detective Kuhn finally walked out
OF doorway and initiating the furtive
glances Of the youths who had spoken
TO Paul, walked UP to him himself.
Kid" said Kuhn, "sell me a deck.
will you? I'm dying for little Of the
stuff"
Sure" the detective said Paul re-
piled. "ItTl cost you buck"
And then. It is alleged Paul passed
over tiny paper package which he drew
from an inside pocket and accepted the
dollar proffercd by Kuhn.
"Go on--beat it out OF here" warned
the boy when Kuhn failed TO move on.
THE first thing you know both OF usll
be pinched."
Kuhn seized him by the arm and called
Meisenzahl and Kirley over from door
way across the alley.
You're pinched now" he told the boy,
and the patrol wagon was called and the
party started for Headquarters.
Those were the circumstances OF what
Kuhn and the others. all members Of
the narcotic squad. and Dr. Carleton
Simon. Its head, characterized last night
az one of the most remarkable arrests
made since the anti-drug campaign was
gotten under way. At Headquarters.
according to the police, Sprofra admitted
ceiling drugs-admitted he knew just
what was in the little paper packages
stuffed III his shirt when they caught
him.
"A fellow named Tony hired me-" the
detectives said he explained. He paid
/ sold FOR him.
A little more questioning elected the
information that Pauls hiding place for
his surplus stock was only few steps
from the corner where he was arrested
The detectives rode him over to Extra
place in the patrol once more and he
led them to his cache.
Up alleys and through passageways
until the turns and tangles bewildered
them. he took kirley. Meisonzahl and
Kuhn to a blind passage in the heart Of
one of the most crowded blocks on the
East Side. From a blank wall he pried
!. loose brick and then tcld them 70
reach inside the opening. From the
hole were taken forty decks Of drug and
several bottlesful.
Now you have everything" the boy
told them.
He was taken hack to Headquarters
and questioned further. He enlarged on
his story OF how he became identified
with the vending of habit forming drugs.
explaining, az the detectives related
the story, that II was the lure OF the
quarter reward for each sale that won
him over as one OF "Tony's" statesmen.
He talked with the utmost contempt for
addicts. whom he called "boobs." and
said he never used the drugs himself.
Finally the boy began to cry. lie ad-
mitted that at present he isn't in the
same high standing ne used TO enjoy a,
school and that recently nc has been
playing hockey. He told the detectives
too. that the principal OF the school, Or.
Buckley. promised TO push him ahead
and help him II he improved his at
tendance.
Paul was sent 10 the rooms of the
Children's Society for the night and to-
day will be arragned in the Chidrcn's
Court