The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-05-08
TRIAL
Government Agents Make
Roundup In District-Seize
Quantities Of Drugs.

the last twelve months on charges
of using or selling "dope," in
Washington, not one has been
brought to trial.
The agent said he has been oper-
ating in Washington about . year,
but not one Of the cases OF which
he has personal knowledge has been
brought to the attention Of the
courts.
Many OF them are at liberty be-
cause they furnished bonds. and
some are in jail awaiting trial.
One colored woman who was ar
rested on the charge of selling
cocaine and morphine on March Is
and again on April 8 is at large
She furnished total Of $4,000 bont
AGENTS MAKE ROUNDUP.
From February l to March Is. Gov
eminent agents made an intensive
drive against the dope" vendsrs
Fifteen additional agents were sent
here from other cities the latter part
of January and they Immediately set
to work collecting evidence In con-
nection with the transactions of -he
dope" ring. Since that time every
vendor OF cocaine. heroin, or NOR
phine has become known to the Gov
eminent men,.
Internal evenue Agent 8. L. Raku-
sin, Detective Sergeants Evans and
Sanders and various members of the
police precincts have rounded up
twenty five offenders since the iov-
eminent men came here and sifted
out the vioiators of the Harrison act
Among the men arrested recently were
four Chinese who were charged with
using or making opium. One OF the
Orientals, seventy-two years old, was
found to have an apparatus for max
ing a large supply OF the dope" and
a large quantity OF the ingredients
that enter into the manufacture of q.
Amusement has often been ex-
pressed ut the exorbitant prices
charged by the liquor bootleggers.
but they are far behind when com.
pared with the dope" peddlera At
current quotations dope" IL being
sold at about $14 an ounce to legiti-
mate dealers. The illegitimate ven
ders receive from 5000 to $500 an
ounce The price varies with the
means OF the addict. IL he, or she.
| is sufficiently wealthy to purchase
| large quantity of the dope" he gets
1t cheaper. But in cases where ad-
diets are only able to pay for a
shot" the ounce Is usually measured
out to realize about $500. 1t should
be borne In mind. however. that the
dope" peddlers themselves do not
pay such a small sum as do the
' legitimate dealers. They obtain II
F., from persons who are iaw-breskers
\ and the latter must be paid hand
somely for the risk they run.
Cocaine, heroin. morphia and opium
worth Thousands of dollars have been
| seized In the District since the drive
month ago. Al vendors prices the
| dope" IL. of course, worth many
more thousands of dollars. In addi-
ton, hypodermic needles. scales, and
other paraphernaiia were seized.
The vendors are encountered most
! ly among the colored people in the
southwest section. but a few have
been discovered at a hotel in the bust
LESS section Of the city. Sylvia Rob-
inson, colored, 81 Main avenue south
west, was arrested on March is and
Ter stock seized. Twenty -one days
L. ter she was again trapped. She
may be back at her trade again for
al. we know" Government man
said, but we can't catch her"
SEEK OPIUM RING.
The source Of supply is the out
standing and most aggravating
| Phase of the dope" situation. II ia
known that racetrack men have easy
access to certain kinds OF the stun
and some of 1t may be brought into
the District by followers Of the track
Who visit Maryland courses. Scamen
rave been discovered with quantities
OF 1t, and dishonest employees OF whole
| sale drug houses have been caught
| pcddling IL. But no doubt exists that
there Is a ring" which has it's ellen
t,le in the East.
In regard to the drug habit. es.
pecislly where the colored population
| is involved, there is a serious psych
illogical phase that should be borne IN
mind A few craxed individuals oil
dark hue could possibly be RESPONSE
BILE for a race riot or some otheI
eruption that would seriously en-
danger life and property.
| The police OF the large cities have
learned that prior 20 jewelr,
window-smashing expedition. tho
bandits operating in the east usually
administer a shot" Ordinarily the,
would not have the courage to stea
a family wash in the dark.
Government officials and the loca
police are confident that a clean uI
of the addicts and peddlers OF tn.
various drugs win be made in a shor,
| time