The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-18
SIX ARE ARRESTED
Two Topeka Physicians Held in
Dope Clean Up Campaign.
Officers Find 1,175 Grains of
Morphine and Cocaine.

Six persons, including two physi-
clans, are now under arrest charged
with being dope peddlers as the result
Of the war on narcotics being waged
by federal and local officers in To
peka- Several others are being held
as witnesses.
DR.. NJ. A. Willard, of North Topeka,
and DIR. J. L. Ransom, local negro
physician. were arrested Friday night
after both had sold morphine to gov
eminent informers, officers SAID
Helen Anderson, ia North Van Buren,
street, and Emma Brantley, 1873 North
Monroe street. both negro women,
were also arrested and charged with
selling narcotics. The officers found
1.175 grains of morphine and cocaine
belonging to Jay Berson, travelling
peddier, arrested Wednesday by De
tective Clarence Bundy. after he had
confessed to checking the stuff at the
check stand at the Santa Fe depot.
Drug Addicts Leave Town.
\ general exodus of drug addicts
from the city is now taking place, &C
cording to w. J. Spillard and Philhp
Ahearn, government officers who are
co-oDerating with the police in the
campaign. Addicts told government
informers. it was said. that it would
he at least a year before normal con-
ditions prevail again in the dope world
here.
Doctor Ransom purchased l:5Sl
grains OF morphine and Doctor Mil
lard 500 grains during the last year
according to information In the hands
q government officials. Spillard said
today He declared the average lesft-
innate amount of morphine used by
The average practitioner rarely eX-
cced5 twenty grains a year. 1t Will be
UP to the Topeka physicians to eX-
plain what they used the surplus for,
ST. Hard declared.
Physicians buy morphine in the
legitimate course of business for about
IS an ounce, it was said. The bootleg
rate is $40 an ounce wholesale and
from 81 to $3.50 a grain retail. At
retail bootleg rates the value of the
lurphine the two physicians are al
+, ged to have purchased during the
asst year would be between $2,3Sl and
So 500.
Officers said BeEson, the white man
who was arrested and whose confess
SION resulted in the finding of 1,175
grains Of morphine and cocaine at the
Santa Fe Friday night. told officers
that he had come to Topeka with the
intention of cleaning up $1,000 here
with the narcotics in his possession.
Berson was exceedingly unfortunate In
coming to Topeka for the first time
in his life at the very moment when
the campaign against narcotics was in
full swing here.
nave Il DIG NeAAAAis
The authorities regard Berson as
big catch" They declare that papers
found in his luggage, together with
his own confession. link him up with
a great chain of dope peddlers in the
middle west which government au-
thorities are now endeavoring to break
no. Berson said he worked out OF
Wichita and made several Kansas
towns. He will be arraigned Monday
before the United States commissioner.
The narcotics belonging to Berson
and those found at Steve Proudy's
restaurant, on East First street.
Thursday night. together with smaller
lots that have been found by the Of
ficerE; total about 2,400 grains or
about $4,000 worth at bootleg rates.
Spillard declared today that about
33lh per cent Of the worlds produc-
ton of opium is consumed in the
United States. 1t is estimated, he said.
that only 5 per cent of the opium i'm
ported into This country is used for
legitimate medical purposes. Morphine
is a derivative of opium.
The word lad gone out, according
to Spillard, that Topeka was good
town" in the narcotic sense and many
addicts. he says, came here from Kan
sas City when / war on the drug was
instituted there. Topeka and Kansas
City have both been distributing cen
ters for the traffic he said.