Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-01
Lodges Charge Of Vagrancy
Against Himself and Goes
to Prison to Do Hardest
Kind of Work for 80 DAYS
BY ERNEST ROGERS

This is a story Of a man fighting
mans fight against the grimest
Of grim opponents-"dope."
Il is the story of a young man Of
once physical perfection who gave
way to the lure of the needle; prac-
tically enslaved himself for few
moments Of elation; and then came
to the realization that he was on the
wrong track-and decided to come
back"
The story was brought to light on
secluded record Of the criminal
court Of Atlanta. It Is hidden be-
hind a charge of "vagrancy" lodged
by the man against himself.
After consulting Solicitor Roy
Dorsey and discussing the situation,
the accusation was drawn and in
Judge Andy Calhoun's private office
the young man entered into pact
with a court Of justice, his own
courage and the high destinies to
restore himself.
Strangely enough, he once was a
prize fighter. He may have appeared
in q ring in Atlanta, at any rate
his name is well known in Miami,
Jacksonville and other southern
cities.
Slave to c"DOpe"
Judge" he told the court, "I have
been as splendid a physical speci-
men as you could find anywhere. I
was a fighter, a good fighter, and I
never took a mean advantage Of a
man. didn't always win; wasn't
that good, but I was always given
credit for putting up a clean, game
fight.
"Then T met one opponent who
knew no rules of sportsmanship, who
took every vantage-'morphia.
II took my first shot in a spirit
Of fun, but soon the stuff got grip
on me-a grip couldn't unloose. y
For four years I have been a
slave to the poison. I have spent
nights of agony and then a few
moments of relief. I have watched
the pills dissolve slowly in a little
warm water, nervouSly joyous at the
thought of the calm feeling that soon
would steal over me.
"But being fighting man I could
not see myself go to pieces in that
way. A few months ago I went
to a country estate where I worked
harder than any slave. I forced my
| weary feet to the field while my
red-hot nerves, scared by whole
| frame.
Through With Ring
1T gradually began to taper off
| until now nearly have the demon
| under control. I took a 'shot'-a
little one-just before I came here.
| 1t is just enough to last me until
can get to a train to Milledgeville.
| I want you to sentence me to the
state farm for thirty days where I
| can be given the hardest kind Of
physical labor.
II want to sweat this damned
stuff out of my system. I want to
free my body from those internal
things that cry, cry, cry for dope
and try to bend my will to theirs.
when I come back I want to
| visit you and look with clear eyes
into yours. I want to- work this
twitch out of my fingers. In short,
I want to come clean with myself
and be once more placed on my feet
| ready to combat life.
I'm through with the prize ring.
| There is certain excitement and
| glamor about it that fascinates me
but I want to go into business. I
want to make good. I'm going to
make good"
When the man had finished he
sank rather YEARLY into a nearby
chair. The pupils of his eyes were
contracted to needlepoint but there
was firm line around his chin that
even dope" could not erase.
Identity a Secret
Young fellow, I'm going to help
you all I can," Judge Calhoun said.
II like the way you have acted in
| this matter. You have come clean
| with yourself. You've had the nerve
to bring your secret to light. am
going to write out a thirty-day SEN
tence for you at the state farm. Go
down there and play the man."
The young man took the sentence
| and, acting as his own guard, board
ed a train for Milledgeville to sub
NIT himself to a month of gruelling
work-work that is calculated to
bring him back to normal.
What is his name? That Is i'm
material. He requested the court Of