Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-03
Narcotics and Dope Addicts

When Z was in Atlanta last week
heard Of pitifuI case. A man,
less than thirty, had become so mis-
cradle and so crazy because he had
difficulty in getting the stuff that
he had been taking, that he begged
to be sent to prison, where he might
be locked up and saved from wild
insanity. AS there was absolutely
no crime or no minor offense charged
up against him, no warrant could be
legally issued to take him by law
to prison, and there could be moth
ing doing.
At last the poor creature secured
booze, gave or sold it in the presence
Of witnesses, and thus secured a
commitment to prison as bootleg
ger.
This was told me in Atlanta, but
as bad a case or worse was reliably
told me as occurring nearer my own
section of the country last year.
Two old women! or at least two
who had made themselves old by
dope drugs, were caught giving it
to others who had had more diff
Guilty in getting 1t illegally. They
were committed to prison by the
judge, and that prison was selected
in Leavenworth, hundreds of miles
distant. These women were so far
gone as addicts that there is no hope
Of restoring them to normal health
any more. They will die out in a
short time, whether they can secure
dope or whether without it.
The court order was issued to
carry them to LeavenWorth prison.
II am not sure whether this prison
is in Kansas or Missouri without
hunting the place on a map 1t Is
a big federal prison.
A deputy marshal was selected to
accompany them. He had to get
help to manage two half-crazed
women. His wife was employed by
the government TO go along, all eX-
penses paid by the federal officers,
and IS a day for her pay as to time.
The tickets for the four people,
the drawing room in Pullman,
three meals a day each for the four,
doubtless 81 apiece, and the long
trip, run-up the travel bill over sou
going only one way. The deputy
got his regular pay. Il had omltted
to mention it, as usual,
It seems to be impossible to find
a. place in Georgia where such adj
diets can be placed behind bars.
These victims must go hundreds
upon hundreds of miles to far
western state to be imprisoned. Dust
q few such trips as this one as was
described to me could build regu-
lar guard house adjacent to the At
lanta penitentiary as you will unr
derstand, dear reader) That west
ern climate in winter is simply
fierce; and those poor women-per-
haps imbecile in mental capacity
are transported such a distance
doubtless to die-in this exile as con-
yicts or from the cold.
Is it not enough to make one shud-
der at the thought What are our
lawmakers in the city of washington
worth to us when such waste of tax
money is joined to such propositions,
cruel and costly punishment, to be
inflicted hundreds of miles from
where these helpless addicts belong?
Why does not Georgia wake up?
A fearful tragedy occurred in New
York state only a few days ago,
where many maniacs were burned
UP, and the immense asylum entire
ly destroyed by fire. We are grave
ly informed that the insane asylum
at Milledgeville, Ca, is only such
another fire trap; and the place is
packed full of people who are gener-
ally made crazy by liquor or dope.
Oh, the horror of it!
1t is publicly stated and not de-
MED that there are a number of dopN
manufactures running on full time
in these United States, and making
tons of the dope every day. AS the
law is now strict as to making as
we'll as using narcotic drugs, this
dope is shipped outside in vessels of
high and low degree, and other ships