Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1945-07-19
Drive on 'Reefer
Ring Is Getting
Amazing Results
Large Army of Marijuana
Addicts Spurs officials
To Fight Gang.


CHICAGO. = Faced with an ever
increasing army Of marijuana ad-
diets, u. S. narcotic authorities have
launched nationwide drive against
the crime melting assassin of
youth" and immediate results have
been spectacular
In New York federal grand jury
has indicted six persons, three of
them women, as members Of ma
tion-wide 'reefer ring" with ST.
900. 00O-a-year turnover, says the Chi
cago Herald-American.
In Beverly Hills, aristocratic Los
Angles suburb, police swooped down
on midnight apartment party. con-
fscated enough "reefers" or mari
iuana cigarets to put 20 people in a
trance and arrested a Hollywood
stunt actor and young movie star
let guest.
Later. they picked up 19-year-
old dentists assistant, a dance band
drummer, and girl singer all on
charges Of dalliance with the
dream weed"
A grand jury inquiry was
launched after the dentists assist
ant, Miss Norma Jean GRAPHICAL. 10.
told of using a 16-year-old high
school boy as her aid in peddling
"reefers" to teen-age addicts.
Declaring that the vice is rampant
among adolescents. Miss GRAPHICAL
said:
Most of the kids start using the
stuff about the same. way l did.
They get thrill crazy. and they start
jitterbugging and staying out nights.
Pretty soon some kid in the crowd
brings some of the smokes and
then you're off.
How They Work 1t.
IF you don't smoke some Of IL,
the other kids think you're jerk.
You buy 1t from the person in your
own crowd who is your contact. In
every juvenile crowd there's at least
one person who knows where to buy
the stuff.
I've seen two people 60 so crazy
from marijuana they had to be
locked up. One, boy, 10 years old,
is in a hospital for the insane now,
and the other, a man Of %, Is in
Jail"
In recognition Of her aid to au-
thorities. Miss GRAPHICAL was let off
with 80 days in jail for possession Of
narcotics. W
Also taken into custody and ques-
toned in the drive were Ruel Tay-
lor, stunt actor; Lorna Gray, screen
starlet; LA Ellen Tins, rs, profess
sional singer, and Robert Paul
Hughes, dance band drummer
Miss Gray was released after Tay-
Tor had assumed responsibility for
the ''reefers" in his apartment.
In the course of the inquiry.
police discovered marljuana grow
ing in the Victory garden Of public
school.
Shows Increase.
According to Elmer L. Trey. CO.
ordinator Of U. S. treasury enforce
ment agencies, marijuana addiction
showed considerable increase dur
ing 1914.
The focal point Of the traffic. he
declared, seems to be New York City.
No sooner is one gang there stamped
out than another springs UP. The con-
spirators. he added, are well financed
and apparently have national and
international affiliations.
Meanwhile, federal agents contin-
ued seeking man said to be the
master mind of the nationwide
syndicate whose alleged members
are under indictment in New York
City.
Information obtained in the inves-
tigation by u. S. Attorney John F. X.
McGohey's Office in New York points
to well organized ring Of REFER"
peddlers operating in large cities.
The main supply of the drug is be-
lieved to have been cut of. through
the discovery Of a farm near
Chaffee, Mo. There, according to
McGohey, Robert, Williams, and his
wife, Elda. grew the weed for dis
frih,,ffa,, Hx, okh... - Al =