FEMALE OPIUM SMOKERS IN PHILADELPHIA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 943, 15 May 1883, Page 2

FEMALE OPIUM SMOKERS IN PHILADELPHIA.

(“ PHILADELPHIA PRESS.”) I Mrs Kate Chisom is the proprietress of the only opium parlor ip this c|ty. She resides in a small, unpretending, brick house on Mount Vernon street A silver plate on. the door bears hef name, but there is no other indication that the house is inhabited. The green blinds are always kept closed, and the

door is only opened for the patrons of the: place/ who silently come -end go. Mrs Chisom is a pale, refined-looking *■ woman of about 35 years, and her appearance does not indicate a victim of the opium habit. As far as could be seen in a hasty inspection of. the three rooms on the first .floor, the interior of the house is furnished with a luxury rarely attempted in a house of' - the kind. The walls are rich in gilding and decoration; on ..the floors are heavy Turkish and Persian rugs, and statuettes, pictures, andi bric-a-brsfcare scattered about in every direction. “ The rooms used for smoking are upstairs,” said Mrs Chisbrb/ yeStferflay, ‘.Sdnd of course I cannot let you see them; but you can judge by these that no expense has been: spared in* fitting Up thei house. I came to Philadelphia on the I,sth pf. last February* and Tam quite satisfied that ! shall do very, well here. My custhraerfc are constantly increasing, and among them are some of the wealthiest ladies in the city- fe *M On being questioned about, her, antecedents, Mrs Chisom told.a story* of an adventurous careen , ■ ' “It was in New York • that'T'flrst learned to smoke 6pium,”’’she : I was taken by a iriend to;85 # opium parlor on Eighteenth, ,streef, kept .hy, a Frenchwoman called Madame Janlan.. Mansfield, Mpntaland,;and ious women were regular patrons iof the place. No , men were admitted, and the rooms were fitted up with Oriental luxury., I often remained theftyii week at"4-time without Seeihg fire’Outside world. ' Women • prominerit’ih %‘dohty ; ‘tamel there' also, 'blit’, ak dtufe, | hot smoke : rnbch; thmg/alohe seemed It soon became too expensive for me to continue to go there/-for her charges were enormous^About thjs idea of Having a place bf’my“owtt"suggested itself to4ne. : ‘-‘ I- Htra - of, friends, and motvey /enough"~lp?T to furnish a few room's. So l opened|an opium parlor ia Sixteetuh street * My place soon heCkniepbpuiar. Many of Madame Fanlan’s customers_ camt to 'me/ and mjP success Was : kf{SUr^d. nT> I would be' these* to-day had it not been for the treachery of one whoin; £ "befriended.”

“ Among 'the frequenters of- the Frenchwoman’s place was actress, then playing a leading pail: in one of the New jYork .theatres. She was very and quite the rage among the' gilded ‘ yodth whd ,:j; §fifect things, theatri&L ,Sbd came originally, I think, from Englahd. and of all the opium-lakers I had. ever .seen , slief was the worst. She was completely?infatuated with ity wheuevernhe could escape from her duties at the theatre she would .come to Madame Fanlan’s and smoke.. A short time after I had opehed'my place she came to me, broken in health, and in abject poverty. I pitied her, and ip.hk;h|rln, and gave heir a home, an ingrate, and I soon regretted my .kindness to her. In order. money, she informed. the faushandsTot some of my best patrons that their wives came to my house td smoke dpramiJ’fOi course this greatly injured’ihjrbusiness in New York, but it taught me : al'es&m I have not forgotten.” # Mrs Chisom claims that many of the frequenters of her place bn Mount Vernon street move in good society, and reside in the fashionable quarters_of the city, and she seems to consider'herself a public benefactress in offering retreat to women'victims of the opihm habit, Where they can indulge ik safety and comfort - '•