DRUG SLAVE’S DIARY

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1924, Page 3

DRUG SLAVE’S DIARY

STRUGGLE AYITII CRAYLVG. Remarkable 1 evelation- of theft ami forgery and an inisuece. 1 -.- fill struggle against »?ie. ing lor d'iiigsvnerp Do# tiling diary, oi 1 'Nki'cN 11• pj, ;#.vjalol JUtio-s' mi-'.b> pel IS an ex-host it :■ I litter,dani. ot 1 • i t-hVonlb. lie vas feu Dll ill JI-. stale of coma by detectives in a Liverpool j, 1- i ' t; ; | i. 111 -i'll ;oi 111 i I t"d eleven charge- of unlawfully procuring llilies of hypodermic tabloids containing iiini'; hiii.' sulphate Irmn various l.'i'erpool and Maneliesfnr chemists. It v. a - said that Lis -y-te:n v. a . a pp.uren tsoaked in drug-. His diary told [lie -u ry of his lile i rum ihe Dior he wn'cd in tile arm,'. In Imi iu until A pul if this year, and ini lulled t lie !n!|i.wing : "Ilmiihny i !u-1 Hal. Pim hed -leepiug .I I'a 11 eli' ft mil nb!e. Stub' overcoat Jew M Ir.i/.aar to git c.| ill 111 ; forced Hi)'s,.!i ill for corporal at bn-pind. and e 1 mi it’d ail the dupe [hero. I'niged ntc dootor at 1r:oi:i hospital for opium. I.a-t si ovi " flic Channel to demob. “I lave in ei'it it- t rid of the whole rullexii e-s. U( n-idcr Dial from ATil--1.0 and ensuing three weeks was taking

an average of four giain- pgr diem. So t'.i, J bar.' won ..mother week. 1 shall

»,e free from it at tile present rate oi I'eogross. Hurrah 1 April 1. 1923. Last injection 6.30 a.m. vesterdav. I'oeliug fairly well.

Api elite good. m> craving: only just a slight physical exhaustion. '“Monday.— Took I.loth. grain. Slept •veil, (.etting rid of the craving well and good'. Shows "ill power .stronger. Have had the opportunity for big doses, Jett retained control of myself. Monday evening.—Had only half an j, .motion to pr,o. e to mv-vlf T could say ‘No’ and mean it. My '.’ill power increased over 100 per emit., because 1 hail (he means to have a- big an inject inn as T wanted, hut had the. will p,,wer in refrain. In another week T hope to he quite tree trui’.; all traceof it.’’

The diary entries' dramatically ended. and Peters, when discovered by Dot-< tive-sergennt Barnes and Detective--•e:grant Seaton, had collapsed in an 1-,C chair. On a. dressing table in his room was found a box containing five moral tablets, and it was alleged he bad taken, twenty-five similar tablets within two days, although three "ere innsiilere.l a maximum “safe” dose. During his career since the war. acrording to the proseeutiou. he had been lio-airal ntti'iidant and 11 steward on various ships. Tie had obtained the (lings by representing himself ns a lnecli.a! practitioner, writing out prescriptions for drugs which ho stated were f.., r surgery use. On one occasion he dressed in a blue overcoat, and a naval

;il . i, after writiug cm an order 111 l'.ai in. repre.-eiiled himself to he “Surgenu-iiouti'nnut in the Royal N'avv. ailaeiu'd to 71.M.5. A’ivid.” Dctcrtive-sergeant Rarnes told the roupf that in 19(>o IVtei.s joined the R.A.M.C.. and was di-charged meilica!te unlit in 191-1. After going to sea, be joined the Royal Hampshire Rogi--11 e. 11 L. villi V, hi.'ll he served til! 1919. 11l -eiiteneiiig Peters, file stijauidiary ...pi ; -j eo’.i-iiler a nt.-in like you a danger to \otir-"!f am! to the eotmmt--11 it y.”