IN AMERICAN GAOL

Evening Star, Issue 18083, 26 September 1922, Page 8

IN AMERICAN GAOL

AUSTRALIAN DEPORTEE’S STORY. LIKE FIRST-CLASS HOTEL. A remarkable story of his experiences in American gaols was told (says the Sydney ‘ Sun ’) by Eric Harold M'Bride, who, with his young wife, was brought back to Melbourne recently on a charge of forging Commonwealth Peace Loan. stock. M'Bride, according to his story, was treated as an honored guest rather than a person suspected of breaking the law, and he and his wife called the house of detention “ Tho Palace.” The house cf detention to which they were sent at New Orleans is in one of the main streets of the city, and is surrounded by magnificent lawns and palms. At the special request of the judge, said M'Bride, he and his wife were given tho best possible treatment, and a rule was broken to enable them to occupy the same room. There were mosquito nets, a carpeted floor, electric light, radiator and griller, beds with spotless linen, washstands and mirrors, wardrobe, and hot and cold running water. “ Wo might have been living in a firstclass hotel, for the food supplied was particularly good, and just the samo as that supplied to the governor,” said M'Bride. “ Tho judge was just wonderful. He brought a well-known society woman to gaol to see ns, both entering our room laden with flowers, fruit, and literature.

“ A car was placed at our disposal three times a week, and one day the judge and the lady took us for a drive to the Mississippi River, and, having to return to the city, loft us there tor an hour, returning, and driving us back to our ‘ palace. We were allowed to come and go as we liked, attending pictures and theatres, and stropping, so long as we return at night.” When Mrs M'Brido’s baby was born she was taken to tho Presbyterian Hospital, where she stayed three weeks. Then she was sent by the judge to tho apartment house where they were living when they were arrested. Every day ice cream, fruit, and flowers were brought to her, while everything Imaginable for tho baby was provided. M'Bride was allowed to visit and stay with his wife every day. DREADFUL EFFECT OF DRUGS. M'Bride tells a startling story of tho effects of drags upon people brought to tho Detention House. They are known as “ addicts,” and each is allowed five grains of morphine daily. “ I have seen men brought in with scarcely a sound piece of flesh on their bodies, 1 ” said M'Bride. “ These people, when not possessing a syringe to inject the drug, would use a knife, a piece of glass, a safety pin, or a hatpin to tear their skin, applying tho drug to the wound. They were an abomination to look upon. Others were living skeletons, and sometimes when they cut themselves no blood would issue.' “ Many addicts would fall down, crying for drugs. They would beg, demand, and even pray to the keeper to get them a ‘ shot,’ us an injection with syringe is termed. “ The dope pedlar is tho man blamed for this horrible state of affairs. He smuggles drugs, principally from South America and Mexico. Money will buy any quantities of it.” M’Bride says that he could get whisky in ail tho principal restaurants in the cities visited. In New Orleans the police patrol waggon brought in about a dozen drunks daily. M'Bride and his wife were transferred from New Orleans to San Francisco on the way to Melbourne, and at ’Frisco again 1 they were treated with the utmost consideration. Here M'Bride came ino contact with hold-up men, gunmen, bronco steerers, bogus company promoters, and cheque experts. He was approached by some of tho “ smart guys ” under the impression that ho was one of the brotherhood from Australia, and given suggestions for “skinning tho boobs” for future use.