WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC

Otago Witness, Issue 3117, 10 December 1913, Page 27

WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC

NEW YORK, December 7. Lurid revelations with regard to 'the white slave methods are expected at New York, following the arrest of Armand Megaro, a young South American chemist’s assistant, who is charged with administering a drug with a hypodermic syringe to Mrs Marjorie Graff, who was married a fortnight previously to a Newark civil engineer. The woman was sitting in a box at a New Jersey Kinematograph Theatre, and Megaro took a seat alongside her. Suddenly she felt a sharp prick on the arm, and immediately became numb. She managed to retain her senses until she had staggered to the dressing-room and informed the attendants. She then collapsed, but recovered shortly afterwards and led the police to the box where Megaro was still sitting. Accused was arrested, strongly protesting his innocence. He was released on bail of £4OOO. The police believe that the arrest will clear up numerous mysterious disappearances of young girls. A similar case was recorded with regard to a girl who was drinking ice cream and soda. Two men were seated alongside her and injected a drug. The girl retained her senses sufficiently to call the attendants. The men claimed relationship with the girl. Being suspicious, the attendants called in the police, but the men disappeared. The poison used is possibly eurari, producing vertigo and drowsiness. The cases principally occur in darkened kinematograph theatres, the girls being kidnapped and removed to South American vice haunts.