"DOPE" TRAFFIC

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14536, 7 December 1920, Page 3

"DOPE" TRAFFIC

ALLEGED CONSPIRACY. Three young women have been arrested and charged before the Marylebone magistrate with having been in possession of cocaine. Dorothy Gunn (22), married, ot Park Road, Regent's Park, and Alice Raichleir (32), a domestic at 7, Great Woodstock Street, were charged in respect of one packet, but the alleged offences were all associated with the house in Great Woodstock Street, W. Gunn, when arrested, was slated to have said: "I have only been to 7, Great Woodstock Street, twice before for this stuff. I saw the woman who lives there tfn Piccadilly about a week ago. We were talking about cocaine, and she told me that if i wanted any she could get some for me. She gave me her address and told me to give three taps at the door when I called." , "Five Shillings a Packet." Raichleir said she had been living at 7, Great Woodstock Street, as a help to a woman and her husband. When they went out the man used to leave out several packets of cocaine, which she was to sell to anybody who called, at 5s a packet, if she was satisfied with ihem. As to the arrest of McMahon, Detective Alfred Shipley stated that he went with Detective Bauin to 7, Great Woodstock Street, and having knocked at the door for fully 15 minutes without getting an answer, they gained admittance by climbing through a back window. Going to the bedroom, they found McMahon in bed with a baby. The baby was wide awake, but fully five minutes elapsed before they could arouse the accused. He then asked her what she was doing there. "I am living here," she replied, "and looking after the flat for Mr and Mrs Russell." On a table by the side of the bed was a small leather bag, inside which he found a small packet of cocaine. Prisoner fin a foreign accent): No, it was powder. Story of Conspiracy. She admitted that the bag was hers, said the detective, b.ut said she found the powder in the fiat. "Frank," she said, "gets all the dope, and he and Tootic sell it." On the way to the police station she added: "1 will bo frank with you. It is cocaine." The Magistrate: What is this address in Great Woodstock Street? —It is where the Russells, Ihe people who arc dealing in this sort of stuff, used to live.

As far as you know, had this young' woman anything to do with dealing In it? —I believe she was dealing in it in conjunetion with the girl Russell. But not as principal? We have not quite ascertained yet. McMahon denied that she dealt in It, and said she was British by marriage. She was remanded, and on her applying for bail, Detective-Inspector Page mentioned that since the Russells had absconded from their furnished flat in Great Woodstock Street. McMahon had gone to live there, she having been turned out of her lodgings.

The Inspector added that there was a conspiracy between the accused and the Russells to get cocaine and sell it to women, and he had reason to believe she had been dealing with it at her former address. An opium pipe was also seized by the police. Accused were severally remanded, to be brought up again together.