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HARRY ANSLINGER'S GORE – WEST VIRGINIA
WEST VIRGINIA - TEMPORARY WEBSITE
– LOCATION OF FUTURE WEBSITE
Due to lack of material resources, at the present time we can only post this temporary website dealing with the STATE OF West Virginia during the Reefer Madness Era. It is our hope to have a full website for the state running sometime in the future. But (again) due to lack of resources this will be a long while. For now we hope that this quickie will be of some help to researchers into the era.
Name: Lewis P. Harris; - Location: - Martinsburg, W. Va. - Date: - Jan 4, 1938
What the Narc’s were claimingNEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS:
WEST VIRGINIA - 1937---WEST VIRGINIA---Lewis Harris, twenty-six, arrested for rape of a nine-year-old girl while under the influence of marihuana. – Survey Graphic (Magazine) April 1938
1937 Clarksburg, West Virginia - M 26 Negro arrested charge raping 9-year old girl. True bill by Grand Jury. - CLARKSBURG W. VA. October 1937. Lewis Harris, 26 years of age, was arrested for rape of 9-year-old girl while under the influence of marihuana. Arrested -- Article by James C. Munch; "UN Bulletin on Narcotics"-1966 Issue 2
1937 - L. Harris, - Clarksburg, W Va. - 26 - Negro arrested charge raping 9-yr. girl. True bill by grand jury. - Arrested - 6th conference report - INEOA 1965
CLARKSBURG W. VA. October 1937 Lewis Harris, 26 years of age, at arrested for rape of 9-year-old girl while under the influence of marihuana. -- MARIHUANA; The New Dangerous Drug (pamphlet) by Frederick T. Merrill 1950 version
In West Virginia, a young man was arrested for the rape of a nine year-old girl while under the influence of marijuana. -- FORUM AND CENTURY – Jan. 1939
Clarksburg, W. Va. 1937. Lewis H., twenty-six years of age, arrested for rape of nine-year-old girl while under the influence of marihuana. -The Traffic In Narcotics By H.J. Anslinger and William F. Tompkins 1953
In Clarksburg, West Virginia (where I once arrested a dope-peddling veterinarian) a young man is arrested for the rape of a nine-year-old child. ---- Narcotic Agent: by Maurice Helbrant (book) 1941
Martinsburg Journal [ ]—Oct 21, 1937 p1 – “8 to the Pen and 4 to Jail:
. . . . Escapes Death Penalty -- The next heavy penalty was imposed on Lewis Harris, Negro, pleading guilty to a criminal assault perpetrated on a young girl of his race. The indictment was so framed as to include both statutory and common law rape. Harris pleaded guilty to statutory rape and the prosecutor asked court to be merciful. Harris was given an indeterminate term of from 5-to-20 years in prison. Otherwise he was liable to life. Had a jury convicted him of common-law rape it would have meant death, unless there had been recommendation of mercy on the part of the jury.. . . .”
[ ]- Oct 19, 1937p7 – “Six [ ] for Felonies And 3 Cleared”
“. . . . Lewis Harris, Negro, charged with criminally assaulting a girl of his race under the age of 16 years, was also indicted for a felony. . . “
FACTS AS WE SEE THEM
Thanks to the West Virginia State Archival Library, we’ve been able to obtain the following:
-- FBI Report [FBI-1271326] on Lewis Harris
-- The Court Records on Lewis Harris
The Lewis Harris case, is probably Harry Anslinger’s most infamous West Virginia Gore File case. However, it also shows the problems researchers have just in physically locating many of Anslinger’s Gore File cases. We (this museum) spent numerous hours searching Clarksburg, W. Va., archives only to find out that the incident took place way on the other side of the state. Uggh!
Was this a bookkeepers error or a deliberate act of mischief on the part of the DEA (then known as the Federal Bureau of Narcotics)? An act designed to deliberately throw researchers off the trail? We will allow the reader to decide that one for themselves.
From the above FBI report it seems that Mr. Harris was not exactly the greatest example of good citizenship. And while there will always be those who will state that it was the Marihuana that made him do what he did. There are also numerous present day examples that serve to contradict this statement. According to the (present day) DEA approximately 6% of our population partakes of Cannabis either for recreational or medical reasons. So if Marihuana leads to rape, where are all the rapes? . . . shouldn’t there be thousands of reported cases coming in each and every day?
Name: William Aubrey Thompson / Mrs. Helen I. Poole (Victim); - Location: - Bluefield, West Virginia - Date: - Jan 26, 1953
What the Narc’s were claiming
1953 Bluefield, West Virginia - M 40 Attempted armed robbery Mrs. H. Poole; after seeing newspaper account, vaguely remembered it. -- Article by James C. Munch; "UN Bulletin on Narcotics"-1966 Issue 2
1953 - W. Thompson, - Bluefield, W. Va. M - 40 - Attempted armed robbery Mr. H. Poole, after seeing newspaper account, vaguely remembered it. - Arrested - 6th conference report - INEOA 1965
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS:
Washington post
[ Feb 26, 1953; pg. 25] - Man Surrenders In Cab Holdup
[ Mar 22, 1953 pg. M16] - Man Given 10 Years In Holdup of Hackie
[Key-finder - Case #46]
Name: Mexican Pete; - Location: - West Virginia - Date: - Nov 24, 1937
What the Narc’s were claiming
EVERETTVILLE, W. VA. - 1937 - Acting on information that Pete Lopez, alias Mexican Pete, was growing and selling marihuana in Everettville, W. Va., narcotic officers assisted by local officers made four purchases totaling 7 ounces 309 grains of marihuana from him and from a colored woman, Lucy Vaughn, then arrested Lopez and upon searching his house found and seized 15 pounds 8 ounces 120 grains of marihuana. It was found that he was growing the marihuana in a corn field near his cabin and 345 stalks, bare of leaves and seeds, were cut and burned. - Lopez, 37 years old, claimed to have smoked marihuana since he was about 10 years old. Investigation disclosed that he was engaged in illicit traffic in marihuana on a large scale solely for monetary gain. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 10 years in a Federal, prison. Lucy Vaughn was sentenced to 1 year in a county jail. -- The Traffic in Opium and Other Dangers Drugs (1937)
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS:
Monessen Daily Independent - Monessen, Pennsylvania
[S-Nov. 24, 1937 pg. 1] “Raised Marihuana” (Mexican Pete)
Name: Mexican Pete; - Location: - West Virginia - Date: - Date: 1953
What the Narc’s were claiming[Key-finder - Case #60]
West Virginia 1953 - M First violator Marihuana Tax Act for illegal possession, penitentiary W. Va. 10 years; released; felonious attack with hatchet. Re-arrested -- Article by James C. Munch; "UN Bulletin on Narcotics"-1966 Issue 2
1953 - P. Lopez - m - First violator Marihuana Tax Act for illegal possession, penitentiary W. Va. 10 years; released; felonious attack with hatchet. - Re-arrested -- 6th conference report - INEOA 1965
WEST VIRGINIA
THE UNSOLVED GORE FILE CASES
GANG RAPE OF MINOR
W. Va. - Negro raped a girl eight years of age. Two Negros took a girl fourteen years old and kept her for two days in a hut under the influence of marihuana. Upon recovery she was found to be suffering from syphilis. Before Jan 1937
West Va. -Negro raped a girl eight years of age. Two Negroes took a girl fourteen years old and kept her for two days in a hut under the influence of marihuana. Upon recovery she was found to be "suffering from" syphilis. ---1990- THE PROTECTORS - By John C. McWilliams
MUSEUM NEWSPAPER INDEX:
NOTE: NO, this index of (what may or may not be) Reefer Madness Newspaper articles is NOT COMPLETE and in fact is anything but. At best it should be thought of as a starting point for historical scholars doing research into the origin of the anti-Medical Cannabis laws.
Charleston Daily Mail - Charleston, West Virginia
[s]- June 08, 1920.pg. 7] “ Popular Idea of Dope Dreams is Shattered”
[s]- Mar 5, 1931 pp 7] “Use of New Drugs” (Wickersham commission)(Hobson)
[s]-Dec. 19, 1932 pg. 6] “As the World Wags – [N.W.R.]
[s]- Aug. 18, 1933 pg. 8] “Trails on Broadway” – short about harlem
[s]- Mar 13, 1935 pp6 ] “Questions Answered” [NWR]
[s]- Oct 8, 1936 pp8 ]”As the world Wags” [NWR]
[s]- Sunday, Oct. 11, 1936 ] “Don’t Be a Mugglehead” Sunday magazine – MUST READING
[s]- Jan 20, 1937 pg.1] “Officer Shot; Hunt Prisoner” (gore file)
[s]- Jan 21, 1937 pg. 16] “Denies Killing of Policeman” Gore file case
[s]- Jan 22, 1937.pg. 4] “Gets Life Term” Gore File
[s]- June 15, 1937 pg. 7] “House Approves Curb on sale of marihuana” [N.W.R.]
[s]- Oct 10, 1937 p9 - “Lyrie to Show Picture Dealing With Drugs”
[s]- Nov 11, 1937 p2 - “Pair Pleads Guilty in Marijuana Sale” [Gore File, Mexican Pete]
[s]- Nov 23, 1937 p4 - Terms Given Pair In Marihuana Sale” [Gore File, Mexican Pete]
[s]- Dec 1, 1937 pg 14 “Marihuana Sales Laid to Quartet”
[s]- Dec 19, 1952 ] “As the World Wags”
Farmer’s Advocate - Charles Town, West Virginia
[s]- Nov 26, 1937 pg 4 - “Heavy Sentences Imposed” [Gore File Mexican Pete]
[s]- June 2, 1939 pg 1 - “Police chief Lands dope Salesman
[s]- June 30, 1939 pg 5 - “To Whom It May concern” [Drug forfeiture Asset]
Spirit of Jefferson -Charles Town, West Virginia
[s]- May 31, 1939 pg 1 - “Chief Ambrose Captures Alleged Dope Peddler”
[s]- Aug 23, 1939 pg 5 - “
A WEST VIRGINIA WEBSITE COMING -- ONE OF THESE DAYS:
We wish that we had the ability to run a complete website on this state at this time, but due to limited resources, this is not a possibility at this time. For now, we hope that this partial material will be of some help to students of the Reefer Madness Era. ---- (Hint) if you make a financial donation to the museum it might help to speed things up a bit.
WANT TO KNOW MORE:
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Due to space / download time considerations, only selected materials are displayed. If you would like to obtain more information, feel free to contact the museum. All our material is available (at cost) on CD-Rom format.
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