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DURING THE REEFER MADNESS ERA
ROLAND J. LINDSAY
Oct 9, 1941
In re: -- Roland J. Lindsay
Dr. A.G. Harrison
Clinteal Director
Maryland State Hospital
Crowasville, Maryland
Sir;
Mrs. Baldwin of this office telephoned you under even date with respect to the above-captioned individual.
For the completion of my files, I would appreciate being furnished with a statement from you as to what your records disclose concerning this man; i.e. dates of admission and discharge, diagnosis of the patient upon admission, age, description and any information or facts which may be pertinent to this Bureau in connection with narcotics or marihuana.
For your use in replying, I am attaching a self-addressed, stamped envelope with a special delivery stamp so that if possible your reply may be expedited.
Respectfully,
B.M. Martin
District Supervisor
CROWNSVILLE STATE HOSPITAL
CROWNSVILLE, MD.
Dr. Robert P. Winterode, Supt.
Telephone. South Shore 2751
October 10th, 1941
Mr. B.M. Martin,
District Supervisor,
Bureau of Narcotics,
Baltimore, Maryland
Re: Roland J. Lindsay
Dear Mr. Martin:
Replying to your inquiry of recent date, wish to advise you Roland J. Lindsay, colored, age, 23, was admitted to the Crownsville State Hospital on January 30th, 1941 and was paroled on February 18th, 1941. A diagnosis of Psychosis due to drugs or other exogenous poisons (marihuana) was made. Patient stated that he smoked “Reefers” but that they were given to him and that he did not buy them.
Our original file in this case is at present with the District Attorney of the District Court in Washington, D.C.
Very truly yours,
Robert P. Winterode, M.D.
Superintendent
Treasury Department
Bureau of Narcotics
Baltimore, Md.
Office of District Supervisor
District No. 5
States of Maryland Virginia
West Virginia, District of Columbia
And North Carolina
October 11, 1941
In re: Roland J. Lindsay
Mr. H. J. Anslinger,
Commissioner of Narcotics,
Washington, D.C.
Sir:
In furtherance of telephone call from Miss Renfrew of the Bureau under date of October 9, 1941, and in reply to my inquiry of the4 Maryland State Hospital, Crownsville, Maryland, I have now received a letter from Robert P. Winterode, Superintendent of that insitution(sic), concerning the above individual.
For the completion of the records, I am forwarding herewith the original copy of Dr. Winterode’s letter from which it will be noted he advises that diagnosis of Roland J. Lindsay upon admission to the State hospital on January 39. 1941 was “Psychosis due to durgs or other exogenous poisons (marihuana)”; that Lindsay stated he smoked “Reefers” which had been given to him and that he did not buy them.
Photostatic copy of this letter is being retained in this office.
Respectfully,
B.M. Martin,
District Supervisor.
Oct 17, 1941
Memorandum for the Commissioner:
Narcotic Agent Talent telephone and said he had just completed marking arrangements with Superintendent Reeves of the jail, to permit him (Talent) to interview the prisoner Lindsey tomorrow morning at 10:30.
em
cc- JR
Treasury Department
Bureau of Narcotics
Baltimore, Md.
Office of District Supervisor
District No. 5
States of Maryland Virginia
West Virginia, District of Columbia
And North Carolina
Washington, D.C.
October 27, 1941
MEMORANDUM TO: Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger,
FROM: Narcotic Agent, Terry A. Talent,
SUBJECT: Roland J. Lindsay
Reference is made to your recent request that the above subject be interviewed regarding his statement that he had smoked Marihuana in January, 1941, in Baltimore, Maryland. Lindsay made this statement from the witness stand during his recent trial on rape and assault charges in Washington, D.C.
In this connection, on October 18, 1941, Narcotic Agent John D. Brennan and the writer conferred with Richard R. Atkinson, one of the colored attorneys who represented Lindsay during the recent trial. Atkinson informed us that he “seriously doubted: the statement by Lindsay that he, Lindsay, “believed” he had smoked a couple of Marihuana cigarettes and had gone into a daze”. Atkinson stated that he had gone into this matter very thoroughly since the defense would have benefited from any showing that the defendant was addicted to Marihuana; further that Lindsay could not even remember whether it was a man or a woman who had given him the cigarettes which he said he “thought” might be Marihuana. Attorney Atkinson also said, “confidentially, I think that the officials at the institution were Lindsay was confined in Maryland, (Crownsville, Maryland) took Lindsay’s word for it that he had been smoking Marihuana”, “You gentlemen know what sort of an examination they would give a colored man there”.
It is my opinion that attorney Atkinson was very fair in this matter and that his statements to Agent Brennan and myself were true. It is obvious that Mr. Atkinson would have made the most of any substantial proof that Lindsay was a user of Marihuana since it was the contention of the defense throughout the trial that Lindsay was far from a normal person.
Respectfully
Terry A. Talent,
Narcotic Agent
To: Mr. Anslinger
Mr. Talent is going to talk to Lindsay tomorrow. Do you have any suggestions as to what he should ask him, etc?
[Museum Note -- No record of Lindsay being executed exists. ]
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