The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1872-04-04
POISONED FLANNEL,
Vegetable Flannel aud It's xns.r,ens
EStsaGTS.

n Vegetable Flannel and its xnssr.ou
Effects.
A sult IS now penling in one Of the civ
courts Of Harrisburg, Penn, which ha
, brought to light some terrible secrets il
connection with the manufacture Of re,
, flannel. In order 10 save the establishment
of Rhees Il Howell from suspension. th+
former gentleman instituted new process:
In the manufacture of fl, nnels. lie frs
gained the consent of all the stockholders
TO run the establishment alone guarantee
ing them seven per cent. interest on their
shares. He then rcmoI Ie ed and otherwise
improged the machinery and buildings, but
even then did not succeed as well as ,eey-
pe"ted. lie then turned his attention to
the manufacture of flannel out Of vcgeta-
be fungus, which grew in large quantities
on the mil, pond connected with the prem
Ises, and succeeded, after numerous expert
ments, in producing an article that met
with extraordinary success.
This manufacture was continued for
E
tions with the stockholders for the purchase
Of the whole concern, when circumstance
was brought to light which ended dlsas-
trously for all concerned.
On the 18th of January, 1872, at ten in
the morning, Rhees came into the mill
Office looking considerably disturbed.
David Morgans, the manager Of the mill,
asked him what was the matter. He re-
Piled that his child, an infant less than
wear old, was very much complaining 1t
had seemed to be threatened with Group;
he had put a strip of flannel about ITS
throat; but in the night it had sudden at
tack of fever, with decided crimson erup-
! ton, and he had sent for the doctor, fear
ing it was scarletina. g But that Is not
the chief bother" said Rhees; 'see this.
And he opened medical journal published
in louisville, and pointed Morgans to an
article in it on a new disease just dlagnoS-
el there 1t was styled in th> article
"Mvcclloidal Dermestitis,' was said to be
a peculiar eruption. attended with great
irritation Of the skin, running an uncertain
course, complicated with cerebral symp-
toms more or less marked. and terminal
ing variously Cases were mentioned IN
which the eruption lasted weeks, and then
disappeared As suddenly as it came; others,
IN which the attack was so violent and the
result as Immediately fatal as in malignant
eryspelas. The disease WAS said to be
caused by wearing red flannel
Rhees said he didn't believe it was cau7-
ed by the flannel made by them, but Nor
gans went To his scrap book IN which ne
Ii d long col.mn IF newpGp p cApp ng'
enumcrating eases Of sickness anI death
from wearing red flannel, and none 0f them
were older than 1859, the year When tAeil
goods were first placed upon the market.
Rnees was thun nlcrst~4ck, ana he at once
ordered slc sale Of al the goods peremp:o
riy stopped. Rhecs then wc0t home
ana returning in about half aa hour a5kc1
, Murgans where that piece Of flannel came
from thar vas sent him ana wh:ca "a,
, pat upon his chill'5 meek. lie was tole
i that it Haa q piece Of the fungus tanne
, which Morgans Thought he wanted to ex
pertinent with. Rhces broke oat in tears
) ezclaining 80, Cod! I'm punished! In
par.isheI.'' T.
: a Telegram, was received at this mon:'n
stating that message arresting the snle o
the consignment Of the khces fabric ha'
arrived too late. and ihat the goods la,
, been sold and shipped to South America
l where they were to be made up INTO Uni
forms Cyr GEN. Ucrrara' amy.
Word now came to him that his chill
was dead, and Ehecs walked out Of tn
Office, saying as he went that he vas goin:
TO make rcparation to his wife and 70 all
: aud deliberately committed suicide, Ii
' body being found in the mill drain t"'
E days later The stockholders suspenae,
operations at the mill at once, sttachet
the property Of Rhees, AMI brought tn
: suis as above mentioned. The case vii
. come to trial as soon rs the messenger
e who have been DISPATCHED :}r Hitnesse
: from Gen. Herrera army shall have re
; turned.