Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-04
NO. 80.
POISONED FLANNEL.

A suit Is now pending in one of the civil
courts of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which
has brought to light some terrible secrets
in connection with the manufacture of red
flannel. In order to save the establish
ment of Rhees & Howell from suspension
the former gentleman instituted new
process in the manufacture of Aannels.
lie first gained the consent of all the stock
holders to run the establishment alone,
guaranteeing them seven per cent. interest
on their shares. He then remodelled and
otherwise improved the machinery and
buildings, but even then did not succeed
as well as he expected. He then turned
his attention to the manufacture of flannel
out of vegetable fungus which grew in
large quantities on the mill pond connect
ed with the premises, and succeeded after
numerous experiments in producing an
article that met with extraordinary sue
cess.
This manufacture was continued for
about two years, and so elated was he
over his success that he entered into nego-
tiations with the stockholders for the pur-
chase of the whole concern, when q cir.
cumstance was brought to light which
ended disastrously for all concerned.
On the 9th Of January, 1872, at 10 in
the morning, Rhees came into the mill
office, looking considerably disturbed.
David Norgans, the manager of the mill,
asked him what was the matter. He re-
piled that his child, an infant less than
year old, was very much complaining.
1t had seemed to be threatened with
Group; he had put strip of flannel about
its throat; but in the night it had had .
sudden attack of fever, with . decided
crimson eruption, and he had sent for the
doctor, fearing it was scarlatina. "But
that is not the chief bother" said Rhees;
'see this" And he opened q medical
journal published in Louisville, and point
ed Morgans to an article in it on . new
styled in the article "Mycellodal Dermes-
attended with great irritation of the skin,
running an uncertain course, complicated
with cerebral symptoms more or less
marked, and terminating variously. Cases
are mentioned in which the eruption last
ed for weeks, and then disappeared a.
suddenly as it came; others in which the
attack was as violent and the result as Inn
mediately fatal as in malignant erysipe-
las. The disease was said to be caused
by wearing red flannel
Rhees said he didn't believe it was
caused by the flannel made by them, but
Morgans went to his desk and produced .
scrap book in which he had a long column
of newspaper clippings enumerating cases
of sickness and death from wearing red
flannel, and none of them were older than
1869, the year when their goods were first
placed upon the market.
Rhees was thunderstruck, and he at
once ordered the sale Of all goods peremp-
torily stopped. Rhecs then went home and
returning in about half an hour asked
Morgans where that piece of flannel
came from that was sent him and whhic
he had put upon his child's neck. He
was told that it was piece of the fungus
flannel which Morgans thought he wanted
to experiment with. Rhees broke out
in tears, exclaiming, 20 God I'm pun
ished I'm punished !"
A telegram was received at this mo-
ment stating that the message arresting the
sale Of the consignment of the Rhees fab
ric had arrived too late, and that the
goods had been sold and shipped to South
America, where they had been made up
into uniforms for Gen. Herrara's army.
Word now came to him that his child
was dead, and Rhees walked out Of the
office saying as he went that he was going
to make reparation to his wife and to all,
and deliberately committed suicide, his
body being found in the milk-drain two
days later. The stockholders suspended
operations at the mill at once, attached
the property of Rhees, and brought suit
as above mentioned. The case will come
to trial as soon as the messengers who
have been despatched for witnesses from
Gen. Herrara's army shall have returned.
NeWark Courier.