The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-29
MYSTERIOUS POISONING IBROOKLY1
A Family Of Eleven Persons Taken
Suddenly Ill.
DEATH OF ONE OF THE SUFFERERS.
THEORIES OF THE DOCTORS.

A singular case Of poisoning was reported to the
health authorities yesterday In Brooklyn, q famuy
OF eleven persons having been taken suddenly III,
with pains IN the head and stomach, vomiting &C..
aud all naturally attributed their sickness 70 some.
thing they had eaten or drank at their supper on
Wednesday night. One OF the unfortunate suffer.
ers an elderly maiden, was
FOUND DEAD IN HER ROOM.
This sad affair occurred &c the residence OF Colo
nell. q. Jack, lawyer. al l96 Raymond street.
There were eleven persons In the house, four OF
whom were boarders, and the others consisting OF
the Colonel, his vile and family. Alth0ugn the
family or some OF them, at least were taken
Ill few hours after eating supper, physician was
not summoned until yesterday morning, at which
time every member OF the household was pros
trated and had suffered most intense agony fol
some hours. They were Of the opinion 1T drst tnst
they mad merely eaten something which mad not
agreed with them and they would soon recover
from Inc effects; but wnen 1t was discovered that
one OF their number mad expired In the night they
became ~
GREATLY TERRIFIED
and lost no time in calling medical aid.
Mrs. JACK says her family and the ooarders in the
house were a. supper. Ali were IN good health at
tnat hour. No Complaint was made ny any ono
up to the hour they separated ana retired for the
night. winch was about nall-pasr ten O'Clock.
Shortly after she was about reLlring TO bed, when
she neari u knoeE al her door. sue opened H. aud
a lazy D0arder t0ttered into the room. SINKING on
the bed she exclaimed, ION, Mrs. Jack, Pun so
SICK p Mrs. Jack immediately busled herself to
lleve the sufferer; but wni.e 80 engaged she was
racked ner wn0le frame. With scarcely strength
enough 10 stand, she managed to sagger out INTO
the nail anu lntO the room VI one OF ner sons. he
was ia bed, out tossing around as II III bodily
agony. The unusual noise tnus caused at late
AwOKE EVERY ONE IN THE HOUSE,
and all sprang from Their beds, only 70 ma tnas
they, toe, were ailctel with the same indescriDa-
bic, poignant pains. 1t soon became apparent mat
the entire household was prostrateu with some
unaccouutable illness Several q those whose paips
were less severe Went back 10 their beds and rested
until morning. The suffering vi the others preciuded
sleep anu they remained awake throughout tue ngn
The pains seemed principally AFFECT the head aud
stomach, producing violent humping sensation
IN the former. Several were also taken WIN severe
quaimS the stomach, causing cOplous retchlng
Yesterday morning ali the inmates o the house were
gathered tosener with the exception Vi one. Tais
Was an elderly lady named Miss Norton, one OF the
Doarders. Mrs. Jack told one OF her sons 10
go UP Stars anu awake her. 1t was naturally sup.
posed thai sac had escaped the general anlctiOn.
she MOI having been seen durlng the night Inc
young man Went up stairs ana KNOCKED AZ the door.
raining TO get u response, he summoned the other
inmates, when they forced open the door. They
found the old lady. as above stated. lying with
HER FACE DOWNwARD AND LiFELRSS.
On the forehead was Dlood-s.ained bruise, IN all
probability sustained in the all. The theory is that
tacKeu by the same pains whcn the others were
suffering, and Deing taAen suddenly Ill, sue WAS
was PROBABLY conducive IN a great measure to her
death. AT ten O'Clock the most OF Inc inmates were
feeling better the acu,eness OF their suherings be-
Ing SO lar ame1orated as to enable them 10 move
ABOUT the house. one young lady was confined 10
her room, her case seemingly being more severe
THE POISON.
DR.. Newcomb. the fanny physician, said the
symptoms ouid lndlcae that the iamuy nad been
poisoned. Tue only thing that would Justify this
view OF the mater would be In ascertalning wnat
POISONOUS substance Was contained IN tue 1000
which was eaten at supper. have not analysed
any OF 1t, but tasted the lea.
z. DID you hnd anything peculiar about the
tastey A. IL didn't taste like ordinary tea, but there
was a certain pungency in the taste which lneser
q You are not, then, prepared to state. from the
symptoms you nave seen, taat II was d poisoning
aso they a% ons nS is @
OF the detective furnace pipes, which led TO the es-
Inc eject OF this gas upon the system would pro-
duce similar symptoms 10 what nave seen exntD-
ited-v Olent heauaches ana prOfuse vomiting.
This might nave been the cause OF 1t or 1t might
have been POISONING IL Ii Tor the p0st-nortem ex-
ned TO unravel lie mystery. Ali that they Know Is
tnat they were ali taken with these peculiar sensar
lions OF pain ana weakness within an hours time.
TIE COOK DISAPPEARS.
Mrs. Jack went down Into the basement at an
early nOur IN the morning, and, TO ner surprise.
found the COOK with ner wearing apparel bunuled
up and aoOut leaving the house. AIRS. Jack asked
her where she was gong to. The COOK repned,
somewhat sauchy, that "she wasn't going 10 ole
along with the rest OF them" and then walked out
Of the door before her mistress could fairly recover
from her astonisnment The COOK had only been
employed IN the house three days.
The family are al loss whether to suspect her OF
the poisoning. Sne had been kindly treated during
her short stay and Is not known what object she
would have In the preparation OF sucn deed.
COLONEL JACK
was not able to leave his room until twelve O'CLOCK
lie IS an elderly man oil ABOUT sxty-nve years,
with slvery locks and whisAers OF slight build and
OF somewhat enfaclated features, heightened 70
some extent by present suffering HIS forenead
was bandaeed, and ne looked altogether very III.
In answer TO question ne sald-"it looks very
much TO me as II we mad been all poisoned by some
inin- IN the Iood or drink winch we partook OF lass
nignt.p ele3
q. Do you suspect the cook at all9
Colonel Jack-We, 1 can't exactly say Het
sudden departure was rather unaccou1taOle; Out
she might nave been frightened OH, thinking tnls
the family were victims OF some contagious disease.
We mad nothing out Of the way for sdpper-notnln8
when In itself could 90 us any HARM
The Colonel did not tnlnk the escaping gas had
caused their Sickness
The post.m0rtem examination, which Ii TO %
held to-day, may clear up the mystery.
SEYSlKLE COLORED MEN.