The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-27
STILL ANOTHER VICTIM.
Tracing the Missing Half of Mulvay's
Poisoned Pie.
SIMPLE JIMMY'S SUFFERINGS.
Convalescence of the Wheeler, Stetzel and
Midway Families.

Tho Wholesale poisoning of four families up town
from eating bakers pastry is still fruitful topic OF
conversation. Excepting for the single case discov-
cred yesterday however. the extent of the mischief
Is believed to have been told already Only one per-
son has died Mr. George Wheeler). and only three
of the pies and ono lot of cream cakes sold by Mr.
Schnkel on Saturday. November Is, are known to
have been poisoned. certain mystery. however.
has hung the ultimate disposition OF one piece
of this pastry The pie bought by Mrs. Wheeler is
all traced That bought by the family treated by Dr.
Warren is said to have been all eaten, as were the
cream puffs bought by the Stetzel family Mrs.
Midway had whole pie, and she and her husband
only ate one-half of it. while their child ate but
mouthful. Nearly one-half. therefore. remained to
be accounted tor. DR.. O'Reilly. who treated the
family, questioned Mrs. Midway closely about it,
and after hesitation she said she had given 1t
TO Mr. McGuinness. He was. she said. friend Of
her husband's who came often to her house and re-
ceived presents because he was poor
Mr. McGuinness keeps q small grocery store. so
called at No. 319 West Forty-second street. in the
basement. When he questioned he also
unaccounably reticent. but afterward admitted that
he had received the pie from Mrs. Midway and had
taken 1t home. He vehemently denied. however,
that he was poor that he had eaten the pie. 1t
had been thrown into the ash barrel he and his wife
declared.
A CHAMPION EATER.
Among tho well known characters Of the neigh
borhood is unfortunate young man known as
'Innocent Jimmy or "Simple Jimmy" His name
is James McKeever and he is about twenty-five
years old. He born with less than ordinary in
telligence. and when he left orphan child he
looked after by the neighbors. He attached
himself to the household of Father McCready, of the
Church OF the Holy Cross aud has worked about the
house and about the church for some years. He
hardly ever carry on y rational conversation. but
car tor music. and catching the airs that tho
priests chant in the church he fits them
them as he walks the street. He is known
to all the neighbors. and excepting when the boys
tease him throw stones at him, which they not
infrequently do, he is unm olested. There
number of houses in the neighborhood to which he
the kind Of man that win eat three or four break
fass and couple Of dinners in day If he can get
them" said liquor dealer for whom he carries
coal. ''Not that he eats SO much but no wants all
the good things he can get" Among the places to
which he goes for something to eat Is Mr.. Medium
business consists largely Of retailing kindng wood.
and simple Jimmy" helps to prepare and bring
partly or wholly in food The statement was made
to the reporter yesterday that McGulnness had given
that the latter was very sick when the reporter
called to inquire about this he saw Mrs. McGuin-
ness who said that her husband had gone out for
tho purpose Of further contradcting the story that
he was poor. She did not know when he would be
back.
Father McCready. however. said that Jimmy was
taken i'll either Tuesday Wednesday OF last week.
He was very sick and had exactly the same symptoms
that described in the case OF the Wheeler FAM
lily. Father McCready said he had been led to sup
pose that the boy had eaten some Of the pie. both
from his saying. "ohl / wish hadn't eaten that
pie.
we questioned him about * =" continued the Father
''but he said several things which made me suppose
% Of
It, for knew he went TO McGuinness' place." The
a h OF no e
ALL THE PATIENTS coNvALEscENT
All those whose have boon reported were yes
Nrday said to be out Of danger; Mr. b. G. Wheeler
said to reporter that his family all recovering
and are doing as well as he could wish. Dr. Purdy,
of whom he spoke in the highest terms. had just left
the house and was not expected to call again till to-
day. THAT shows how arc" said Mr.. Wheeler
with smile OF deep thanktulness. He said he had
learned Of new cases. and. with the exception of
by the reporter Seventeen is the entire number of
those known to have been i'll with symptoms Of
poisoning and Of these only fifteen are k1owp to
who is under Dr.. O'Reillys care are supposed
to have had some also. but it has not been proved
Little doubt remains that the poison verdigris
called aud that it came from the copper kettle in
which Mr.. Schinkcl had his cream mixed Mr..
Schinkel himself stated to the reporter that the fill
ing of the cream puffs eaton by the Stetzel family
was the material that used in the making
poisoned families. Mr.. John ID. Gilmor, cracker
baker, in Greenwich street. said I'll at the whole mat
ter clear enough to his mind, although, of
course. it was not likely ever to be proved. The
cream had probably been allowed to stand too long
in tho copper kettle and that portion of II which
came In contact with the copper was permeated with
the poisonous stuff That would account for por-
ton OF the batch OF pics and cream cakes being
poisonous and portion being harmless.
COPPER RUST, NOT vERDIoRIs.
The poisonous matter was probably not real verdi
girls. verdgris. properly so called. is the subacc-
tate of copper, which is formed by the contact of
acid with copper. The green rust, however, which
forms copper when it comes In contact with
grease s commonly called vcrdigris. and is also of
poisonous nature. Mr.. Schinkol denies that there
was any acid used in the MIXTURE and there seems
reason TO doubt his word; but he says that milk
and butter both entered into Its composition. and
this would account for the formation OF tho copper
rust or spurious verdigris which probably the