The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-07-09
> POISONED BY LEMONADE.
How Country Dance Hail Was Turned
Into T. Hospital With Thirty Patients.

: Into q Hospital Win IhArV Auonss ,
"A numerous party, were gathered ct
grand dance being held in the capaGlous
barn at Michael Shaitel's place, in the
town of Wells,5 about ten miles south
east of Sparta, Wis. a Over a. hundred
were present, and the, young lads and
lasses, and many older ones, from all the
countryside around, were on hand, filled
to the full with health fand' happiness
and enjoying the festive occasion as
only such party can. About half-past
ten o'clock some lemonade in a couple
of jars was brought In and commenced
having rapid sale, the boys and girls
imbibing with. equal freedom. y Not
long after this hour, a lunch was served,
and it began soon to be noticed that every
once in 2 while some young man, OF
perhaps a guest0f the other sex, would
get up suddenly, with panied expires:
sion of face and rapidly depart: More
and more of them commenced having
business out doors. and as it became gen.
eral, dismay sat on every coun1tenance.
Soon a general stampede set in for the
bushes, and for hours thereafter a scene
of the utmost distress and confusion pre-
vailed. u; Between thKty and forty per-
sons, old and young. Mad patronlzed the
lemonade stand. and all were more less
affected, and SO seriously that it was q
question with many whether or not
their last hour had come. The dancing
hall (or barn) was turned into a hos
pital, and groans, retchings and cries Of
distress from :wretched victims were
heard on all sides. Out doors the
woods were full of the victims, some
so sick as to be absolutely unable to
crawl back. Those not affected were
kept busy in endeaVoring to make the
sick-who were lying in all directions
as comfortable rs possible. though but
very little in this direction could be
done. As soon as tile effects of the
beverage had.begun to be general, a mes
senger was dispatched post haste to
Sparta for q physician. 1t was some
hours, however, before DR.. sBeebe, who
was summoned, arrived there, and in the
intervening time the distress Of the pa
tients beggars description. The slight
escape from being an appalling tragedy
renders it, almost too serious y matter
for: laughter. Two or three Of the vic
ClmS Narrowly eScdpeu Will Iuelf llveo'
and probably several were only saved by
the tlIoroughness of their vomiting;
About five O'clock DR.. Beebe; arrived and
administered such remedies as were nee
essary, and by morning most Of the pa
tients were out of danger, though 80
weak rs to be scarcely able TO stand.
The lemonade, which was understood to
be the cause of the trouble; was COM
pounded for the occasion, under the di:
rection of Mrs. Ohler, who keeps asmall
store in Leon. Her, little girl and q
daughter of Mrs. Shaiters were sent to
Sparta that day with a list Of the iarti-
cles to be used in making the beverage,
among which were lemons, sugar, ETC.,
and to exc out the, lemons) q small
quantity of tartaric acid. This they
procured at"Newton Bros, and, as is
stated, through some mistake, were
given tartar emetic instead of the acid.
It was duly mixed in the lemonade, and
the direful effects thereof were the first
intimation the company had of the error
that had been made.-Sparta (WS)
Herald. ...... .