Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1879-07-02
POISONED BY LEMONADE.
How q Country Dance Hall was
Turned Into q Hospital with
Thirty Patients.

Thirty Patients.
Friday night, May 30, numerous
party was gathered at grand dance
being held in the capacious barn at
Michael Shaitei's place, section 81, in
the town of Wells, about ten miles
southeast If Sparta. Over hun
dred we're present, and the young
lads and lasses, and many older ones,
from all the countryside around,
we're on hand, filed to the full with
health and happiness and enjoying
| the festive occasion as only such u
party can. About half-past 10 o'clock
some lemonade in a couple OF jars
was Brought in and commenced hav-
ing a rapid sale, the boys and girls
imbib,Dg with equal freedom. Not
long after this hour Il lunch was
served, and it began soon to be
noticed that every once IN while
some young man, nr perhaps guest
Of the other sex, would get up sud
denly, with u panied expression Of
face, and rapidly depart. More and
more of them commenced having
business out doors, and Ms it became
general dismay sat on every counten-
ance. Soon u general stampede set
in for the bushes, and for hours there
after a scene of the utmost distress
and confusion, prevailed. Between
thirty and forty persons, old and
young, had patronized the lemonade
stand, and all were more or less
affected, and so seriously that 1t was
question with many whether or not
their last hour had come. The
dancing hall Cor Darn) was turned
into hospital, and groaps, retchings
and cries of distress from wrctcEed
victims were heard on all side. Out
doors the woods we're full OF the
victims, some so sick as to be alb
solutely unable to crawl back. Those
not affected were kept busy in en-
deavoring to make the sick-who
were lying in all directlons-as COM
Portable as possible, though very
little in this direction could be done.
As soon as the effects of the hever-
age had teeun to be general mess
enger was dispatched post-haste to
Sparta for. a physician. 1t was some |
hours, however, before DIR. Beebe,
who was summoned, arrived there,
and in the intervening time the dis
tress of the parents beggars descrip-
ton. The slight escape from being
an appalling tragedy renders it al
most too serious matter for laugh
ter, Two or three of the victims mar
rowly escaped with their lives, and
probably several were only saved by
the thoroughness of their vomiting.
About s O'Clock DIR. Beebe arrived
and admit istered such remedies as
were necessary. and by morning most
of the patients were out OF danger,
though SO weak as to be scarcely
able to stand. The lemonade, which
was understood to be the cause Of
the trouble, was compounded for the
occasion, under the direction of Mrs.
Ohler, who keeps small store in
Leon. Her little girl and daughter
of Mrs. Shaitel's were sent to Sparta
that day with list of the articles to
be used in making the beverage,
among which were lemons, sugar,
etc. and Ito exc out the lemons)
small quantity of tartaric acid.
This they procured at Newton Bros,
and, as is stated, through some mis-
take, were given tartar emetic instead
Of the acid. 1t 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 (Wis.) Herald.