The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-26
DID CRABS POISON THEME
FOUR PERSONS DIE IN JERSEY CTR
AFTER EALING THEM

Their Deaths Caused Alarm, n- Cholera
was su-pccted-Bciirvcd to he Due
20 Poiiuuon Of Water. or Verdirri..
Mrs. Ann LOWS. n widow. IS years old. who
kopt little boat house on tho west bank OF
the Morris Canal. ut the foot OF Culver avenue,
Jersey City. gave two crab and beer parties
this week. and now she and three OF her guests
are dead.
The first party was on Sunday night Ono
n, the guests was John Morse a colored man.
who was also known ne John Ellsworth. Who
tho other guests were that night has not been
ascertained. Tho boat house has been tho
scene of frequent orgies for years. 1t was
resort for dssipated men and women and tho
orgies were frequently kept vi all night but
they never disturbed anybody. because there
is not another house within hearing distance
Morse entertained the company Sunday night
with singing and playing the banjo.
The whole party ate crabs and drank beor.
Morse was taken suddenly i'll. lie implanted
of cramps in his stomach and pains In his lower
limbs. After he had wrthcd about In agony
for a couple Of hours a policeman called an
ambulance from the City Hospital and tho
sufferer was removed to that institution. lie
continued to suffer until Tuesday when he
died. The doctors said he had complication
OF diseases. but the principal cause OF death
was cholera morbus.
The party on Wednesday was attended by
Mrs. Lewis. Mrs. Caroline Collins OF 238 Mo-
AdoS Gus Rs
brother and several other boys and MIRA
son RGhard Thsy Al ate Mp
the beer. the two women drinking the most Of
it. Mrs. Collins took ak crabs homo with her.
and. 1t is presumed. she ate them.
When young Haslac cher went homo he com
planned Of being sick. His symptoms were
Morse. They We're Violent purgine and retch.
ing. cramps in his stomach. and severe pains
ss sh P Pys 'Hs nd Ftsa
MIS-; Lewis vas s,tafEs%a With tho sam.
were unable to save her life. She died Thurs
s aSEsn II nsS and dei
Thursday night She was attended by DR..
When the pews Of the sudden SUD end deaths was
section yesterday morning; much e5cIitem ts
few there was great alarm thto%ghHH.
Inspector benjamin. and he spent the remain
der OF the day and great part Of the evening
In anything definite.
Mrs. Lewis. SON. and daughter were at tho
boy said he ate seven or eight Of tho crab. and
they had not affected him. Haslacher's little
iii. effect in his case. He also said several
other boys ate some of the crabs None OF
them had been reported sick
Inspector BENJAMIN began to think that there
might have been poison in the beer. but tho
doctors agreed that the symptoms were those
OF cholera m orhuS The cases were severe
that they would have suspected cholera II
there had been cholera epidemic.
1t Is believed that the crabs were boiled in
water taken from the canal. which Is very
filthy at that point There is a chemical works
within short distance Of the boat house.
which empties a great part Of Its refuse into
the canal.
Inspector BENJAMIN is inclined to think that
the poisonous matter was either in the water
or in the vessel In which the crabs were boiled.
He says the pot might have contained YER
digris.
County Physician Converse was notified and
will make an investigation to-day. The news
OF me SUDDEN deaths caused a great many
seek other amusement. There are thousands
of crabs caught daily in the Hackensack River
and the Newark Bay. where the crabs OF Mrs.