The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
CRIME AND ALCOHOL.


Case of an Inherited Taste for Into1-
| icants.
The alcohol habit is apt to lead to
the commission of countless different
crimes; but besides, victims become a
ready prey to other criminals; to
thieves, who rob the topper during the
eclipse of his intellectual faculties, and
murderers who take advantage of the
circumstance that fermented and dis
titled beverages disguise the taste of
other poisons. Even beer masks the
presence of virulent drugs that would
easily betray their admixture with
such substances as milk, lemonade and
common drinking water.
THE MOUNT STERLING EPISODE.
On the 18th of May, 1895, Capt.
James Robinson, the wealthiest stock
breeder and land owner of Brown
county, ILL.,, invited one of his EN-
ployes to glass of beer, and half an
hour after was taken with a violent
retching fit and gripping pain i'll the
stomach. His guest, Frank May field,
also was taken sick about the same
time, and in spite of prompt medical
attendance, both men died in agony.
There was no doubt that the beer must
have been poisoned, for none of the
numerous persons who had taken dim
ner with the two Inflated farmers ex-
perienced any indisposition, and Capt.
Robinson testified that within less
than five minutes after finishing that
glass of beer he became conscious
of a strange feeling, similar to
that following dose of lauda-
mum or similar strong
medicine. Mayfeld remembered that
1.-THE beer tasted little unusual, but
there being so many different brews,
paid not much attention to that cir
cumstance." What virulent poisons
can be disguised by the pungent taste
of strong beer was strIkingly illus
trated in the case of a Pennsylvania
miner, who, a few weeks ago, poured
bottle of lager beer into a tumbler
containing an ounce of nitric acid Ia
corrosive poison that will melt copper
as hot tea would dissolve lump of
sugar. and drained the glass almost to
the last drop before he noticed his fatal
mistake. The Borgias and other poi
son-mongers of the middle ages gener-
ally administered their deadly draughts
in glass of wine; and distilled liquors
would disguise even the atrocious taste
of sulphuric acid (yitriol), which is, in
fact, one of the substances used for the
adulteration of brandy.
oLLIE'S CHOICE.
A few years ago Mr.. Theodore
Becker, a Well-to-do farmer of Allie
gheny county, Pa, adopted the son of
his brother Philip, who had died in
consequence of Incorporate habits
and dependency, due to series of
business reverses This relative philip
Becker) had for years kept saloon in
little Pennsylvania mountain re-
sort, but seems to have had sense
enough to refuse liquor to his only
son, Ollie, who at the time of his
transfer to Allegheny county was
about eleven years old, and thus far
had not yet tasted Intoxicating drink
in any form. The belief in the instinc-
tive stimulant thirst of topers' chill
dren appeared to be refuted in his
case, though it is possible that his ia
theirs passion for strong liquor was
| uCNClOpCu JCuIo d1ICI ollIc II.
The orphan boy had found a
good home. His uncle owned real es-
tate in Allegheny city as well as in
the country, and ever after his broth
er's death had been very careful in the
use of intoXicants, though he now and
then Joined Sunday guest in glass
of light beer. Ollie would have de-
clined an invitation of that sort. He
was fond of sweetmeats, like most
boys, and often wasted his pocket
money on candy, but disliled the taste
of beer, and preferred glass of lemon
ade to the best German New Years
punch. His aunt, Mrs. katherine
Becker, was total abstainer She
had seen so much of the evils of in
temperance that she detested the very
sight of a liquor shop, and was conse-
quently shocked to learn that their
adopted child had begun to frequent
the beer saloons of the neighbor-
hood, and had on one occasion be-
come involved in a drunken row.
| The cause of that sudden change
of habit seemed a mystery, till
cross-examination revealed the fact
| bndO OlllC lldu lCul hCu w tiIllh
a few weeks visit to his birthplace,
where so,nc of his fathers former GUS
toners lad considered it their duty to
do the honors of the place after fash
ion of their own. Under the pretext
of escorting the boy to the scenes of
his childhood's sports they had taken
him to picnics, "barbecues," and final
ly to undisgused symposiums of
brandy and lager beer just for old
times sake, and because the lads ia
Their had been good to them" But if
they really thought themselves in
debted to the boys parents, it would
have been kinder to innoculate the lit
tie fellow with hydrophObia poison.
With the Pasteur treatment and other
specifics about seven out of ten m.d-
dog bites can nowadays be cured,