Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-17
SIX MEN DEAD AND MANY ILL
THE POISON MAY HAVE BEEN con-
TANNED IN WHISKY.
Some of the Victims known to Have
Drunk Liquor Just Before They
Were Strlcken-LiquOr Has
Been Sent to st. Louis
for Analysis.

LITTLE ROCK. ARK. Jan. 16.-There is
intense excitement in Baxter county over
a series of sudden and mysterious deaths
which have occurred in the vicinity Of
Mountain Home. the county seat. within
the last few days. No fewer than six men,
all of whom were apparently In robust
health, have been suddenly stricken and
died within a very short time after the
attack. In every case there were unmisfak-
able symptoms of poisoning. Besides those
who have died. a number of others have
suddenly become violently i'll. and their
lives were only saved by prompt medical
attendance. The physicians have been kept
busy working with stomach pumps. and
the demand at the local drug store for pois-
on antidotes has been enormous.
Last week four men died in different
places in almost exactly the same manner,
showing the same symptoms. One of these
men was a farmer named Hogan, and an
other Dr. Simpson. physician at Mountain
Home. The names Of the other two are
not obtainable here. On Friday. E. l..
Hayes. proprietor of hotel at Buffalo. and
owner of an extensive zinc mine, died in
the same sudden and mysterious manner.
A few miles away. John Fout. another
prominent citizen, passed away at almost
the same time. under exactly similar cir
cumstances. Both men were apparently
In the best of health. Suddenly they grew
faint, their faces turned deathly pale, the
legs weakened Under them. and they fell
to the ground, and in a few minutes they
were dead.
A strange feature of this series of mys-
terious deaths is that in every case the
victim has been a male person-either
man or a boy over 16 years of age. This
led to the belief in the minds of some peo-
pie that a systematic effort was being
made in some mysterious way to rid the
community of at least large portion of
its male population. and that the agency
employed was some powerful poison. Some
men became so frightened that they re-
fused to eat or drink anything until they
were out of the neighborhood. Hardly a
day has passed for more than week
which has failed to bring to light its new
case OF poisoning, and the physicians have
kept their horses standing saddled in their
stalls, expecting emergency calls at any
hour. 5sE
An. Investigation revealed the fact that
hayes ana fOut, as well dS oHc VI tWo
others who had died in a similar manner.
had been attacked shortly after visiting
Mountain Home. Other victims had also
been seen in Mountain Home just prior to
their sudden illness. On further investiga-
ton it developed that the victims had in
all cases taken a drink of whisky shortly
before the attack. sae.
This discovery seemed 10 settle the fact
that poisonous whisky was the cause of
the Deaths. but there is no saloon at
Mountain Home. and the. source from
which the whisky comes is q mystery. 1t
is thought that blind tiger is dispens-
ing poison for whisky. but whether it he
through ignorance or with murderous
intent Is not known. and this doubt has
added to the excitement. A bottle con-
tanning small quantity Of the stuff has
been sent to st. Louis for an expert ex-
animation by chemist. No one seems to
know where it came from, and deter
mined effort is being made to discover who
is responsible.