The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-11-05
drank A DEADLY DRAUGHT.
NATIVE DIGS GRAVE FOR Hls
FELLOW DRINKER.
Coroner's Jury Recommends that SPEC
cial care BE Taken TO Keep Wood
Alcohol from Workmen.

Death from drinking wood alcohol
taken without suicidal intent was the
verdict rendered by the coroner's jury
last night at the inquest held over Ho-
lopii native painter employed by
George Bertleman.
The jury convened at half past seven
and were driven to the hospital to hear
the testimony of George Apihi, another
wood alcohol victim, who while recov-
ering is still almost blind from the ef-
fects of the poison. There the story
and its details came to light.
on Thursday, Apihi was working out
side George Bertleman's shop. Holopii
and a native called O'Shea being inside.
O'Shea called to Apihi and asked him IL
he knew how to mix this stun" show
ing him a five gallon demijohn of wood
alcohol. Apihi, who had learned the
trick from a white carpenter stated
that he did and proceeded with the de-
coction mixing one fourth of the alco-
hol with ree-fourths of water.
Holopii was eager to drink the mix
ture at once, but Apihi prevailed upon
him to wait for some time until it was
settled. The addition of the water gave
the liquid a milky appearance. Apihi
then drank three quarters of a glass
followed by another half glass of the
mixture using an old jelly glass as
glass and Holopii finished the bottle, an
ordinary empty beer bottle containing
three full glasses Holopii must have
taken about half the contents of the
bottle.
On the way home O'Shea carried a
gallon demijohn of the stuff, giving
some of it to Apihi who carried it home
in his poi tin, and going home with Ho-
lopii with the remainder.
pibi tn1iye1 tba liu1lOr at homo and
took some more of it. No i'll effects
were shown until Saturday morning
when he felt himself becoming blind as
he started in to work. He then took a
large piece of salt, which, acting as
an emetic, brought up a milky liquid
and probably saved his life. He had
heard that Holopii was i'll and at once
traced his own sickness to the stolen
drink.
Meanwhile Holopli died, DR.. Nc
Donald's report of his autopsy showing
that the stomach and kidneys were
violently infamed while the inner coats
of the stomach were in parts entirely
eaten away the damage amounting al
most to perforation. Wood alcohol was
found in the body
A tragic note in the story was touched
when O'Shea, who seems to be case
hardened and who has apparently felt
no effects from his share in the pota-
tions, was found by the police officer
digging the grave for Holopii who two
days before had shared with him the
deadly brew.
Holopli died entirely destitute,
the very coffin in which he was buried
being paid for out of the pockets of the
High Sheriff and his deputy.
AS an addendum to the cause of death
the jury, consisting of A. e. Murphy,
Allan Dunn, e. K. Duvauchelle, c. B.
Lemon, Chester Smith and j. II. Nc
Donough recommended that "all per-
sons dealing in or having in their pos
session poison known as wood alcohol
should take precautions that none other
than responsible persons have access to
it."
The recommendation was added in
view of the fact that the label with
the skull and cross bones and warning
of death in English and Hawaiian pre-
scribed by law and attached to the
demijohn, seemed~to have proven in
sufficient to deter the men from
drinking. So prevalent is the deadly
practice that contractors usually add
shelac or paint to alcohol in their pos
session to spoil the taste. The active
and deadly quality in the stuff is akin
to fusel oil and it's effect on the system
may be imagined.
1t is said that there is a woman in
the case who may yet succumb to her
share of the mixture.