Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-22
USE OF WOOD ALCOHOL
INsPECTIoN OF sLocAL SALOON
PRODUCTS PROBABLE.
No Suspicion Of Wrsngdoing, but Pre-
cautions Regarded as Advisable
Baltimore Investigation.

Since so many people died In New YORK
last week from the alleged effects of inn
bfbfng wood alcohol sold in saloon, as
published in The Star at the time, local
police officials have engaged in many con-
situations concerning the quality OF the
whisky that is sold in local saloons. Moth
ing has yet been done by the local police
in the matter Of procuring samples of cheap
whisky for analysis. Professor Hird, the
District chemist. has made Investigations
of such liquor during past years, but. 1t Is
stated, found no cases which warrant
in court Unless something IN
furious to health is found in the liquor, 1t
is said, it is practically impossible to prose-
cute dealers.
The local laws, Star reporter was told,
do not cover the case very well ana new
statute Is needed. 1t is probable that some
action will be taken looking to test OF
liquor on sale. In Baltimore the police nave
started a crusade against cheap WHISKY:
The question of the quality and eHects OF
saloon whisky came up in Magistrate Gran
mans court, in Baltimore, yesterday, When
a man named Burnett was arrested Tor IN
toxication.
Didn't Know What Happened.
Patrolman Lamm, who made the arrest.
said that he had met Burnett late Thurs
day afternoon on Frederick street, near
Gay, and that he appeared to be perfectly
sober, but that few minutes later the
man was lying on the sidewalk. lie was
helpless, and did not realize what had hap
pened, and the patrolman, too, was as
founded, for he could not be convinced
that Burnett had had time to get drunk
He took the man to the station house ana
preferred the charge against him. When
the prisoner was asked to give his side OF
the story he looked at Justice Grammar
and said he didn't know what had hap
pened.
He said: "Well, I've stood up under ten
or twelve drinks, and was not intoxicated
by any means, and what surprises me most
is the fact that l only took couple of
drinks yesterday, and don't remember
a thing The officer here says l met him
and spoke with him, but to save my soul l
can't remember it,.
"Wel,' said the magistrate commenting
upon the case, cit seems strange to me,
but / guess there must something in the
story, for during the past few weeks fully
fifteen or twenty men have told me the
same tale. Lieutenant Cole first called my
to the matter. He told me that
nearly every drunk arrested during the
past month was absolutely helpless, and
that the antics they went through while
their faculties were very pecu-
liar. All of the officers about. the station
house say that the most extraordinary
phase of the drunkenness is the rapidity
with which the men simply collapse. One
minute one of the men will be talking to
an officer and the next be dead to the
world p"
Similar Experience Here.
The local police have had a number of
similar experiences during recent months,
but there was never any suspicion that the
victims had INDUCED in wood alcohol. 1t
is a common thing for the police to pick
up people who are in beastly state Of in
toxication, and 1t frequently occurs that
the victim declares one or two drinks put
him out of commission. In many bar
rooms, it is stated, where five-cent whisky
is sold, pint of the fluid is to be had for
fifteen cents a pint. or Twenty-Five cents a
quart. Such liquor is the kind frequently
mentioned by the police as fire, water"
and some of 1t, 1t is stated contains red
pepper to give it the "fire''aname
Something should certainly be done by
the authorities to improve the quality Of
the liquor sold,' said policeman, discuss
Ing the matter with a Star reporter this
With an Improvement in the
quality of the liquor, Il believe the number
of cases of drunkenness would decrease
and there would be fewer street brawls"