Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-01
Fifteen PEOPLE SUFFER FROM
POISONING AFTER EATING JELLY


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with severe pains in the stomach
Cramps followed and she nearly went
into spasms from suffering Realizing
that she was seriously i'll, DR.. T. J.
Lamping of Moline was summoned ID
the home by her son. 1t was only Il
few minutes later and Mrs. McClaus-
ms mother, Mrs. Ella Reynolds, was
seized with violent pain and cramps
in the stomach She tainted sever II
times and it was feared by the rela-
tives that she would die before the
physician would arrive Mrs. Reyn-
olds had eaten some of the jelly al
supper Sunday evening but had drank
quantity of milk which. according
to the physicians statement. acted as
an antidote. However. she ate more
of it at breakfast yesterday morning
which brought on her violent illness
ParaIyzed by Poison.
BY members of the Mechanism fam
lily. it was stated, that Mrs. Reynolds
became naralvZed from the effects Of
the poison and she was seized with
the most severe cramps over her
entire body. She vomited violently
and grave fears were entertained
throughout the entire day that she
would not survive. She is confined
to her bed today and is still suffering
intense pain in addition to the nervous
shock from her experience. The at.
tending physician stated that the vom
iting saved her life.
Almost at the same time Mrs. Reyu-
Odds was taken sick, Mrs. Hunter and
three months old baby. and the five
sons of Mrs Mechanism were taken
i'll and their sufferings were intense.
Groans From Every Room.
Mrs. Mechanism had recovered SUI
ficiently from her illness to attend
to Mrs Reynolds and was doing what
she could to relieve her sufferings, bu
in a few minutes she heard groans
from almost every room i'll the house,
including her garnet where her young
son had gone for his hat. She said
that she was Mortified and at Il loss
to know what to do. From out in the
kitchen came the grOans of agony
from her two sons. William and John,
aged u and 9 years respectively, and
going into the yard. John was seized
with Il fit of vomiting and cramps.
From the garnet came the groans of
Edwin Mechanism. Arthur Mechanism
had been forgotten in the excitement
and going upstairs later Mrs. Nc
Causlin found him in bed, unconscious
as q result of the intense pain.
. DR. Lamping soon arrived with a
nurse and the unfortunate victims OF
the poisoning were put to bed. Dr..
Lamping succeeded in relieving the
intense pain and in a few hours "a.
were resting easily but not until mil
night last night was the effects of the
poison overcome.
Four Men, Too.
At noon yesterday it was thought
that the victims of the poisoned food
were confined to. those within the
house. but when about . o'clock the
quartet of bOarders at the home, re-
turned from work suffering with pains
in the stomach, it was realized that
every person who partoOk of the jelly
was poisoned.
Shortly before l o'clock yesterday
afternoon John Neat. William I.
Smith. George EdgewoOd and Harry
Hartwig ate their regular noon day
meal in which was included this jelly
and no sooner had Neat eaten il than
he fell over gr0aning from pains in
the stomach. He quit work for the
day and together with the Others
started to return home, but Neat was
able to walk the distance only after
resting several times en- route. All
were unable to return to work today.
Examined sample.
Dr. Lamping took a specimen OF the
Jelly to his office and after an exam
nation found it to be very strongly
acid. according to a statement made
to The Argus late this afternoon. He
says that the trouble seems to be n
the nature of arsenic poisoning and
that there can be no question that
the victims were an poisoned from
eating the jelly. DR. Lamping says
that he is unable until he has tho
oughly examined the jelly, to deter
mine whether the persons were poi
soned from the wood in the pail. the
coloring of the jelly or chemical
Dreseryative