The log cabin Democrat., 1917-03-31
) DRINK BAY RUM.
Z DEAD, | DYING
SPREE ENDS TRACICALLY
Homer Lewelling and Offie Douglass
Dead and Andy Francis in Criti-
cal Condition.

Homer Lewelling, %, and Offie A.
Douglass, 80, are dead and Andy
Francis, 80, is in a critical condition
with no hope for recovery as result
OF drinking quantity of bay rum
Thursday night The bay rum, a
gallon can of which was received here
by Francis Thursday afternoon, is
said to have been composed of wood
alcohol instead of grain alcohol.
dwellings death occurred first
and it was not until he was found to
be in dying condition early yester-
day afternoon that the danger to the
other two was realized. The poison
Gus mixture had by this time so per-
meated the system of each man that
they were practically beyond medical
aid. Lewelling died at o'clock yes
terday afternoon at the George
Schichtl garage, where he worked and
roomed, Douglass lived until G
o'clock this morning. Throughout
last night and this morning Francis
was thought to be dying, but early
this afternoon his condition was re-
ported to be slightly III pr osed
The three men assembled in Fran
els barbershop on the second floor of
the F. U. Halter building and began
to drink the bay rum Thursday night.
Yesterday morning all of them were
Frustrated, but those who saw them
supposed they We're merely under the
influence of an intoXicant and would
soon recover. Shortly after noon,
however, it was noticed that Lewell-
ng's condition was becoming much
worse and a physician was summon
ed to attend him. He sank rapidly
from that time until his death
Until midnight it was believed that
Douglass would recover. At that
hour he was perfectly conscious and
got up from his bed and walked. re-
marking upon the close call he had
had. Shortly afterwards he sank
into stupor, from which he never
revived.
Offie Douglass is son of Mr.. and
Mrs. T. r. Douglass and a member
OF the best known and oldest families
of Conway. He was born here June
5, 1886, and spent nearly all his life
in this city. For the past several
months he has been working as a
mechanic in the garage of C. E.
Douglass & Company. He is sur
vived by his parents, two brothers, C.
v. and c e. of Conway, and two sis
ters, Mrs. Gertrude Bean of Poca-
tello, Idaho, and Mrs. Nell Blythe of
Blytheville, Ark. The funeral ar
rangements have not yet been def
nitely made, but it is thought the
burial will be at Oak Grove cemetery
tomorrow afternoon at o'clock.
Homer Lewelling was a native of
Faulkner county and the son of Mr..
and Mrs. ]. H. Lewelling, who live
northwest of Conway. He is sur
vived by his parents and two sisters,
Miss Myrtle of Mena and Miss Bank
sic of Conway. His funeral was held
this afternoon at 3 o'clock. Services
were conducted at the First Baptist
church by Rev. l.. M. Sipes and the
burial was at Oak Grove cemetery.
Francis has lived here for the past
three or four years, working for a
while in the barbership of his cousin,
w. w. Francis, and recently opening
a shop of his own in the Halter build
ing. He has wife and two children
and makes his home on Center street,
between Caldwell street and Robinson
avenue. His father, who lives in
Clark county, arrived this afternoon
to attend him.
Mrs. Lewelling, the mother of
Homer is in a critical condition as
a result of recent surgical opera
ton and has not yet been informed
of her sons death. Mrs. Douglass,
mother of Offie, is Frustrated with
grief and required the attendance of
two physicians this morning
1t was reported here today that
Earl Mayhem, rural carrier at Green
brier, had also died from the effects
of drinking bay rum with the other
men. This however, was incorrect,
Mayhem being out on his regular
work today. 1t is stated that he was
with Francis, Lewelling and Douglass
Thursday night and was offered n
drink of the mixture, but refused it..
One other man, driver for a local
garage, is said to have escaped the
fate of the other three by having a
call which took him out of town
Thursday night. 1t is stated that he
had an interest in the can of bay
rum. Still another man is said to
have taken a small drink of the drug,
but has so far experienced no i'll eff
fects.
Sheriff w. w. Bishop took charge