Evening star., 1919-12-28
IS DEAD, MANY ILL,
FROM DRINK MADE
OF WOOD ALCOHOL
So Die in New EngIand-Four
Arrested for Murder, Five
for MansIaughter.
ONE CONFESSES HE SOLD
As GALLONS OF ..'LIQU0R"
New York Detectives Believe Fatal
Whisky" Manufactured in
That City.

CHICOPEE. Mass. December o7.-
The death list resulting from the
drinking of whisky said by Medica
Examiner Fletcher to contain wooG
alcohol during the Christmas festivi-
ties had reached forty-six in this
city. Springfield. Greenfield ant
reported thirteen deaths late thi:
afternoon. 1t was expected that be-
fore the night had passed the toll
would be much higher, due to the in
attention of physicians and police.
Four men are held at Hartford or
charges of murder. They will appear
in police court next Wednesday. Jacot
Bronerwine. one of those held, is re-
garded by the police as leader OF the
whisky" ring. and is alleged to have
made a profit of $4,000 from illegal
liquor sales since July l.
Twelve Larrels of materials brought
from New York city. the police say,
the use of water, and then distributed
over the bar in Hartford and sold in
bulk to persons in Chicopee and
Holyoke. Fifty cents a drink or $3.50
a quart was the price of the Liquor.
Bought so Gallons; Sold As.
District Attorney Ely of Westfield
who has been investigating the
deaths. announced tonight that Alex
ander Perry, proprietor of the Amer
lean House in Chicopee Fails. had con-
fessed to buying fifty gallons of the
concoction in Hartford. all except five
of which were sold. The district at
torney also stated that five other gal
Ions of the liquor had been traced to
the Polski Hotel in Holyoke.
Perry stated he bought the liquor
through Sam Darling of Hartford. an
expressman. who is under arrest in
that city in connection with the
deaths. Perry said he had no idea
the liquor was poisonous. Perry was
released on bail.
Thomas Oczkwyski. proprietor of a
saloon in Chicopee Center. also was
placed under arrest today charged
with manslaughter.
Three more % arrests also were made
Menard. porter at the Chicopee
House; Leopold Fredette. member of
the liquor firm of Ffedette & Tetault,
and Joe Grabic, bartender for Thomas
Oczkwyski. were all charged with
manslaughter.
All saloons in this city and Holy
oke were closed this afternoon by
the police on orders from the district
attorney.
Six Dead in New York.
NEW YORK, December 27.-Two
men were found dead, another died
in hospital and one is seriously ill
from what is believed by physicians
to be wood alcohol poisoning. in a
Fulton street hotel. When questioned
by the police, the hotel proprietor de-
MED having sold the men whisky
and gave the officers a bottle from
his stock for analysis Three other
deaths also have been reported.
New York detectives seeking the
source of whisky" manufactured
from wood alcohol which has caused
nf DEATHS N h IL,
the last two days tonight expressed
the opinion that hundreds of barrels
of the poison liquor were made in
this city by band of Italians and
shipped to Connecticut and nearby
states.
Conferences between manufacturers
of wood alcohol and members of the
committee of public health and hy-
to discuss the alarming number of
deaths from beverages mixed with the
poisonous liquid.
Eight, Two Women, Die in Chicago.
CHICAGO. December 27.-Four per-
sons two of them women. died today
from drinking wood alcohol, making
total OF eight such deaths in Chi
cago in forty-eight hours. or thirty
four since July /. The authorities
were thoroughly aroused and several
arrests were made. Drinks contain
ing wood alcohol were called "coro.
Hoffman. who issued a public warn
ing against the fatal draughts, and
said he would attempt to band coro-
ners and other public officials through
> out the country to prevent the sale
OF poisoned liquors. Both the coroner
and the city health commissioner. DR.
John Dill Robertson, said wood al
cohol drinks were sure to result either
in blindness or death.
The police arrested the manager OF
the drug department of an outlying
department store. at whose establish.
ment pint bottles of wood alcoho
mas candy purchases. The widow ol
q saloonkeeper who died yesterday
was arrested, and she is said to hav,
admitted mixing wood alcohol witt
other liquors. She said the poison
was purchased from a druggist, ant
he also was arrested.
Two Deaths In Newark.
NEWARK, N. j.. December 27.-Woot
alcohol poisoning today caused th
death Of two persons at the City Hos
pital. bringing the death list from tina
cause to five during the last two weeks
Three persons. including two saloon
keepers. are under arrest in connection
with the deaths.
PITTSBURGH. Pa. December 27.-
Two deaths have been reported her
from the effects of a drink containing
wood alcohol.
CLEVELAND. Ohio. Defender 81
One death from whisky" containing
wood alcohol has been reported here.
Blinds Persons in Denver.
DENVER. Col, December 81. - No
less than twelve persons are confined il
Denver hospitals suffering from poison
ing contracted from drinking liquo
which had as its base wood alcohol
according to a statement made by on
of the leading physicians here today
The majority Of the patients are goin
blind from the effects Of the poison.
Imitation "Whisky" Sold Soldiers.
MINEOLA, N. Y, December 81. =
walter H Reynolds, director of the Wa
Camp Community Service for Nassa
and Queens counties, announced toda
that he had begun crusade agains
persons who are selling hard cider an
limitation whisky to soldiers statione
at the aviation fields around Cam
Mills In some cases, it was alleged
wood alcohol had been sold. Officials O
Nassau county are cooperating, MI
Reynolds said.
Several Ill In Louisiana.
LAKE CHARLES, La, Decemb be
-Soveral perSOnS are dangerOuSI