The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-12-27
81 Die FROM
''vvHISKEY' IN
new ENGLAND
Wood Alcohol Christmas
Drink Causes Fatalities in
Three New England Cities
on Christmas Day.
THREE ARE ARRESTED
(By Associated Press)

OT11COTEEs M0SSs DeC. Ia-400
drinking Of whiskey with q wood al
cohol base. has caused the death Of 81
persons In Connecticut Valley City to-
day. The list of victims mounted dur
ing the day with reports from this city.
Holyoke. Springfield. and Hartford,
Conn. Others stricken by the concoc-
tion marketed for Christmas festivi-
ties were reported seriously Ill. lying
dead. or dying.
The victims in this city this after
noon numbered 80, including one ,wo-
man: in Springfield. four: Holyoke.
seven. and Hartford, 13.
Acting Marshal Caron, Of the Chi
cQpee police, expressed the belief that
the death list in Chicopee alone would
SO close to so before all cases had
been accounted for.
Alexander Perry, proprietor Of the
hotel where the police believed many
OF the victims obtained the liquor,
gave himself up to the police today.
He. his brother Charles, and william
Baker, . bartender. were arraigned
charged with manslaughter. All plead.
ed not guilty and were in $4,000
bonds each, for hearing. Technical
charges Of selling liquor illegally also
were placed against them.
NEW YORK, Dec. q. Federal
agents, health authorities and police
in many cities in the East were stirred
into action today against traffic In
''wbiskey's made from wood alcohol
following the wave Of death and blind.
ness from this cause in Massachusetts
and Connecticut. ~.-u,
The death list Of victims Of christ.
mas cheer" IN these states totalled
more than so early today. Officials de
clared it probable that unrepDrted
cases by the score exist from coast to
coast. A general warning has been
issued here by agencies cooperating
in the fight, telling the public OF the
dangerslurking IN anything that passes
for whiskey Ia. salopnA - /; = 't'''e - Z
Arrests were expected In New York
'today III conn ctiun with The deaths
IN Chicago Falls. and Holyoke, Mass.
and Hartford, Conn. the three towns
hardest hit by the poison, drunk az
liquor. Four men are underi arrest in
Hartford charged with murder.
The police allege that they bought
IL barrels of the fluid in the Bronx fol
$4,000 which they sent to Hartford
by motor truck where water was
added. Then it was sold, according
to the police, in other cities. The De
partment OF Justice agents, announce
that they have traced the "whiskey'
to New York. where they say it was
made.
A scientific fight against all poison
GUS substitutes for liquor has beer
started in New York. Associated with
Dr. Charles Norris, chief medical ex
aminer. in this work, are. the New
York County Medical association and
the National Committee for the Pre-
vention Of Blindness.
Some Of the substitutes for whiskey
made according to recipes widely ad
vertised, contain fusel oil and othel
dangerous Ingredients. according t.
fort also is being made to find out i
any methyl alcohol is being diverted
from paint shops or other industria
use and resold for beverage purposes
District Attorney Martin, of Bron,
county, today began a search for tn,
men who are alleged to have sold tn,
"whiskey" made. from wood alcohol
which, transferred to New England
was responsible for the death Of mor'
than two score persons.
Although not yet officially notified
that New England officials had trace,
the source Of the poison whiskey" t.
the Bronx. Mr.. Martin immediatel.
laid aside all other business to attena
to the new menace.
CHICAGO, Dec. 27.-County ant
city officials here today Joined hand
for a crusade against selling as I
beverage wood alcohol. which sine
July 1, has killed approximately thirty
Ave men, Four today were in hospit
ais unconscious from drinking WOO,
alcohol and four died yesterday.
I'VE have held inquests on % or 3
bodies since July 1. all victims of thi
drug" said Peter M. Hoffman. corone
Of Cook county. II expect lot NOR
in a few days from New Year celebra
tioEs."
One ordinary drink of wood alcoho
can make a man permanently blin
ard sometimes kill him, Mr.. Hoffman
added Two men who sold wood a.
cohol to men who died after drinkin
It., have been held to the grand jur
on murder charges.