The New York herald., 1920-01-06
SAY WOOD ALCOHOL.
FOR DEATH LIQUOR
WAS STOLEN HERE
Federal Agents Learn Water
Was Substituted for 1000
Gallons Going Abroad.

Following the arrest on Saturday and
Sunday of two more men in the Brooklyn
wood alcohol ring. federal agents said yes
terday that the evidence is now complete
against the men who sold the poison
"hiskey that spread death and blindness
III Massachusetts and through the Con-
necticut valley. Scores of deaths are
ascrlped TO the poisoned liquor.
lhe two men arrested were William H.
Noller, garage proprietor, Of No. 405
Ienth street, Brooklyn, and Cosmo dam
hFosio, chauffeur, of No. f,A7 Thirty
eighth street, Brooklyn. Both are thirty
seven years old. Woller, whose garage is
at NO. SS9 Fourth avenue, Brooklyn, is a
native born American Of German descent.
Jhe government agents said that tho state
5nents obtained from the two filled the
last gap, indeed, in the evidence against
ue pand OF men who were responsible
Tor the sale and shipment of the Liquid
death Joseph Mulqueen, Assistant
nsted States District Attorney, will ask
for blanket indictment today against
eleven men on the charge of conspiracy.
Golnctdent with the arrest OF the two
men, the bail bonds of Samuel X. Saleeby,
Brooklyn druggist, and his brother-in- law,
Edward Ware, who were arrested with
-Adolph Panarelli and John Romanelli last
week, were increased to 100000 each by
United States Commissioner Felix Reif-
schneider
Saleeby's wife and the aged mother of
Ware became hysterica. when Leroy Ross,
assistant District Attorney, told Commits
sioner Reifschneider that the two men
probably would be indicted within few
days on charges Of first degree murder
in connection with the deaths in Hartford,
Chicopee. Holyoke and other New England
cities. 1t was necessary to remove the
women to the corridor to quiet them.
Saleeby and Ware were taken back to the
Raymond street Jail.
Bill for O'Ambrosio and Woller was
fixed at $4,000 each. Both were charged
with conspiracy to violate the prohibi-
ton law.
1t developed from composite of the
statements obtained from Woller and
D'Ambrosio that the two men obtained the
wood alcohol. a thousand gallons, by
stealing it, according to the government
agents. The source of the wood alcohol
is thus traced definitely for the first
time since the investigation began
According to Woller's story, the agents
say, he obtained ten drums of wood alco-
lol from Pier Is, Hudson River, on Decem-
Der TO- on an order from the Southern In
ternational Despatch Company, and kept
them in his garage until he got instruc-
tons later about shipping them. While
the drums were in his charge the alcohol
was removed, and when the drums final
ly went on their way to England the poi
son had been replaced with water
According to Mr.. Mulqueen, D'Ambrosie
said that on December Is he took ten
drums of wood alcohol from Woller's ga
rage to Pier No. AZ, Hudson River. There
was long line there, and fearing his en-
rine would freeze he took his load to
1lomanelli's garage, at No. 211 Third ave-
nue., Brooklyn. and left the drums there
That night the alcohol was Siphoned out
and replaced with water. and the drums
were shipped to England the next day.
Wollers statement dovetails in with the
other stories told by men already arrested,
federal agents saaid
After tho ten drums of alcohol were
taken to the garage, according to the fed
eral officials, D'Ambrosia drew off quart
from one of the drums and took 1t to Sa-
leeby, the druggist, who tested it and pro-
nounced II good alcohol" The alcohol
was then transferred from the drums,
which contained 100 gallons each, to twen-
ty-one whiskey barrels. Next day the
drums, filled with water. were taken TO
Pier AZ, where they were shipped aboard
the Tregenna, which left for Hull, Eng
land, December 81.
D'Ambrosia, the officials said, then sold
several barrels of alcohol to Romanelli,
the undertaken. and other barrels to Car
mine Locenzato, of No. Ill Mott street
and the lattsr's partner, Amedio Delomo
The price paid was S23.50 a gallon.
Woller said that he got DAmbroslo's
five ton truck for his part in the deal
while Saleeby, the druggist, received 81, 5o(
Tor his analysis.
Woler was arrested in his garage on
Sunday by government agents and Dam
brosio was arrested on Saturday after a
chase that took Detective Michael Batoc
and Harold Il. Dobbs and John Cronin,
revenue agents. to the Adirondacks. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Dobbs. D'Ambrosio was
in the shop of Saleeby when Romanel
was arrested, but slipped away.
Mr.. Dobbs said that Woller originated
the idea of using the wood alcohol to
make 'whiskey" and that he had II
shipped to his garage Mas gasolene.