Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-09-09
!. Atkisson, the commandant, with

placed the acknowledgements IN the
grain alcohol tank. The officers said
about one month ago, while the wires
were kept in position the electric
charge was cut off. The wires yes
terday were found to have been cut
recently, so that an entrance might
be made through them. Captain Hun
gerford said he had ordered a pas
sageway cut through the wires 50
that one of his men might get to the
tanks to inspect them.
Al this point in the conference. IN
the presence of newspaper men, Gen.
eral Fries said that the placing of the
wires about the tanks and the an
nouncement of the deadly poison in
the grain alcohol, probably advertis-
ed the presence Of the alcohol to the
men in the arsenal. He said that prob
ably the safeguards caused the more
adventurous to stake a chance in
stealing contents of the tanks, just
10 show the authorities they could
beat them"
Talked of Buying Liquor
The reticence of any of the men re-
garding where they obtained the il
quor hindered the investigation, the
army officers said. Colonel Wood
bury said that Nelson, wherf he was
first brought into the hospital told
an orderly that ut was damned
shame that he had to pay $50 a pint
for the liquor, only to have to come
here to have it pumped out" he SAID
at least two of the other men talked
Ct having paid $40 pint or $50 a
quart for the liquor.
Colonel Woodbury. said the first
real clue as to where the men obtain
cd the LIQUOR came last night, when
Vernon Pettis was taken to the nos
pital. Pettis said that McCuen, who
had been to the races at Iimonlum
Monday afternoon. gave him a drink
cut of a pint bottle that he brought
back to the arsenal. Pcttis said all
the men who died and those now sick
drank from the same bottle. The au-
thorities earlier in the day said that
;hev had received positive infornta-
ton that McCuen and Meyers had
been at Timonum on Monday. and
hey said, they are of the opinion that
Richmond accompanied them. The
other men who died and those who
are sick are thought to have been at
ne arsenal all day Monday.
General Fries said that two bottles
containing small amounts of liquor
were found in the room in which it
: alleged the men "held a party
late Monday night. One of the bottles
was of pint size, while the other
held quart. A chemical examination
f the contents of the pint bottle
showed it contained mostly wood alco-
hcl and an unknown ingredient, &C
cording to the statement of officers,
while the quart bottle contained
'ncmc brew" made up Of vinegar,
avaporated peaches, yeast and small
quantity of wood alcohol. Anderson.
who died last night, when first taken
20 the hospital yesterday morning, al
:cr being found unconscious under a
tree, said the men favored the con-
.erts Of the bottle with lemon extract
A jury summoned by Corone,
Lewis. of Edgewood. to investigate
the deaths Of the first seven men,
found that the deaths were due to
wood alcohol poisoning. The jurymen
based their opinion on the statement
# Lieutenant-C Colonel Woodbury.. He
testified that the men who died show
ID every symptom of wood alcohol
poisoning. He said they all suffered
from delirium, had floating visions
ard that at least four became blind
before lapsing into Inconsistencies
and that all died of paralysis of the
respiratory muscles. He said that
while he did not know exactly what
condition would have been brought
about if the men had consumed grain
alcohol doctored with chloracetoche-
none. he is Of the opinion that such
poison would only nauseate them.
TIE pint bottle found in the room
contained two labels. The label next
to the glass showed that the bottle
originally contained Pikesvilc whisky
Over that label was pasted another
containing the following inscriptions:
Prescription from DR.. Winner. Drink
wineglassful before retiring. July Q.
1920"
DR.. Jacob /. Winner, 80 South
Broadway. the only physician by that
name in Baltimore. said last night he
rad given prescriptions for whisky to
JoSenh Langley. 1917 West Barre