New-York tribune., 1920-01-01
Six Jailed in Passaic; New
York Grocer Is Held in
$50, 900 Bail: Much Wood
Alcohol Seized in the East
Brooklyn Still Is Raided
Federal Agents Declare
''Rins'' in Philadelphia
Dealt i'll Poison Liquor

Federal and local authorities uncov-
cred fresh information yesterday con-
cohol has been circulated through the
East as a beverage.
Eleven more persons, it is reported,
have died, apparently from drinking
the poisonous fluid. Five are dead in
Philadelphia and one each in Brooklyn,
Newark. Passaic, Lodi, n. j., Water
town \. Y, and Hartford, Conn.
Following the death Of six in Pas
salc on Tuesday and another yester-
day, six men have been arrested. In
formation obtained from them led to
the arrest here of Giovanni Battista
Lo Cicero, dealer in groceries and
olive oil at 287-289 Elizabeth Street.
Two Gallons Seized
Detectives say they found in Lo Cic-
eros store two gallons of undiuted
wood alcohol, az we'll as large guam
titles of liquor. 10 Cicero was held in
$4,000 bail, charged with conspirine
to defeat wartime prohibition.
United States Marshal Power and
ether Federal officials inspected a
garage at II Woodhill Street, Brook
lyn. They found, they say, complete
equipment for making "whisky" such
as has caused so many deaths, as
we'll as a thrcc-quart bottle, labeled
=;
nal use only"
This label, it was said, bore the
stamp of Saleeby's Drug Store. Sam
uel Saleeby was arrested last Satur-
the shipment of wood alcohol into New
England for beverage purposes.
His brother-n-la Edward G. Ware.
of 1870 State Street Brooklyn, was ar
raigned yesterday before United States
Comm issioner McGoldrick and held in
$4,000 bail. The charge against him
was not made public.
Coroner knight, of Philadelphia, fol-
lowing the death Of three women and
two men there yesterday, said he be-
lieved wood alcohol ring" similar
to that uncovered in New York was
distributing the poison in Pennsyl-
vania.
Saloon Men Held
The arrest of Lo Cicero here took
place early yesterday morning. The
police of Passaic, who had been de-
termnng who was responsible for the
sale of wood alcohol whisky" in that
town, took into custody two saloon
l. :. of oio
Street. and Max Rudolph, Of 4 Second
Street. Joseph Lownski, Morris's bar
tender and Ludwig Lanuka, his de-
livery man, also were arrested
The Passac police say Morris told
them he purchased the liquor from
Frank Hopper and Louis Mazola, of
Garfield, n. }.
These men. when arrested. said, ac-
cording TO the police, that they in turn
had purchased the stuff from a man
on Elizabeth Street, Manhattan.
Immediately Captain Ben Turner, of
the passaic detective force, got in
Early yesterday morning, Turner, Ser
geant Owen Cunningham, of the Pas
sale force, County Detective william
Nj. Drew and Morris and Hopper came
to the city
They were met by Detective Stein,
of the local Homicide Bureau. Hopper,
Stein says. led the party to the store
at 2S72S9 Elizabeth Street. From
there they went to the home of Lo
Cicero. who. it is said, was identified
by Hopper and arrested.
Marshal Power also arrested yes
terday Cosimo d'Antuono, 763 East
New York Avenue, on charge of
manufacturing and selling liquor 1t
10 for nf icE a
quantity of burned sugar and other
ingredients were contiscated.
Held in $4,000 Bail
Salvatore Esposito. of 100 Mulberry
Street, who was arrested day before
yesterday, was arraigned yesterday be-
fore United States Commissioner
Hitchcock and held in $4,000 bail,
charged with violating wartime pro-
hibition.
The Board of Health met yesterday
and amended Article of the sanitary
code. max kng it the duty of physicians
and hospital authorities imm edlltely
to report all cases of wood rlc oho
poisoning that came to their attention.
Prosecutor Pierre Garvin, of Hudson
County, yesterday ordered autopsics
performed on the bodies of Mrs. Mary
Ward and John Reynolds, who died in
the City Hospital, it is believed, of
wood alcohol poisoning Mr. Garvin
also called on the police of Hudson
County cities to act against traffickcrs
in wood alcohol, saying it was impossl-
bic for him to run down all offenders
with the detective force at his COM
mand
Deaths in and about New York yes
tcrday included j. Charles Huse. a
laborcr. of 1853 Grand Avenue. Astoria.
who died IN St. Johns Hospital. appar-
emily from wood alcohol poisoning,
an unidentified man in Passaic. Giagrio
Nilaggo, OF Lodi. N. j., and Michael
Bolus, of l45 Court Street. Newark
Following the discovery in Newark
that Harry Fuller. of 147 Mulberry
Street. apparently was suffering from
wood alcohol poisoning, Federal author
tiles and police yesterday raided the
saloon of John Levy ISL Mulberry
Street, and contiscated what is said to
be a FIVE gallon jug of whisky This
wall be analyZed.
In Passaic the police last night re-
pcated their saloon raids of the night
pe'ore Little additional liquor was
collected
John Cockeran was stricken yester-
day in New Brunswick with what is ap-
parently wood alcohol poisoning This
is the first case IN this community
Five five gallon cans O. something
with alcoholic content were seized
Cans OF coloring and flavoring mat
ter also were discovered The liquid,