The New York herald., 1920-01-02
WOOD ALCOHOL
| CASES GROW IN
NEW YEAR REvEL
One Man Succumbs, Eleven
in Hospitals In and
Near City.
UNCONSCIOUS MEN
FOUND IN STREETS
Information Given by Poison Whisky
Victims Causes Raids on Saloons
in New Jersey.

Twelve cases of wood alcoho! poisoning
were reported Yesterday in New York and
vicinity, following the New Years Eve
festivities All the victims had been cele-
brating the passing of the old year. One
man died and several are not expected to
live.
Newark, N J., suffered the worst blow.
Six men were taken to hospitals there and
two saloons were raided and quantity of
liquors seized.
There we're four wood alcohol poison VIC
tins in Brooklyn and two in Jersey City.
Walter Griffith, of No. 452 Broad street
Newark, told the police when he was taken
to the City Hospital that he had purchased
liquor from Julius Pitscher's saloon, at
No. 464 Broad street. The police arrested
Pitscher, who said ne had obtained his
liquor from julius Amsterdam, at No. 24S
Orange street. At the latter place the
police seized $1,000 worth of supplies in
jugs and tin cans. Amsterdam was ar
rested, charged with violating the Vol
stead prohibition law, and Pitscher was
held as witness.
Found iCncOnsc7Ous in Street.
An unidentified man was found uncon-
scious in the street in Newark and died
shortly after he was taken to the City
Hospital. Others in the City Hospital in
cluded Elmer Drake, thirty-two years, of
No. 123 Seventeenth avenue, and George
Banse. of No. 136 South street. Still an
other unidentified man was carried there
last night in serious condition from poison
ing.
Albert Anssidue and Joseph Siegal. Of
No. Al Nesbitt street, became i'll in the
street after visiting a friend in Belleville
near Newark. They were taken to st. Mi
chaels Hospital and were found to be suf-
fering from wood alcohol poisoning. They
said they had obtained liquor from Samuel
kahn's saloon at William and Cortlandt
streets, Bellevile. The police seized a
quantity of liquor in bottles in the saloon
and sealed three barrels Of wine in the cell
lar.
Another case OF poisoning was reported
yesterday TO the Jersey City police by
the City Hospital authorities. Clarence
Jordan, nineteen years, of No. 3s6 Bergen
avenue, was taken to the hospital early
in the day, victim of acute poisoning
He was found unconscious at Monticello
and Jordan avenues by Policeman Wolf
Celebrating New Yenr's Eve.
Michael F'laherty was taken to the City
Hospital, Jersey City. for observation. He
lis thirty-four years old, lives at No.
36 Court House street and was found un-
conscious at st. Paurs and Oakland ave-
nues. He had been celebrating New
Years Eve.
John O'Brien was taken from his home
at No $40 Hicks street, Brooklyn, to the
Long Island College Hospital His con-
dition was serious and the police were
unable to learn from him where he had
obtained his supply.
James Gregory, nineteen years old. Of
NO. 5ol Nostrand avenue. was found un-
conscious at Albany and Atlantic ave.
nues, near st. Johns Hospital. TO which
place evidently he had been trying TO
find his way. Or. Mcdonald diagnosed
the case as wood alcohol poisoning.
Charles Smith. twenty years old. who
lives in Staten Island. was found uncor-
scious at High and Washington streets.
BROOKLYN, and DR.. Adams, OF the Long
Island College Hospital. diagnosed the case
as wood alcohol poisoning
Officials Breathe Easier.
Federal officials who had feared careless
drinking over the holiday might carry
widespread disaster in New York breathed
easier last night. While the menace has
by no means passed, the officials believe
the public has profited by the ated
warnings given and is guarding itself
against the poison concoction sold as wbis
key
With limited staffs employed In the reve-
nue. and secret service offices. federal
officials are unable to meet the situation
and are taking steps to swear in a large
number OF special deputy marshals TO as
sist In the emergency. James NJ Powers.
United States Marshal. took the lead yes
terday. swearing In n score OF assistants s
who will help run down the wood alcohol
dealers in Brooklyn.
The Health Department was prepared
yesterday to act promptly If there were
repetitions Of the Christmas tragedies
when scores Of persons were stricken with
wood alcohol poisoning. The Board OF
Health had ordered that wood alcohol
and naphtha poisoning be classified as re-
portable diseases and directed all pbysi-
clans and hospitals TO make known all
such cases. This action was taken to give
added protection TO the victims and TO aid
lin getting information from them regard
ing the source Of their supply.
Truck1osd OF Wine from New York