Arizona republican., 1920-08-21
WH|SkEY SEIZED. NEAR DAM MAY BE DEADLY POISON
Liquor Is Being Analysed; May Have Caused Pre- vious Deaths; Estimate 800 to 1000 Stills in the Valley

Relieving that a quantity of white mule seized by officers of the law at the Gillespie dam a few days ago has become a deadly poison through the absorption of zinc solutions while being distilled in a container lined with that metal. the local prohibition inspector is sending a sample of the seizure to the federal chemist at San Francisco for analysis. according to an announcement made yesterday.
 There have been persistent reports, accordsng to the inspector, that liquor distilled in zinc vessels in other parts of the United States has become poisonous thriugh the mixture dissolv- ing the zinc with which the containers are lined. When sample of the dis ffllation from the Gillespie dam was poured into a glass jar and allowed to settle it immediately took on a grayish muddy hue much unlike, say the offi- ciaIs, tfat of even the worst of illegal distillings. With this fact. according to the officials, is the declared belief Of members of the sheriffs office that one or two deaths lately in the vicinity of the dam which have not been ac- counted for satisfactorily must have occurred through libations of moonshine containing zinc.
 Poison Lurking In All
 
 able. poison content of illegal distilla- tions is much higher than the majority of drinkers suppose, is the belief of the members of the prohibition enforce ment force here. It was told yester- day by one of these that on trip to northern Arizona lately he paid a vfsir to a soft drink stand, and was told by inc proprietor that shortly before he bought pint of bootleg whisky for $15, He drank some of it, he said. and then spent the next 12 days'in bed suffering with partial paralysis It is though, by the physicians attending him that the liquor contained wood alcohol
 Aside from the poisons which may be Introduced into bootleg whisky con- sciously, as in the eases where wood alcohol is used, or unconscious1y, as IT the case of the absorption of zinc, it is stated that the distillation of even the best whisky under the best of methocs produces a. viruIent poison. fusel oil which can be taken from the product spn1y through a chemical process ol Through ageing. Illegal whisky is not aged, nor is any other method used te get rid of the fusel oil. so that every pint of this liquor. according to pro- hibftion officers. contains modicum oi poison even before it leaves the hands soon after it's manufacture as possible In addition to these facts the officers say. is the willingness of many to drink any kind of moonshine that comes to hand without regard to what it may contain
 Tn Valley 1000 StiIIs7
 The real danger that turks in moon shine whisky with regard to it's possible poison content, according to officiais Is the number of people who may be- come victims There are between 50( and 1000 stills in the Salt River valley officials declared yesterday. A large number of these are operated only fol private use, but the consequences ot carelessness or ignorance on the par- of those who operate for commercial gain may be great enough to horrify ar entire community. as was the case las' winter when a wholesale distribution of wood alcohol was made in the east
 Prohibition officials also called atter. tion yesterday to the fact that boot leggers are using counterfeit bonding stamps and labels carrying the name. of various we'll known brands O whisky on the bottles which they ar' filling with their own compounds st that even the guarantee that come: with standard brand of liquor ma, be as deceptive as the mixture itself