Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-01
JAIL WOOD ALCOHOL
G A n G lE A D { R s
New York Police Arrest Six Men
for Conspiracy to Flood New
England and Other States
With Poison Liquor
DEATH TOLL INCREASES
New York Authorities Thoroughly
Aroused by Ever Growing List Of
FntaIitics--TwO Prisoners Ont on
S25,OOO Hail

New York. Dec. 2o--With six men in
custody, alleged ring leaders in con-
spiracy to food New York. New Jersey
and New England with poisonous substi-
tutions for whiskey, federal state and
city authorities were united tonight in
vigorous pursuit of the purveyors OF
the poisonous beverages which have
caused scores of deaths and hundreds OF
cases of blindness and Illness. The ar
rest of the six men in New York last
night and to-day is only the first step
in widespread campaign which is ex-
pected to result in the capture of at least
"A score or more of the poison dispensers
according to federal officials.
In the meantime the toll of death and
serious illness caused through drinking
wood alcohol and other illicit connections
continued to mount in New York and
adjacent cities. During the day four
more deaths were recorded one each
from Newark, Elizabeth, Passaic, n. D..
and one from New York. In addition two
men and woman were picked up uncon-
scious on New York streets and two men
in Passaic in a similar condition. all four
being critically i'll tonight from alcoholic
poisoning.
| Thoroughly aroused by the ever grow
ing list of fatalities the authorities held
several conferences during the day at
which cooperation was planed between
the different federal and municipal de-
partments Colonel Daniel L. Porter
supervising revenue agent for New York,
who Is at the head of the campaign for
the federal government, declared tonight
that New York city is the headquarters
for the country in the Illicit liquor in
dustry and that it is impossible as yet tc
tell how far the ramifications of the
trade extend
The two most important arrests made
so far according to the federal agents
are those of John Romanelli, a Brooklyn
undertaken. and Samuel Saleeby, 6
Brooklyn druggist who are accused OF
being the PRINCIPALS in the distribution
of the poison throughout New England
The two men Were released tonight or
$4,000 bail pending further examination
and in the meantime revenue agents ant
city detectives are continuing their in
vestigation as to the sources of the liquor
which the two are accused of having dis
tributed. Romanell is supposed to have
obtained large quantities of alcohol OF
the ground that he needed it for embalm
ling purposes but where he purchased l
has not yet been learned
The remaining four men are Adolpl
Panar NJ. former saloon keepr. Car
mine siccnziato, Amedio Deloma ant
Luigi Puca, Italian grocers. Panarell
has made a statement to the author
tiles in regard to the method employ
ed for the distribution of the liquo
in New England and, 1T was stated to
night, he may be a witness for tn
government. Colonel Porter to-nigh
gave the details Of one transaction Il
which Panarell is said to have bee
the go-between between Ramanell
and Nathan Salzberg. a saloon keepe
of Hartford, Conn. According to thi
story Salzberg got three barrels o
liquor from Rameneli through Pana
rell for which he paid $4,000 while tn
go-between was paid $3.50 as broker
age commission. Romanelli is said t
have supplied seven barrels in all, fiv
of which have been traced while tw
still are missing.
The net result of raids carried ou
in New York this month by Colons
, Porter's men has been 100 arrests an
seizure of more than $50 barrels c
non beverage alcohol.