The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-01-09
ARREST LEADERS
IN WHISKY SALES
Taking of Six Men in New York
First Step in Widespread
National Campaign.
MORE DEATHS RECORDED.
New York Declared Headquarters for
Nation In Illicit Liquor Industry
Supply Comes From Brooklyn
Embalming Shop.

New York.-With six men In custody,
alleged ringleaders in a conspiracy to
flood New York, New Jersey and New
England with poisonous substitutes for
whisky, federal, state and city authori-
ties united 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 arrest of the six men in New
York is only the first step in a wide
spread campaign which is expected to
result In the capture Of at least
score or more of the poison dispensers,
according to the 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 nearby cities. Four more
deaths were recorded, one each from
Newark, Elizabeth, Passaic, N. j., and
one from New York
In addition, two men and a woman
were picked up unconscious On New
York streets and two men in Passaic
in similar condition, all five being
critically Ill from alcoholic poisoning.
Colonel Daniel L. Porter, supervising
revenue agent for New York, who Is
at the head Of the campaign for the
federal government, said that New
York city was the headquarters for
the country in the Illicit liquor indus
try, and that 1t was impossible as yet
to 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,
Brooklyn undertaken, and Samuel
Saleeby, Brooklyn druggist, who are
accused of being the principals in the
distribution of the poison throughout
New England The two men were re-
leased on $4,000 bail, pending further
examination, and in the meantime rev.
enue agents and city detectives are
continuing their Investigations as tor
the sources of the liquor which the two
ulC uNNuSCu VI nav iiS NiSli Az
manelli is supposed to have obtained
large quantities of alcohol on the
ground that he needed it for embalm-
ing purposes, but where he purchased
it has not yet been learned.
The remaining four men are Adolph
Panarelli, former saloonkeeper; Car
mine Licensiato, Amedio Deloma and
T haS
made statement to the authorities in
regard to the method employed in the
distribution of the liquor in New Eng
land, and, it was stated, he may be a
witness for the government.
Two of the seven barrels of liquor
which Romanelli is accused of having
sold are said to have been bought by
Bronx saloonkeeper This. man, ac-
cording to Colonel Porter, came to
Panarelli after the sale and denounced
him for having charged him $1,000 for
wood alcohol. Panarelli declares, Col
onel Porter said, that he took sample
of the liquor to uggist, who con-
firmed the saloonkeeperr word that it
was poison.
he Salu IndL lie tlleL WdrHeu cdtS-
berg over the long distance telephone
not to sell any of the stuff he had
bought. Salsberg told him, he con-
tinued, that he had sold barrel to
a dealer in Chicopee, Mass, and small
err quantities to other dealers in Hart
ford, but that he would try and re-
cover as much of the liquor as he
could. Later he was informed by SAILS
berg that he had got back almost all
except half barrel which had been
sold in Chicopee.
Assistant District Attorney Hennis
said yesterday that if liquids taken
from the cellar of the lodging house
and saloon at 252 Fulton street proved
to contain wood alcohol he would ask
for an indictment for murder in the
first degree of James Condor, the pro-
prietor and William Nolan, the bar
tender Four of Condon's dodgers are
dead from drinking wood alcohol.