Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-03
WEST CHESTER IN FEAR
OF POISON M|SCREANT.
ConstabuIary to Aid in Guard
ing Against Man Who
Scatters Cyanide.

West Chester, Pa. June 3.-Fully
aroused TO the grave danger to which
every resident of this city is ex-
posed through the activities of the
mysterious person who during the last
two weeks has caused the death of
hundreds of domestic pets by poison.
and who on two known occasions, at
tempted TO poison children. the author
ities are making desperate efforts not
only to capture the miscreant, but also
To safeguard the population.
As a result of the poisoners activi-
ties. which reached n climax on Me-
mortal Day, when banana impreg-
mated with cyanide OF potassium was
offered two school children. a special
meeting of the Borough Council was
called Wednesday.
AZ the gathering it was pointed out
that the man could throw sufficient
poison into the Milltown reservoir,
which supplies West Chester with
water. and wipe out the entire town so
far as life is concerned,
Provision was Immediately made TO
place a special guard on the water
works.
Il also was announced that bottle
labeled poison" had been found on
one OF the central streets. and that a
poisoned orange had been picked up
on the steps of the Presbyterian
Church.
Residents of this city are so aroused
by the poisoner's actions that they are
in constant fear the temporary lull in
his operations will be followed by some
terrifying disaster. All agree that the
person responsible for the poisonings
is insane and they believe his insanity
will cause him to stop at nothing.
Unable so far TO get much more than
a good description of the man sus-
pected of the crimes, the police author
ities have called upon the State Con-
stahulary TO aid them in their search
The police, as well as the members
of the State force stationed in Chester
county. are working on the theory that
the prisoner is employed in a large
manufacturing concern or on a farm
or plant nursery near the city.
They point out that the kind OF
poison found on each occasion so far is
OF the same nature. They say IL is
used in large quantities by manufac-
turing concerns in the treatment or
steel and also on farms and nurseries
as germicide.
That the. prisoner has access to large
quantities is evidenced by the careless
manner in which he uses it. A grain Of
the poison, it IS said, is sufficiently
powerful TO cause instant death, yet
the affected foodstuffs that have been
brought to the attention of the police
almost invariably contain enough 10
lay low 4 score or more people
That the State Police have been
called upon 10 aid in the apprehension
OF the fiend was made known by w.
Butler Windle, District Attorney Of
Chester county. He declares that he not
only had requested cooperation Of the
constabulary with the police depart
ment, but also had asked the State to
send a chemist, 50 that analysis of OBJ
jects suspected of containing poisons
might so on with greater speed.
Since Memorial Day, when the police
obtained a highly poisoned banana
from the two schoolhoys who had
been presented with it by the poisoner,
more candy, fruit and peanuts found
about the streets have been brought 10
police headquarters than the city
chemist can handle. While some OF
the edibles are believed 70 be free from
poison, the police are confident that a
large portion have been tanpered with
The boys to whom the poisoner gave
the banana are Russell Cardwell of S44
East Biddle street and VIM. Thomp-
son of 347 East Biddle street. Each is
about Is years old.
Fortunately, several days before the
incident a large number of dogs had
fallen victims TO the poisoner, and the
public school authorities had begun
warning children in the schools Of the
danger which confronted them If they
ate anything that they We're not alb
solutely sure was pure. One of the
boys said yesterday that they Were
about to share the fruit between them
when they remembered the warning
ard decided to take il TO police head
quarters. DIR. II. II. Brown, who was
called upon by the police TO examine
the banana, declared that ii contained
sufficient poison TO kill a hundred
persons.