The New York herald., 1922-09-06
LIQUOR IN RED HOOK
TAKES 4 MORE LIVES
Two Women Among Victims
and Two Women Are Seized
on Homicide Charge.
DEATHS MOUNT TO SIX
Another Is Dying as Terror
Spreads in Workers. Dis
trict in Brooklyn.

Four more persons died yesterday
and three arrests for homicide were
made by Brooklyn police in coani,stion
with the poison liquor being dis
tributed in the Red Hook section Of
Brooklyn. Two of the prisoners are
women and the third is clerk cu1-
ployed by one of the women as an
attendant in n grocery store.
The arrests followed a DAY of strenu-
Gus activity on the part of the Brock
lyn authorities. who bent every effort
to trace the source of the liquor that
left wake of death In Brooklyn since
Saturday night Mrs. Irmclinda Vital,
proprietress of grocery store AT 149
ing responsible for the death of Mrs.
Theresa Martin of 1876 Dyck.1an street.
and Mrs. Adelina Reale, liz Sullivan
street. was arrested in connection with
\ the death of Peter McDcrmott CO 20
Summit street
The dead to date are: Edward Burke
20. Of 14S Pioneer street; William Stre-
litz. "a. of 1s7 couover street; John Ke-
hoe. 67, of loo Conover street: Mrs. Annie
Norris. 43. of 1877 Conover street Mrs.
I Theresa Martin. s6, OF 135 Dyckman
street. and Peter McDermott. Michael
keenan,, who boarded with Mrs. Martin.
Is dying in the Kings County Hospital
Volunteer Gives Tip.
l rN;.-s.. k..e-o.. u,,..o,, .ooi1 ol,arga
Of the investigation last night While
he was questioning Mrs. Vital and her
clerk, Michael Cafiero. also charged with
homicide, q man walked into the Hamil-
ton avenue station and declared that he
could take the police to the place where
Burke. one OF the first victims. who
| died Monday night. purchased some
liquor on Saturday.
1 A raid was conducted on information
given by this man. who said his name
was Edwin Mattson of PAT Forty-nlnth
street He said he was friend of both
| Burke and Strclitz and had been with
BurSe Saturday afternoon and evening.
| Accompanied by squad of detectives
he went to liz sullivan street just
around the corner from Mrs. vitalfs
grocery store and walked upstairs TO
the home OF Mrs. Reale.
Burke, he said had bought n small
night for so cents. Both drank part
Of the contents and then went out.
Mattson said Burke left him later in
| the evening to return to Mrs. Reale's
hat, and that was the last he had heard
about him until he read of his death in
the paper. Mrs. Reale Is 40 years old
and the mother OF six children.
District Attorney Ruston declared
later that an examination of the bodies
Ia,
and McDermott showed evidence Of
wood alcohol
Blind Before Death.
The Hrss victim who died yesterday
was John Kehoe. Before he died he
became blind and complained of severe
pains in his head. He could hardly talk
and although the detectives from the
Hamilton Avenue station who had been
notified by ncighbors In Conover street
tried to elicit some information he died
before a hospital ambulance arrived.
A few doors away, at 1S7 Conover.
Mrs Anne Morris had already died some
hours before and her body was being
taken away for an autopsy to be per-
formed by Dr. NJ. T.. Marten, assistant
medical examiner OF Brooklyn. He re-
ported that an examination OF all three
victims showed the presence of alcohol
In the bodies. but IL would require a
more detailed analysis to state definitely
from a medical standpoint that they
were all victims OF wood alcohol or
other poisonous matter In the liquor.
The police. however. are convinced by
the circumstances surrounding the deaths
that they were all duo to the same
cause Mrs Mcrris's family said she was
not In the habit OF drinking. but admit
ted she occasionally took little" :
The Policeman Buys.
While these deaths were being investi
gated drunken and dying man stag
gered up to Patrolman william J. Neary
on post and muttered an address and
something about "a woman dying"
i Piloted unsteadiiy by Keenan,, who said
he was going blind" Neary arrived Mt
las Dyckman street and there found
4 Mrs. Theresa Martin dead In her bed
4 with half pint bottle of whisky on the
I table near by.
keenan, said he and,Mrs. Martin. with
I whom he boards. had been drinking the
\ night before and both awoke feeling III.
4 He started to work. but was compelled
\ 10 return to the house several hours
later. The doors were locked, and when
4 he climbed in one OF the windows he
found Mrs. Martin dead
where did you get the stuff" asked
Neary.
Dunno Couldn't tell you
Here" The policeman dug into his
j pocket and drew forth dollar bill.
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