Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-21
Scores Are Made III by Fooc'
Eaten on Outing at
Marshall Hall.
AMBULANCES MEET BOAT
ON NIGHT RETURN TRIPS
Samples Of Lunch Furnished to
Those Affected Being Exam
ined by Chemists.

women and children who were treated
at local hospitals last night after they
had been stricken by an unidentified
nalady while on an excursion to Mar
shall Hall yesterday afternoon, still
were under treatment at two hospitals
at noon today.
At that time the District Health and
Police Departments were conducting
separate strenuous investigations into
the probable poisoning of scores of the
1,241 persons who sailed for Marshall
Hall and Mount Vernon aboard the
steamer Charles Manchester on its three
trips yesterday.
Stricken late yesterday afternoon
while the steamer was returning to
Washington following its second trip
to the resort. most of the victims were
among the 744 persons. mostly women
and children. who journeyed to Mar
shall Hall on the Central Union Mis-
sion'S excursion. Each Of these ex-
cursionists had eaten food issued in
lunch boxes by the mission and doc
tors of the Emergency Hospital staff
who responded to the resorts call for
aid found specimens of the lunch ap-
parently tainted.
Al Taken to Hospital.
On It's first return trip to Washing
ton, docking at $40 pm, the Charles
Macalester landed among its passengers
Al women and children who were
rushed to Emergency Hospital in ambu-
iances and private automobiles. Re-
turning for its last load of passengers,
-f<
Of hospital care to Washington at 10:45
o'clock. In addition to these, scores of
others, who had been treated either on
the boat or at Marshall Hall. were
allowed to go home.
OF the 40 taken to Emergency Hos
pital last night. all but 10 went to their
homes following treatment. Those still
at the hospital today. are: Mrs. E. A.
Crouch, 81 years old, 81 New York ave-
nue.; Mrs. Rosa Jewett, 40 years old.
1926 Thirteenth street; Mrs. Ellen
Brown, 80 years old. 1928 M streets
Mrs. Mary !. Berry, 40 years old, 1852
Half street southeast: Mrs. Margaret
Motley, 50 years old, 1887 L street
southeast: Mrs. Lottie Smith, 48 years
old. 61o D street; Mrs. Lille Collins.
II years old. 42O1 Thirty-fifth street:
Mrs. Maize Sullivan. Al years old, 1923
Bladensburg road northeast; Mrs. Mary
Taylor, 54 years old. 334 C street north
east. and Mrs. Carrie Diever, So years
old. IS L street northeast.
Early Investigations today by DR. VIII
liam G. Fowler, District health officer,
tended to ahsolve the missions lunches
of responsibility for the malady. DR.
Fowler told The Star he had found that
IS of the excursioniStS were residents
of the missions children's emergency
home. who had no spending money and
ate only the missions food.
He declared that the heat may have
been largely responsible for the illnesses.
and added that the water at the resort
also could have been partly TO blame.
although he had no evidence upon
which to base such theory. The water
aboard the steamer Charles Manchester.
he explained, is examined once week.
and its last examination had been only
two days before the excursion and found
to be good.
Specimens Are Tested.
Specimens of the served foods have
been obtained and DR.. E. j. Schwartz
and DR.. J. A. Noble. bacteriologiSt, were
making tests which would occupy about
in the malady it could have played. II
addition TO the laboratory tests, Dis
trict health officers are interviewing
the victims today in an effort TO learn
Just what each had eaten.
The possibility that eggs included In
the lunch boxes were to blame was
suggested when DR.. /. Rutkoski of the
Emergency Hospital staff, announced
upon his return to the city on the
steamers last trip last night that they
we're rotten" DR.. Fowler announced
that sample eggs taken from the gen.
eral stock OF the commission house
tested thoroughly 10 see II the stock
could have been tainted when sold to
the Mission.
DR.. John s. Bennett. superintendent
of the Central Union Mission, told The
Star the foods were prepared late
night, the mission workers la
boring until o'clock Friday morning
to assure the last minute packing of the
lunches,
Holds Heat Largely 10 Blame.
"The extreme heat. in my opinion.
was largely responsible for the Illness
ON the excursion" said Mr.. Bennett ut
may also have been due To something
which was purchased at Marshall Hall
by those who had spending money. The
food was not donated, but was purchaS-
ed and prepared under our supervision
We worked until 5 o'clock Friday morn
ing getting 1t ready.
Each box contained one ham sand
sich and one peanut sandwich. wrapped
In parotfin paper. one piece OF cake
bought nom q reputable local bakery.
one peach, one banana and one hard
,oiled egg The ham was purchased from
\ reliable local firm. and the other ar
leles OF food IN the box were in good
condition 10 the best Of our knowledge
In addition TO the food IN the boxes. a
ocal ice cream firm sent down paper
,upS of ice cream"
DIR, Bennett also declared today that
all of the 744 persons ON the mission
had returned to Washington
N the MacaleSter'S first trip with the
malady victims Any Ill persons brought
70 Washington later, he said, must have
been other excurSioniStS
Some OF Those Treated.
Emergency Hospital announced today
that 1t had treated 10 victims of the
malady following their removal 70 that
Some OF these. Ii was said,
we're only slightly III. and they depart
sd before their names could be learned.
Those definitely listed for treatment at
In addition to the 10 Stili
here today, were:
Catherine Donegan. 5 years old. and
Thomas Donegan. years old. 1857
jefferson street, Morris King. Is years
I'D, 1870 ThlTtisth street; Radel T.
bray. years eld. 4io9 M street: Agnes
vapshire. 4S years old. 1891 N street.
dary Potter. 50 years old, sl5 sixth
) fContinued on page q Column a.