The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-03
SMASH POISON
RUM RING, PLEA
OF NEWSPAPER
New York Telegram Finds
e. Wood Alcohol Sold by
Many BootIeggers.

BIZ United Press
NEW YORK, Jan. 3.-Fifty-five OF
5O4 samples of liquor purchased in
New York drinking places by rep
resentatives of the New York Tele-
gram. a Scripps Howard newspaper,
contained wood alcohol, Seventy
others were classified by chemists as
ebad." Three hundred Slxty-tWo
we're drinkable, though Synthetic OF
"cut."
The Telegram made an extensive
investigation of the liquor being
served in Manhattan, employing
thirty men over a period of three
weeks. Analyses of samples were
made by registered chemists. Where
ever evidence of wood alcohol was
found, at least three purchases we're
made, and the original findings were
checked.
8 The Greenwich Village section
showed the highest percentage Oh
wood alcohol in samples-24 per
cent. Five per cent of all samples
of rye whisky showed wood alcohol
saws The Telegram. Three and a
half per cent of the so-called Scotch
showed the same poison, while 81
per cent of the cordials disclosed
wood alcohol.
Many Are Victims
"According to medical author
tiles all drink containing wood al
cohoI are dangerous" The Telegram
saws. 1.-The effects vary, being de-
pendent on the quantity and the
physical condition of the drinker. In
small quantities, the effects are
cumulative. Large quantities mean
quick blindness and death"
During the last year, sixty persons
are known to have died in New
York from drinking wood alcohol,
twice the number of the year pre-
vious. and tl1fee times that of 1926,
according to The Telegram. Known
deaths from "alcohol poisoning
were 600 in 1928, and it is thought
the total includes many who drank
= poisonous liquor.
The Telegram printed a first-page
editorial in which it said there are
nearly 10000 speakeasies in New
'tLYork, and urged Grover Whalen,
new police commissioner, to raid
those places where poisonous liquor
was being served.
Sees Prohibition Failure
~ making New York dry is like
sweeping the ocean back with a
broom said The Telegram. Failure
OF prohibition is nowhere SO marked
as in New York City.
"One of the first activities of the
new police commissioner is the raid
ing of speakeasies. He is dealing
with a problem inherited from his
predecessor In this connection The
New York Telegram desires to offer
suggestion namely, that the raids
be directed where they will do most
good.
7e "The Telegram aspires to no re-
FORMER role. It does not contend
that prohibition can be enforced In
New York City. 1t believes, in fact,
that it can not-that alcoholic bever-
ages will continue to be sold in spite
of Mabel Willebrandt, Maurice
Campbell. James Doran, John Roach
Straton, hell and high water.
g But in these efforts at enforce
sment that are made, maximum re-
suit can be secured. If alcohol can
not be abolished, at least the wood
can be driven out.
Urges WhaIen to Act
"The Telegram suggests TO Com
smiSsioner Whalen that he concen-
trate his raiding against those
lspeakeasies that sell bad and poison
liquor.
is. ''The Telegram believes that ev-
cry fair-minded man will agree that
there is a vast range in the grade
siof crininality between the one who
sells liquor and the one who sells
elpoison liquor.
Whether liquor is poisonous is
merely a problem in chemistry
Those who sell can find out, if they
have enough regard for human life
to pay for the analyses.
"Centering of police pressure
against the SpeakeaSies that are
selling drinks which are dangerous
viii not solve the prohibition ques-
ton. But it will bring tangible re-
suits in terms of life and death.
I'VE are today sending Commits
sioner Whalen the list of those
drinking places where wood alcohol
was found, and we urge that he put