1958 — Feb 22-March 4, bootleg wood alcohol poisonings, mostly Spanish Harlem, NYC–27

–~30 Pegler, Westbrook. “Prohibition’s Scourge.” San Antonio Light, TX. 3-13-1958, p. 24
— 27 Middlesboro Daily News, KY “Wood Alcohol Death Toll Hits 27.” 3-8-1958, p. 2, col. 1.
— 27 NYT. “Three Men Seized as Poison Source: Police Say Wood Alcohol…” 3-6-1958, p. 1.
— 27 UP. “‘King Kong’ Death Toll Reaches 27.” Galveston Daily News, TX. 3-7-1958, p. 6.
— 25 Daily Jeffersonian, Cambridge, OH. “Wholesale Murder [photo caption].” 3-10-1958, p.1.
— 19 Chester Times, PA. “Two Held as Booze Kills 19.” 3-1-1958, p. 16.
— 16 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Three More Die From Drink.” 2-28-1958, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Feb 28: “New York, Feb. 28, (AP) – Three more deaths today raised to 16 the number of persons who have perished, apparently from drinking wood alcohol, since last weekend. Five others were ill in hospitals from what was believed to be the same cause.” (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Three More Die From Drink.” 2-28-1958, p. 1.)

March 1: “New York (AP) – The death toll from wood alcohol has risen to 19. Fifteen other persons are under hospital treatment. This is the highest toll in the city from bootlegged booze since prohibition days. Police today arrested two men in connection with two wood alcohol deaths. Ordered held on homicide charges, they were identified as Norberto Diaz, 33, and Jose Billido, 42, both of the Bronx. A hospitalized victim of the deadly drink was said to have identified Diaz, owner of a candy store.

“Billido was picked up in the store after Bronx detectives confiscated 10 gallons of raw alcohol in the basement of a Bronx apartment house. Late last night police reported that half the cache was wood alcohol….

“Police said a number of the victims had attended a party of Puerto Ricans in East Harlem last weekend.” (Chester Times, PA. “Two Held as Booze Kills 19.” 3-1-1958, p. 16.)

March 5: “New York (AP) – The death toll from lethal bootleg alcohol stood at 27 today, five men are held on homicide charges for staling and selling the wood alcohol drink in the Puerto Rican slums of Manhattan and the Bronx. The latest victim…died shortly before midnight, a few hours after he was admitted to Metropolitan Hospital. A number of victims are still under treatment, some in critical condition and at least one nearly blind.

“The poison alcohol was traced Wednesday to a New Jersey chemical firm worker who police said admitted stealing 60 gallons of wood alcohol and selling it to others who mixed it with water, fruit juice and soda pop and sold it as ‘King Kong.’ The chemical worker…[and] a tannery worker, are held on charges of being fugitives from murder charges in New York City. Three others are under arrest in the Bronx on homicide charges.” (Middlesboro Daily News, KY “Wood Alcohol Death Toll Hits 27; Five Are Charged.” 3-8-1958, p. 2, col. 1.)

Sources

Chester Times, PA. “Two Held as Booze Kills 19.” 3-1-1958, p. 16. Accessed 2-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/chester-times-mar-01-1958-p-16/

Daily Jeffersonian, Cambridge, OH. “Wholesale Murder [photo caption].” 3-10-1958, p.1. Accessed 2-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cambridge-daily-jeffersonian-mar-10-1958-p-1/

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Three More Die From Drink.” 2-28-1958, p. 1. Accessed at: https://newspaperarchive.com/

Middlesboro Daily News, KY “Wood Alcohol Death Toll Hits 27.” 3-8-1958, p. 2, col. 1. Accessed at: https://newspaperarchive.com/

New York Times. “Three Men Seized as Poison Source: Police Say Wood Alcohol Is Traced to Jersey Pair as Toll Rises Here to 27.” 3-6-1958, p. 1. Accessed 2-4-2023 at: https://www.nytimes.com/1958/03/06/archives/three-men-seized-as-poison-source-police-say-wood-alcohol-is-traced.html

Pegler, Westbrook. “Prohibition’s Scourge.” San Antonio Light, TX. 3-13-1958, p. 24. Accessed 2-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-light-mar-13-1958-p-24/

United Press. “‘King Kong’ Death Toll Reaches 27.” Galveston Daily News, TX. 3-7-1958, p. 6. Accessed 2-4-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-mar-07-1958-p-6/