16, NY– 32

lornajarrettblanchard January 28, 1935

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 12-24-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–32 AP. “Poison Liquor Plague Kills 32.” Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. 1-31-1935, 1.

–15 Gloversville. AP. “Poison Liquor Plague Kills 32.” Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. 1-31-1935, 1.

— 1 Rome. Norwich Sun, NY. “Poison Drink Deaths Cause Dred Terror.” 1-30-1935, p. 1.

–16 Utica. AP. “30 Liquor Deaths Reported Today.” The Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, NY. 1-29-1935, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Jan 28, AP/Norwich Sun, NY: “Eight more persons die Sunday [Jan 27] with four others critically ill in hospitals – Chemist finds that organs of two victims contain wood alcohol in large amounts – Officers arrest five and seize two stills.

“Utica, Jan 28 (AP) – With two more deaths this morning bringing the total to 15, federal state and city officials worked desperately today to trace the source of poison liquor held responsible for the fatalities. John Hollerhan, 52, died in the county jail, and Mable Rose, 42, succumbed in a hospital.

“Almost coincidentally with the two new deaths, Assistant District Attorney Earl O. Bastow announced a warrant charging manslaughter, second degree, had been issued against Jack Callahan who previously was held under charge of illegal sale. Victor Peterson, 43, under arrest with Callahan on charge of illegal sale, died today while being questioned by police. He was released from a hospital last night but during the questioning today complained that his back hurt him. He collapsed and died soon after.

“Utica, Jan. 28 (Special) With the deaths of eight persons Sunday the list of poison liquor victims in Utica mounted to 13 with four others reported in critical condition in local hospitals. Federal, state and local authorities worked frantically throughout the day in their efforts to stem the flow of the deadly liquid, taking five men into custody; seizing two small stills, a varied assortment of distilled spirits and questioning scores of persons.

“Findings of William S. Murray, chemist, that the organs of Charles Dunn, 41, and Helen Szymiko, 34, first of 13 victims of poison liquor here contained wood alcohol in large amounts, was announced Monday morning by Dr. Gordon A Holden, coroner. The announcement came soon after the arrest of Rose Calabrese, 24 Lansing street, on a charge of selling liquor without a license. The arrest was made after a buy had been made.

Wood Alcohol Kills

Thirteen of 17 samples of liquor seized by police after the initial deaths Thursday night, contained wood alcohol in sufficient quantity to cause death, report of Dr. Robert K. Brewer, Syracuse university showed. Dr. Holden, coroner, announced late Sunday night. Deaths of John M. Ransom, 37, 440 Cooper street, and William Rider, 48, 510 Cornelia street, were caused by wood alcohol poisoning, analysis of the organs by Dr. Brewer showed.

‘Sunday’s death list: [We place in alphabetical order.]

Charles Atwell, 63, 5 Hoyt street.

John Caleo, 26, 620 Albany street.

Leland Findlay, 42, 809 South street.

Walter Gohringer, 42, 500 Cornelia street.

Mrs. Eva Melott, 41, 507 Wiley street.

William Wicks, 40, 5 Hoyt street.”

(Associated Press. “15 Die From Poison Drink In Utica.” The Norwich Sun, NY. 1-28-1935, p. 1.)

Jan 29, AP, Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, NY: “Gloversville (AP) – The toll of poison liquor deaths in Central New York jumped to 30 today with the death of eight persons, including three women, here early today. Sixteen persons have died in Utica, approximately 60 miles west of here since last Thursday. The Gloversville dead are:

Mrs. Lena Snyder, 41;

Luther Benedict, 46;

Merrill Dence, 34;

Louis Bondsman, 39; Mrs. Bess Bondsman;

Mrs. Nettie Norman, 58;

Florian Simek, 60;

Morris Baumgaertel, 40.

“Mrs. Bondsman and Mrs. Norman were found dead in their homes while the others died soon after being admitted to hospitals.

“The first hint of the wholesale deaths came when police found Bondsman in a dazed condition on the street early today. Taken to a police station he mumbled that he was dying and he ‘had drunk some alcohol.’ He died a few minutes later.

“Soon after Bondsman’s death police began to receive emergency calls from all sections of the city and the other victims were rounded up and taken to hospitals. Police said all apparently had been drinking poison alcohol and died in intense agony. All were blind and black at the mouth when found.

“Utica (AP) – The threat of ‘creeping death’ from wood alcohol poisoning which already has taken 16 lives since last Thursday hung over six more persons today. All were taken ill after drinking the deadly liquor over the weekend and brought to hospitals. As physicians worked to save their lives, federal, state and local authorities scoured the city in an effort to locate the source of the poison and apprehend the vendors. One man, Jack Callahan, 53, was held in $7,500 bail following his arraignment in City Court yesterday on a charge of manslaughter, second degree. He was arrested for selling liquor without a license but the manslaughter charge was placed following the death of William Rider. Analysis of liquor seized from Callahan, police said, showed 13 of 17 samples contained sufficient wood alcohol to cause death.” (Associated Press. “30 Liquor Deaths Reported Today.” The Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, NY. 1-29-1935, p. 1.)

Jan 30, Norwich Sun, NY: “Hundreds Fearful that beverages partaken of by them will strike soon – isolation wards established – majority of victims poor and obtained liquor in filthy dives – physicians, nurses work without relief.

“Gloversville, Jan. 30 (AP) – Fear, bordering on panic, spread thru squalid sections of this city last night as death from alcohol poisoning increased to 15.

“In two other industrial cities of the Mohawk valley there were 17 deaths from a deadly intoxicating beverage, sold illegally to the impecunious in shadowed alleys and filthy dives. At Utica there have been 16 deaths since last Thursday. Rome had one victim.

“A few hours after two men and a woman died yesterday afternoon, more than a score of men and women were admitted to Nathan Littauer Hospital for treatment. Some were marked with the first symptoms of the terrible ‘creeping death.’ Others, hysterical and clammy with dread, were apprehensive that beverages partaken of by them may have contained poisonous alcohol. Seven persons died yesterday, eight Monday and Monday night.

“An isolation ward was established in the hospital. Physicians and nurses worked without relief to halt the ravages of the poison, while chemists in the laboratory analyzed stomach juices to determine with what particular type of lethal alcohol they had to deal.

“Federal, state, county and city governmental agencies here and at Utica sought the sources of the poison. John Archdeacon – was arraigned at Utica on a charge of selling liquor without a license. He pleaded not guilty. A woman victim’s dying gasp landed Archdeacon in the enforcement net. To the question shorted at each dying person, ‘Where did you get it?’ Mrs. Mabel Rose weakly replied: ‘Archie.’

“An autopsy showed that Anthony Reinel who died early Tuesday, had succumbed to apoplexy, presumably induced by alcohol poison. An analysis of his stomach was ordered.

“Virtually all of the 25 men and seven women victims were poor. Many of them were derelicts. Several had long police records of drunkenness. Some of them were found distorted by agony, cold in death, in begrimed hovels. Others collapsed on the streets. A few staggered into hospitals.

“The first deaths were at Utica last Thursday, when two persons died. One died on Friday, one on Saturday, eight Sunday and two Monday. As the wave receded at Utica three persons were stricken here Monday. Until early yesterday it was believed food poisoning caused their deaths.

“Louis Bondsman, 39, called police and said his wife died in bed. Officers found him shuffling along the street. As he was hurried to a hospital, he said: ‘Oh, well, I’ll be dead shortly. I’ve been drinking alcohol.’ He was dead when the ambulance stopped at the hospital. Emergency calls came in from several sections of the city. The symptoms were the same, intense pains in back and stomach, dizziness, numbness, blindness and coma.

“At Albany, Assemblyman Anthony J. Canney, Democrat of Buffalo, stated he would introduce a resolution in the state legislature today asking for legislative investigation of the calamity, with particular emphasis on state control of alcoholic beverages. ‘Just a year ago we set up what was supposed to be a model liquor control system,’ said Canney, who has been an opponent of the liquor control administration of Edward J. Mulrooney, former New York city police commissioner.

“….Taprooms in downtown Gloversville were deserted last night and today and groups of men stood on street corners and in news rooms discussing the sudden deaths. One man staggered up Main street and as several bystanders shouted, ‘You had better get to a hospital,’ he took refuge in a nearby store. Police were called to investigate whether he needed hospital treatment. Several persons who were taken to the hospital suddenly became blind under the bright lights.” (Norwich Sun, NY. “Poison Drink Deaths Cause Dred Terror.” 1-30-1935, pp. 1 and 8.)

Feb 4: Norwich Sun, NY. “Utica, Feb. 4 (Special) – Warrants charging three members of an East Utica family with murder, first degree, and four other Uticans with manslaughter, first degree, were issued here Sunday in connection with the investigation of the poison liquor traffic which claimed 31 lives in Utica and Gloversville in the last week. [Another was in Rome.] Only one of the accused seven is in custody. The murder charges are against Salvatore DiBenedetto, 46, 724 Lansing street and his two sons, Philip, 19, and Michael, 22. Manslaughter warrants were issued for Joseph Pepe, 30, 223 Blandina street; Joseph Enea, 30, 741 Lansing street; Mrs. Rose Calabrese, 46, 624 Lansing street, and Jack Callahan, 53, 500 Cornelia street, who is in custody.

Anti-Freeze Alcohol Involved

“The DiBenedettos, are accused in connection with the death of Mrs. Eva Melatt, 41, 507 Wiley street, who died last Sunday night. It is alleged they purchased two drums of anti-freeze radiator compound from a local station and in turn sold poison alcohol to Mrs. Calabrese who is also accused in the Melatt death. Salvatore Farina, 23, 673 Bleecker street, is held as a material witness in the DiBenedetto case.

“Enea and Pepe are charged with the death of Helen Szymiko, 34, 502 Cornelia street, one of the first victims to die, in that they sold Callahan alcohol which the Szymiko woman later purchased. Callahan, originally held on a manslaughter second degree count, now faces a first degree charge in connection with the death of John Ransom, 37, 440 Cooper street….” (Norwich Sun, NY. “Three Accused of Murder and Four with Manslaughter in Poison Liquor Probe.” 2-4-1935, p. 1.

Sources

Associated Press. “15 Die From Poison Drink In Utica.” The Norwich Sun, NY. 1-28-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-24-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/norwich-sun-jan-28-1935-p-1/

Associated Press. “30 Liquor Deaths Reported Today.” The Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, NY. 1-29-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-24-2024 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/canandaigua-daily-messenger-jan-29-1935-p-1/

Associated Press. “Poison Liquor Plague Kills 32.” Daily Democrat-Times, Greenville, MS. 1-31-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-23-2024 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/greenville-daily-democrat-times-jan-31-1935-p-1/

Norwich Sun, NY. “Poison Drink Deaths Cause Dred Terror.” 1-30-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-24-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/norwich-sun-jan-30-1935-p-1/

Norwich Sun, NY. “Three Accused of Murder and Four with Manslaughter in Poison Liquor Probe.” 2-4-1935, p. 1. Accessed 12-24-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/norwich-sun-feb-04-1935-p-1/