A POISONING HORROR.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1149, 18 October 1871, Page 3

A POISONING HORROR.

The Dubugue Telegraph of June 6th, /an American paper), gives an account of a poisoning horror. The affair occurred at a place called Fort Dodge. A Mr Grant, the agent for the Des Moines Valley Railroad, was married to a young lady named Miss York, and had invited 200 guests to the wedding feast. The scene was a brilliant one, and the fair bride and her husband listened, with beaming countenances, to the friendly wishes hundreds of times ex pressed, that they might live long and ever be happy. Ice cream, cake, and ,an innumerable quantity of other delicacies were served up lavishly, and partaken of with zest The affair proceeded pleasantly till shortly after ten o'clock, when some of the visitors were taken ill, quite Middenly, and had to be removed. Others were similarly affected in rapid succession, and presently the horrible suspicion flashed across the minds of all, that I hey had been poisoned. The bride and groom became ill, and were taken to their room. Every physician in the city was summoned, but as many of these were at the feast, they were also ill, and unable even to properly attend to themselves. "What a few minutes before was a scone of joy, was changed to one of almost death like despair. The victims were removed to their homes, and groans and moans were heard in almost every household The pain and sickness were almost beyond description. No less than 147 wfre undergoing fearful agonies at the one time and a number of others weie becoming ill. The etfects were certainly those of poison The victims were first affected with cramps, The pulse became so weak as to be barelv perceptible, while the extremities were cold, and the muscles and nerves greatly contracted. In man}' cases the sufferers were afflicted with temporary paralysis, losing all power over their limbs. The majority, how ever, recovered, but many underwent a relapse and died. Various theories as to the cause of the poisoning are afloat —many contending that the deathdealing substance was in the cake, while others believe that some malicious mischief-maker poured croton oil into some of the eatables. The most probable theory is that the cause of the occurrence was the ice cream. The cream was secured by Mrs York, and wiven to a confectioner to freeze. In performing the work the confectioner used a copper refrigerator, lined with tin. On Friday the refrigerator was examined, when a greasy substance was found on the inside—undoubtedly verdi gris. The confectioner had no idea, probably, that the refrigerator had not been cleaned, for he partook of the ice cream himself and became sick.