Saturday, March 10, 2018

Poisonous Alcohol Killed Lloyd Smyre and Garland Bolick, 1918


March 9, 1918, from the front page of the Hickory Daily Record
 Poison Is Found in Stuff Sold
Newton—Dr. G.W. Shipp, county physician, today received from Dr. W.A. Withers, state chemist, a report on the analysis of the stomach of Lloyd Smyre, the young man of Conover, who died on February 4 from the effects of what was supposed to be poisoned liquor sold him by Frank Newton of this place. The examination shows that the stomach contained 3.13 grams of methyl alcohol. A bottle holding some of the liquid sold the deceased was also analyzed by the state chemist and this contained 38 percent methyl alcohol.
Another young man, Garland Bolick, died the same day as Smyre died from the effect of drinking some of the same concoction which he and Smyre purchased in Newton on Sunday before their death on Monday. Frank Keever was arrested on the charge of selling the poison and placed in jail where he remained until a few days ago when he was released on bail. An autopsy was performed by Dr. G.W. Shipp, county physician, and the viscera of Smyre removed and sent to the state chemist for analysis. Keever will be given a preliminary trial Tuesday.

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