Originally published in the Milwaukee Journal • Monday, July 28, 1969
Deputy Dist. Atty. Allen L. Samson decided not to bring charges against six young people believed to have taken hallucinogenic drugs, but he sternly lectured four of them.
The six were treated at county general hospital Friday and Saturday after they became ill while attending the Midwest Rock festival at state fair park. All six went to the police first aid station at the park for treatment and from there were sent to the hospital.
Detective Lt. Terry Roundy of the state fair police said informants had said a potent form of LSD was circulating among the crowd at the park.
A physician at county general said he could not identify the drugs, except to say they were hallucinogenic.
Samson talked to four of the young people, none of whom were from Milwaukee. He said they had confessed taking drugs but there was no other evidence. “You can’t convict someone on their confession alone,” he said.
He told the four, aged 18 to 21: “If you ever show up here again, and you’re involved in drugs, you are going to be in trouble — lots of trouble.”
The two who did not appear in Samson’s office were a 17 year old boy from Farmington, Mich., and an 18 year old boy from Illinois. The Farmington boy was referred to juvenile authorities there.
Samson said the boy from Illinois apparently had been given the drug in a soft drink and was not aware that he was taking a drug.