Death severs friendship

As previously mentioned, I have always felt sorry for Louis Fish. Reading this Tuesday, Feb 10, 1925 local story from the Canton Daily News only enforces the opinion for me.

Death Severed Friendship Of Fifteen Years

Say No Enmity Existed Between Pushkin and Fish.

    A friendship of 15 years duration and severed by the death of David Puskin, had existed between Puskin and Louis Fish.

    This was the comment Tuesday of both the members of the Puskin family and Frank Fish, brother of Louis Fish.

    Louis is being held by Columbus officials, now conducting a probe of the source of the "poison capsules" given a number of students at the university medical center. Fish is said to have admitted being in the pharmacy room between class hours and giving the supposed aspirin and quinine capsules to David Puskin. He said Puskin had given him a prescription for the medicine and asked that he fill it.

    "Louis and David have been friends for 15 years," Frank Fish declared, Tuesday. "We lived neighbors to the Puskin family for many years, and the boys both sold papers on the Canton streets.

    "They never fought. I never knew of them even having an argument. Louis worked every summer selling papers and at any other work he could get during vacations.

    "He graduated from McKinley high school last spring. David Puskin had graduated the year before."

    "It is a terrible mistake, we are sure," members of the Puskin family said in discussing the Fish arrest. "David and Louis were the closest friends. Louis can explain everything."

    The boys, always together when home, were intimate at the college, it was said.

    Fish had come to Puskin's room several months ago and told David he was leaving school. He said his grades were low, and that he feared he would be unable to pass his examinations.

    Puskin discouraged his attitude and asked him to bring his books to his room. Together they worked on Louis' studies. David, who was an upper classman, helping Louis.

    Fish's grades advanced, and a short time ago, he passed his examinations with a fair margin above failing marks.

    "And we think that the officials will find that Louis had nothing to do with the poison, except that which he has told them," members of the Puskin family concluded.

    "Louis did not know anything of the poison," Frank Fish said. He told me when he was home, and he has told the officials at Columbus that he was not alone in the room when he filled the prescription.

    "There were several students in the room. One of them was a Canton boy, but I don't recall his name. I know my brother had nothing to do with the poisoning."

    Fish's record at McKinley High school was that of the average boy student. His grades were not of the highest, but were above the average required for college entrance.

    J.L.G. Pottorf, principal of the school, said he had had very little personal contact with Louis Fish. He said the boy had always been an orderly student.

    Fish had not taken part in the activities of the student body.

    "I knew David Puskin even better than I did Louis Fish." Mr. Pottorf said. "He was a hard worker in school, and of a quiet nature. As near as I know, Louis was similar in his habits.

    "Neither of the boys had ever given us cause for discipline and I would say that they were both average boys."

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