Death of caretaker ends whiskey theft case

The death of a caretaker has ended criminal charges that he drank more than US$100,000 worth of whiskey stolen from his employer.

Saunders was due to stand trial over allegations he drank 52 bottles of whiskey

John Saunders, former live-in caretaker at a Pittsburgh mansion, was supposed to be guarding a collection of some 100-bottles of Old Farm Pure Rye Whiskey dating back to the 1900s, as reported by the Herald Sun.

The mansion’s owner said she found nine 12-bottle cases of the whiskey hidden in the century-old mansion after she bought it in 2011.

But when Hill went to have bottles appraised in March 2012 she discovered 52 empty bottles, on which police later found traces of Saunders’ saliva.

The 63-year-old caretaker was charged and ordered to stand trial after a District Judge heard testimony from the owner of the South Broadway Manor Bed and Breakfast.

However Saunders died July 21, ending the case.

The whiskey was produced in 1912 and bottled in 1917 by the West Overton Distilling Co. and had been valued at more than $2,000 a bottle.