Bossier City Mass Mailing Prompts Anthrax Scare

A Bossier City, La. insurance company trying to solicit business with a mass mailing prompted fears of an anthrax attack because the letters included a painkiller pill that had become crushed into a white powder in the mail system.

According to the Associated Press, Bossier City insurance agent Scott Welch sent out 300 of the envelopes, all of which had a Tylenol pill glued to the letter inside, investigators said. The idea behind including the pill in the mailing: Buying insurance from Welch would relieve people of insurance “headaches” in their lives.

A Shreveport secretary opened one of the letters Monday and told a supervisor about the white powder inside. The supervisor called 911.

Brian Crawford, a Shreveport assistant fire chief, said investigators and hazardous materials experts were called to the office and determined that the substance was Tylenol. Welch will not be charged, Crawford said.

Crawford said other people who receive such a letter from Welch should simply throw it out.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.