Category Archives: Death!

A Brave Old Man’s Death

December 17, 1886

 


A BRAVE OLD MAN’S DEATH.


He Attempts to Save a Boy and Both
Are Killed By a Train.


NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J., Dec.17—The Cincinnati Express train, which was half an hour behind time, while running at the rate of forty miles an hour through this city, struck a wagon driven by Terence Hickey, fourteen years old, at the George-street crossing of the Pennsylvania Railroad at six o’clock this morning. Moses Ryno, aged sixty years, saw the danger and went to the boy’s assistance, but was too late. The train rushed around the curve, struck Ryno and threw him off the embankment, instantly killing him. It then crashed into the wagon, part of which was deposited in the front of the ladies’ waiting-room at the depot. The boy was found dead, wrapped in a blanket, firmly fastened on the cow-catcher. His skull was fractured and brains were oozing from the wounds. Ryno was the father of a large family. He was formerly a policemen. The gateman at the crossing was not on duty.

 


From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
The 1886 Morbid Scrapbook

Side By Side In Death

1892 Morbid Scrapbook

 

SIDE BY SIDE IN DEATH


TWO LITTLE CHILDREN SUFFOCATED BY GAS WHILE ASLEEP.


A Sad Affliction Which Befel Matthew Fitzpatrick and His Wife—The Little Ones Found Cold in Death by Their Father—The Heartfelt Sympathy of the Whole Neighborhood Extended to the Bereaved Parents—The Cause of the Accident Enveloped in Mystery.


One of those accidents which carries grief to the hearts of a whole community was revealed yesterday morning at 1094 north Second street, when Matthew Fitzpatrick discovered the lifeless bodies of two of his children in bed, and the truth was forced upon him that they had been killed by inhaling gas from a burner in the room. After calling frantically to them to awaken them, the father placed his hand on his daughter’s head, and he then realized that she was cold in death. He notified Patrolmen Strand, of the Eighteenth district, and Henry, of the Tenth, and they took charge of the little bodies, while kind friends attempted to console the heart-broken parents.

Mr. Fitzpatrick’s family consisted of his wife, a daughter Ella, seven years old, a son David, four years old, and an infant. They occupy a large three-story brick house, the front room on the first floor being used as a confectionery, the large room on the second floor as a club-room, and the balance of the house is used by the family. Mrs. Fitzpatrick with her babe occupied a rear room on the first floor, and Mr. Fitzpatrick slept in the second-story room with the other children.

On Sunday the wife and mother felt ill and at her request Mr. Fitzpatrick occupied the room on the first floor with her in hope to relieve her of the care of the babe. The other children occupied their own bed in the second-story room, retiring about ten o’clock. At little Ella’s request her father left the gas burning, and an hour later he looked in and everything was safe, the gas burning low, and he returned to the room down stairs.

Shortly before eight o’clock yesterday morning Mr. Fitzpatrick called to the children, but getting no response he immediately went to the room. On opening the door he was almost overcome by a flow of gas, and on making an investigation he found that the gas was turned on full head and was not lighted. Not dreaming of the shock in store for him, he then tried to awaken the little ones, and found that they were dead. The shock was so great that it was feared he would lose his mind. The mother was so overcome that she was utterly prostrated but late last night both had partially recovered from the first shock, and while Mrs. Fitzpatrick was prostrated in addition to the effect of her recent illness, her physician was hopeful that she would recover.

As soon as the sad affair was reported, Deputy Coroner Dugan went to the house and made a thorough examination of the premises. While the case is enveloped in mystery, Mr. Dugan’s theory is that one of the children was awakened during the night and seeing the gas burning arose and turned it out, but in doing so turned the way so as to allow a full flow of gas after the flame had been extinguished.

There were a few blood stains on the bed clothing indicating that the children had made great efforts to recover their breath, but there were few indications of a struggle having taken place, and they had evidently died without being awakened. Mr. Fitzpatrick says the gas was still burning when he looked into the room and can give no explanation of the way the light was extinguished or how the gas was turned on.

The dead children were general favorites in the neighborhood, where they were noted for their beauty and winning ways. The house was visited by hundreds of people during the day, and all expressed the deepest sympathy with the bereaved parents. Relatives and friends took charge of the house during the day and made preparations for the burial of the little ones. The inquest will be held at noon to-day, but the date of the funeral has not been fixed.

 

From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook

 

Poisoned The Wrong Parties

Steele Scrapbook – August 15, 1892

 

Poisoned the Wrong Parties.

LAKE CITY, Fla., Aug. 15.—Near Benton, in this county, two gentlemen in co-partnership, who planted large fields in watermelons for market, have been greatly troubled this summer by the nocturnal depredations of thieves. Yesterday one of the gentlemen poisoned several melons in the patch for the benefit of the thieves, but neglected to notify his partner of the fact. This morning the latter’s wife, two children and a sister-in-law ate the poisoned fruit, and all were killed before medical assistance could be obtained.

 

Nocturnally Depredated From Alf

A Mother’s Terrible Mistake

Steele Scrapbook – January 10, 1886

 

A MOTHER’S TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

BALTIMORE, Jan. 10.—Mr. and Mrs. George M. Boarman buried their eldest son, Joseph Clinton, aged five years, yesterday morning. Twelve hours later, Marie, their eldest daughter, a child of three years, who was recovering from diptheria, died from the effects of a dose of carbolic acid given by the child’s mother in mistake for medicine.

 

Taken Terribly From Alf

Killed by Drinking Carbolic Acid

Steele Scrapbook – October 27, 1885


NEW HAVEN, Conn., Oct. 27—John Clabby, a painter, drank half an ounce of carbolic acid this afternoon by mistake. He poured the poison in a glass for the purpose of dilution. Going out he returned afterwards and poured some liquor in the glass, forgetting that he had poured the acid in the same glass and drank it. He died two hours after taking the fatal dose.

He Found Them Dead From Gas

February 1, 1892

HE FOUND THEM DEAD FROM GAS.

NEW YORK, Feb. 1.—At four o’clock this morning Francis Romeo, a wholesale grocer of this city, living at 526 south Tenth street, South Brooklyn, called two of his employes [sic], Angelo Denaro and Rossorio Valastro, but failed to awake them. He visited the room, and found both dead in bed, with gas flowing from an open jet in the room.

 

Okay, maybe this one isn’t an accident – but it doesn’t really say.
And I’m also wondering – in bed together?
Makes it much more interesting, don’t you think?

From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook

A Fatal Error

Steele Scrapbook – August 31, 1885

A FATAL ERROR.


TWO LADIES POISONED BY A DRUGGIST IN HOBOKEN.


Morphine for Quinine—One of the Victims Dead, the Other Dying—Plunged in Grief—The Druggist Attempts to Take His Own Life While Under Arrest.

NEW YORK, Aug. 31.—In a brown stone house on Hudson Street, opposite Castle Point, Hoboken, resides C. F. Holz, a wine merchant, doing business at the corner of Broadway and Duane Street, in this city. Mr. Holz’s family consists of his wife, three daughters and a son, and this morning his home became the scene of a painful tragedy.

About a week ago the family returned from the Catskills, where they had been spending the summer. Marguerite and her sister Ella were under treatment for malarial fever. Dr. August E. Loewenthal, a young man twenty-four years old, who was engaged to Marguerite about six weeks ago, was in attendance. Last evening her symptoms had not improved, and Dr. Loewenthal summoned Dr. Conrad, of this city, to a consultation. The result of the consultation was a prescription for tea grain doses of quinine.

Mr. Amende, druggist, of No. 268 Washington street, prepared the prescription, which was duly administered to both patients. At two o’clock this morning Ella was taken suddenly and violently sick with sharp pains, and Dr. Loewenthal was summoned at once. There were symptoms of morphine poisoning and Dr. Loewenthal sent for assistance. In a short while five other doctors responded and a diagnosis of the case resulted in the conclusion that the patient was suffering from morphine poisoning. Dr. Loewenthal, in order to make doubly sure, hastened to the drug store where the prescription was prepared, and it was found that Mr. Amende by mistake had put up ten grain doses of morphine instead of quinine.

The doctors worked assiduously over the victims, administering antidotes and using the stomach pump until half-past six this morning, when Marguerite became suddenly worse and at 7 o’clock she died. Ella is not expected to live.

Mr. Amende, the chemist, has not been seen since Dr. Loewenthal called upon him at 4 o’clock this morning, and there are rumors that he has left town. Mr. Amende, Dr. Kudlich, Jr., said to a reporter this morning, was considered one of the most careful and intelligent chemists in town. He has lived here many years, and was highly esteemed. He was of a nervous temperament, and it would not surprise me to hear that he had committed suicide.

Mr. Amende owns considerable real estate in Hoboken, and is a bachelor about forty years old, and is a manufacturer of surgical dressings and appliances, as well as a druggist.

Recorder McDonough sent Detective Gallagher to secure the fatal prescription. It was not to be found and the clerk said Mr. Amende must have it with him in his pocket. A copy of it in Mr. Amende’s handwriting was found in the prescription book.

Dr. Loewenthal, Jr., is prostrated with grief and refused to leave his room this morning. His father is a physician of many years’ standing in Hoboken.

THE DRUGGIST TAKES POISON.

HOBOKEN, N. J., Aug. 31.—When an officer this evening went to the residence of Amende, the druggist, whose blunder caused the death of Miss Holz, he found that gentleman very despondent. He told the officer he was ready to accompany him to the station house, but a moment later he informed him that he had taken poison and fell unconscious to the floor. Physicians were at once summoned but his recovery is extremely doubtful. He had taken five grains of atropha, the usual dose of which runs from 1-100 to 1-64 of a grain. Six physicians are bringing to bear all their skill upon Miss Ella Holz, whose condition is now considered almost hopeless. The body of the eldest daughter, Gretcher Margaret, has been prepared for burial. The parents are heart broken over the sad affair. Mr. Amende is well known in medical circles.

 

Unceremoniously Stolen From Alf

Women Amid Hot Flames

Steele Scrapbook – January 23, 1886

 


WOMEN AMID HOT FLAMES.


MANY THRILLING AND HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES FROM A BURNING BUILDING.


A Most Destructive Fire at Columbus, Ohio. The Metropolitan Opera House Among the Buildings Destroyed—The List of Sufferers So Far as Reported—What They Lost.


COLUMBUS, O., Jan. 23.—Fire started this morning in the large block of buildings at Rich and High streets about 7.30, and before noon the entire block from Rich street to Walnut and from High to Wall had been gutted by the flames. The Metropolitan Opera House building was in the same block. Fire started in that portion occupied by H. C. Godman’s leather store, and in a short time the entire building, including the Opera House proper, was in ruins.

There were a number of thrilling and hair-breadth escapes, and with the large force of women employed about the building it is miraculous that the death-roll does not mount up high. The shoe factory of Godman employs about 204 persons; 132 of these were girls, 60 men and 12 boys. The factory occupied three floors. The spectacle of girls going down the fire ladders and escapes with aprons over their heads was one of the thrilling episodes that caused the hearts of men to stand still. The victims were driven out of the building by the fierce flames, and had not even time to get any of their wrappings, the fire spreading so rapidly.

Katie Trott jumped through the window on the first floor and broke both her limbs. Lizzie Ault and Sadie Sauerfrey had a thrilling experience in being saved from the flames. They found the hall full of smoke and flames, through which they had to go, and fire shut off the access to the stairway, and it is reported that Miss Ault sprang through the flames, which her companion jumped through a window on the north side of the building. A woman from the upper floor made her way to the lower part of the factory building and there became prostrated from the smoke and heat.

It is supposed that the fire started in the shoe factory, but Miss Anna Wilbacker’s story controverts this, she being a forewoman of the finishing department. She said: “It was about half-past eight o’clock when I heard there was fire in the building. Our room was on the first floor, just above the Gazeete Printing Company, and just in the rear of Zwerner’s drug store. About the hour mentioned some of the third floor girls yelled that the building was on fire. They were just coming to work and stopped to give us the alarm, and when I went into the hall the flames were coming up the elevator shaft.”

Very soon after the fire began to pour out from the fourth floor of the Opera House block, the great crowd of spectators were horrified by the sight of a woman with a babe in her arms stepping out of a fourth-story window on to the fire escape. She gesticulated wildly for a moment, then turned and disappeared within, evidently giving up in despair of saving herself in so dangerous a manner. Two officers rushed up the stairway through the blinding smoke and flames, and in a few moments were seen again with the woman and child. When the immense crowd saw that they were saved a mighty cheer went up from those who had held their breath. Another woman appeared at the fourth-story window, started to descend by the fire-escape, but being confused and blinded by the smoke, returned inside, to be seen no more.

Mr. Staley, of the firm of Staley & Morton, was overcome by his losses and fainted. When the northeast corner of the block was reached, and flames were pouring forth from the upper windows, a rapid and continued series of explosions, resembling discharge of musketry, was heard. It was supposed to have been occasioned by boxes of cannon crackers stored away in the upper portion of the building.

The Opera House building burned was formerly known as the Cotton Block, having been built during the war by men who had made the money smuggling cotton through. It is a large four-story stone building, one of the handsomest in the city. The Opera House was to have been opened by Modjeska this evening, and the seating capacity of the house had been almost entirely sold. Margaret Mather was to have followed Modjeska Thursday and Friday with big sales.

 

Snatched Away Under Cover Of Night From Alf