Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-08-05
The Death Of .. Miles O'Reilly. .,

An inquest was held on the body of General
Halpine Monday afternoon BY Coroner Knox
at the late residence Of the deceased, No. Sc
west Forty venth street
Dr. Albert b. Whitney, OF No. 156 West
twenty -hfth street, who had been General
Halpines family physician ior three years
this father had occupied similar position for
thirteen years previous) gave 1t as his opinion
that the deceased came TO his death from con-
gestion Of the brain, superinduced by his
having accidently taken an overdose Of chlo-
was man Of very nervous temperament, and
had been in the habit of taking small doses Of
chloroform to restore quietude after the excite
ment into which he used 70 be thrown by men
Coroner Flynn did not deem the statement
OF the witness sufficient, and ordered that an
autopsy or such other testimony as would be
entirely satisfactory should be taken.
DIR. Swami, the physician who resides in the
Astor House, and was called to attend General
Halpine medically, makes the following state
ment Il understood that General Halpine
came to the Astor House on Saturday after
noon, having missed the Long Branch boat, as
l have understood, and secured room No. 130
TO which he retired soon amer. He passed q
much disturbed. On Sunday afternoon he was
no better, and sent the hotel servant to the
apothecary with prescription signed "Whit-
ney, M. d." for quantity Of chloroformV
TO know II il was proper " get such large
quantity OF the drug for General Halpiue. I
gave him prescription for one drachm of
cnloroform and half an ounce of alcohol. This
quantity did not suit the General, and between
SIX and seven O'Clock on the same evening
General Halpine sent for a pint Of chlorOform,
TO Hudnuts drug store, which was given him.
1 was sent for TO attend the deceased between
eight and nine O'Clock on Sunday evening, and
going to room 100, found General Hslpine
in the bed insensible. / then endeayored
TO resuscitate him, and succeeded partially
In doing so. He was struggling q great deal
when / found him, and his face was almost
llvld, with very weak pulse. He was in a
state OF collapse: he was cold, and his breathing
was short and stentorious, and his outward
appearance betokening great interior excite
ment. He had inhaled so much chloroform
tnat ms resuscitation was but partial, and he
died little after II o'clock midnight OF Sum
day. He never spoke during that time, and did
not recognize anyone. There were In his room
four walls labelled chloroform, with Hudnut's
name upon the labels, besides the pint bottle,
which had ne label and contained from a
quarter to a third OF tine original quantity, the
bottle having contained a pound, or pint, of
chloroform- The other vials were empty, and
had originally IN them from one to three ounces
each OF chloroform. In the army half an ounce
To an ounce Of chlorOform is deemed suffi cient
TO inhale while taking of ieg or arm. More
than that will produce death il inhaled from a
from towels which he had saturated and ap.
piled TO his nostrls evidently. could not tell
what state Gen. Halpine was in when he ap.
piled the drug. 1t was possible that he was
iaborlng from extreme nervous and mental ex-
cltement at the time, and he probably applied
the chloroform to allay the pain and nervous
ness.