The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-28
DOUBLE DEATH IN A TENEMENT.
A Philadelphia NIystcry.-A MIN aud His Wife
Found Dend In Their Rooms-A joint Spree
the Probable Cause.

round Deud IN Their kOOms-A joint Spree
the Probable Cause.
[From the Philadelphia Evening Telegraph
July 26l
Two deaths occurred early this morning under
rather suspicious circumstances in tenement
house In the northern part OF the city, man and
his wife were both found dead in their own room,
with no apparent cause for the occurrence, they
having been seen in apparently good health on
the evening previous.
The mans name was John Gallagher He was
an lrishman and did not do anything in particular
for living, having lost OF his hands. His wife
was a Woodworking woman, and has generally
borne the reputation of being temperate. She
worked out by the day, did washing cleaning and
the like, and supported her husband. They lived
In one small room on the back of the third dOOr OF
No. 900 Swanson street. in the Third ward.
little girl living on the premises states that
Gallagher was seen ut the front door last evening
in good health, but some Of the other occupants
OF the building say that he was about the house,
| but was not well, being overcome with the exer-
| ton OF moving their household effects on last
Thursday, when they moved into the present
quarters after being turned out of house near
Water and Dock streets. This possible sickness
might show cause for the death of the man. but
the fact that both the man and the woman were
found dead at nearly the same time cannot so
easily be accounted for. The woman was known
to be in good health, strong and hearty, and with
out complaint. Officer Mccullough, in whose
beat the house is situated, informed early thi,
morning that the deaths had taken place, and
visited the spot.
He found the man lying de I'd on the bed in
their third story room, and the woman dead on
the floor, facing in the other direction from the
man. small tin kettle partly filed with whiskey
was found on trunk near the bed. The officer
Immediately gave orders that nothing was to be
disturbed, and telegraphed to the Coroner to hold
an inquest.
The inquest was to be held at some time during
the morning; but until the result Of that is made
known a true statement of the facts of the case
cannot be made.
On visiting the spot this morning the bodies were
found as described. The house is three stories in
height, and in every room is one entire family.
and none Of the families veryssmall by any
means. The house is in the filthy condition usual
to such places, and the strong and unpleasant
odors that greet the nose OF the visitor are any
thing but pleasant.
The various inmates of the house have different
Stories of the occurrence, from which it is almost
impossible to CLEAN one which will combine the
principal facts of all. The landady of the house,
living, on the first floor, says that she had no
knowledge of anything connected with the affair
until about half-past five O'Clock this morning,
when some one came down stairs and told her
that Gallagher was dead, and that his wife and
another woman living on the third floor had lifted
him from the floor, where he had been lying, to
the bed. A doctor was sent for, but
when he arrived the weAan was dead also,
and was lying, In her everyday clothing on the
floor The doctor said that sothing could be done
to aid them, and directed that information should
be given to the police, which was accordingly
done. The officer then came and covered up The
bodies to keep the flies off, and closed the shut
tiers, but otherwise left the bodies just they had
been found. The landlady expresses her sorrow
that she did not know the occurrence sooner, or
something would surely have been done to help
the sufferers.
No marks of bodily violence were found on
either of the bodies, but some time after death
had taken place the bodies turned a dark yellow
color. This, taken together with the fact of the
whiskey being found in the room and tina state
mont Of neighbor, leads to tho belief that the
parties died from the effects of excessive intern
perance. The neighbours statement referred to Is
that Of a woman living in the third story front of
the same house, who says that Gallagher and his
wife were cutting up high and making great
noise during the night, and that this uproar only
ceased with the coming Of morning. Ifth;s state.
ment be true the two undoubtedly participated in
heavy spree in tho night from the effects of
which they died this morning. The result of the
inques: will be published as soon as known.