The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-09
EXCITEMENT IN TIE WOODRUFF MANSION

sudden Deuth of Or. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of
Foul Flay-The Matter Satisfactorily
Cleared Up by Coroner Herman.
The deadly ieud which has long existed between
the female members Of The Claim Woodruff family
yesterday ragged to fearful extent at the residence
OF Victoria G. Woodruff and her sisters, Tennie u
Claim and MRS. Miles, 11s West rwentY-thrd street,
where they recently moved from Thirty-elghth
street. The occasion was The death OF no less per-
sonage tnan DR.. ChanniDg IL. Woodruff, the former
husband OF Victoria G. Woodruff. which took place
on Sunday evening. Mr.. woodruff, who, 1t was
stated In the house. had scarcely drawn sober breath
for the last fifteen years, has long been In the daily
habit OF taking neavy doses Of morphine to quiet his
nerves. For tue past i've DAYS Mr.. Woodruff had
been worse than usual, In consequence OF which
Drs julius Won Meyer and Coinins were called ana
induced the doctor to stop the use OF morphine ior
the present. At last as he was lnen delrous ana IN
critical condillon. Mrs. Niles. her m0ther anu
other members OF the family ooJect ta,a 20 me
patent but ne was past medical ala, aad death
ensucd as stated Drs. Meyer and Comins, being per-
fectly satisfied As 10 the cause OF DEATH certified mat
Dr. Woodruff hni died or congestion Oi the BRAIN
aud Intemperance. on sunday aitefnoon when
side OF Mr. woodruff, she was very mucn excited
about the manner Ia which he had been treated
ana said TO Dr. Meyer, ~ do rot blame the DOCTORS
but inleld to take revenge on the family"
On Monday morning Coroner Herman received
Information Of Dr.. woodhuli's death, coupled with
the slaiement that he died under suspi-
clou5 circumstances which needed investiga-
ton. IL was also Infatuated that Mrs. Spar,
another sister Of Mrs. Woodruff lviag at
IS University place, could impart important
information. On reaching the house In Twenty.
third street Coroner Hermann aud his Deputy,
DR.. Jonn Beach, found Mrs. Maggie A. Miles
aud her aged mother III the greatest state OF excite
ment and raving almost Ike lunatcs. Mrs. Miles
denounced her tWo sisters, Mis-. Bro0Ker aud Mrs.
Sparr and insisted that one end OF the family was
trying to eat up The other. Mrs. Miles said that
herself and all her sisters doctors, but stated
that she would not have her mother die IN the
intended To send her to either the house OF MIS-
BROKER or Mrs. Spar, as in that event they could
not charge ner with poisoning the old lady.
Mrs. woodruff ana her sister, Tennie G. Claim,
were absent at the time the Coroner called; conse-
quently Mrs. Miles mad nearly all the talking TO do
ana the reader can rest assured that sne was not
backward IN freely expressing ner opinions. Mrs.
Miles was not at all surprised that members OF the
family living IN that house mad been indirectly
charged with Fastening the death Of Dr. Woodruff
by MRS. BROKER and Mrs. Spar, but she could in.
form tie Coroner that Instead OF being poisoned her
larnented Drother-in.law had died o natural death.
To stop the mouths OF her absent sisters and save
IDLE talk about violent death, MRS. MI es rather re-
luctantiy consented that q post-mortem eXamina-
ton be made on the Dody, which was accordingly
done by Deputy Coroner John Beach, NJ. d., as
sisted by DR.. Meyer ANA Comlns The examination
showed that death resulted from pncumonia, whcl
was accelerated by intenperaDce and the ex cessNe
use Oh murphlne. resh certificate OF deatn was
given ny the Coroner, and thus ENDS the Career VI
DR.. woodruff. =. 800,
lie was about fortv-six years OF age. and was porn
near Rochester THIS STATE.