National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-12-08
TIE pyATH OF MAJOR HOPE.
cOrOner's fnousst-An Overdose Of Laudsnul

Coroners fnquest-An Overdose Of Laudanuna.
-Coro,Ler Patterson yesterday morning held an
mo ,est over the body of Major John S. Hop svho
was found dead in his bed at the Imper al hotel
Monday morning. The remains had b, en- conveyed
TO Harvey's undertaking establishment, on F
street, where 1t is being prearsd for Transports
tion to Kentucky The following jury was i'm
Mcconnell, L. Moxle'y Richard Lay H. Brewer
and Michael PurteJr
The first witness sworn was WE. f. Kennaugh,
druggist, who te stifed that on Saturday morning,
December 4, bSCween and O'Clock, Young man
came TO his store for ounce OF the sulphide OF.
morphla; Witness considered that pretty good
dose and asked the young man If he wanted IL for
himself. The reply was no: that he wanted il for
sick Friend at the hotel. Witness declined SELL
tng,t; .o,,n r,,,r,.. ot,srv,r... oo,or,s man
came in from the Imperial hotel and asked TO pur
chase half dollars worth &c laudanum. Wit
ness asked whom il was for, ~ the man replied,
as he understood him. Major Holt, at the Imperial
hotel Witness asked him what was the matter
with him. and the man said that he had the ear
ache. Witness declined to sell. Between and
o'clock of the same day another boy came into the
store and asked for ten cents worth OF laudanum;
Witness was not certain, but thought he asked
the boy what it was for, and that he said 1t was
for some gentleman at the hotel. witness gave
ia very small quantity-and remarked 70 the
boy that he did not think that would
hurt him, the quantity being so small.
Sunday, the 9Th instant there were two applica-
lions for laudanum from servants of the Imperial
hotel. One application was about between
twelve and one O'Clock, he thought, and the other
between seven and eight in the evening. Both of
large amounts-fifty cents worth, or one ounce.
Only one ounce was sold for the Imperial hotel.
There was an order direct. 1t was for the Impe-
rial hotel-a written order, sent on December 4,
between eight and nine o'clock
BY iuryman: The order was for one ounce The
order stated positively that it was for the ImPe-
rial hotel. There was not much over q drachm in
the ten cents worth Witness was particularly
careful that day, because the applications were
60 numerous.
John Williams, a colOred waiter at the Imperial
hotel, was sworn and testified that he had gotten
some laudanum,, from Mr.. Kennaugh Saturday.
Mr.. Hope rang the bell, and witness went up
TO his room and rubbed his head. Deceased asked
him about the weather. This was about 10
o'clock; deceased said that he would like to
have an ounce of laudanum, and complained of
earache; witness was certain that he said that he
would like to have an ounce Of laudanum; de-
ceased told witness TO tell the apothecary that he
was suffering with earache, and would like to have
an ounce of laudanum and some raw cotton; he
gave witness quarter TO get il; witness told the
clerk that he wanted to get an ounce oflaudanum
and some raw cotton, and asked him for an order:
Hope was in a drowsy condition when he saw him;
when witness got the order he took it TO the drug
store; did not know Mr.. KennRugh; It was young
man that handed it to witness; the young man
asked witness if Mr.. Hope was a drinking man;
witness replied that he did not think that he had
been drinking then; said that he need not send
exactly an ounce, as II would be too much for the
quantity Of raw cotton; witness got Il and brought
II back 20 the hotel and asked the deceased If he
wanted witness 10 pour the laudanum on the raw
cotton; deceased said no. that was all he wanted;
witness brought him glass of ice water and left
the room.
BY juryman: Deceased was in bed all this time.
That was the last that witness saw Of him. that
was about 10 o'clock Saturday; got the order from
Mr.. Woodward, the cashier; did not ask any one
else for il; Mr.. Woodward did not make any OBJ
leetiOns, but hesitated little.
DR.. Hartigan was sworn and testified to having
made postmortem examination Monday after
noon; found the greater portion of the external
surface Of the body OF lVid and blush color; the
external examination showed a deem cOnReRtiOn
of the left lung and liver The other organs
seemed to partake Of the.same character. The
stomach presented an appearance Of irritation;
there was dotted eHtravasation over large por-
tiOn Of the mucous surface which might have been
produced by alcohol or narcotic poisoning both.
II was fair TO attribute death to that cause but
the presumption was in favor Of opium; upon
opening the stomach, witness had detected smell
Of opim or laudanum; there was q quantity Of
blackish fluid in the stomach; noticed no marks of
violence about the person of deceased. except the
blush colOring, which ensues after death, espe-
cially in cases of death from opium.
DR.. Patterson, before the Jury considered the
case, stated that in his opinion, the drug store
keeper had used due propriety, as the hotel pro-
Prietor frequently sent for things by written or
ders.
THE VERDICT.
The Jury. after short elaboration returned a
verdict that deceased came 10 his death from an
overdose Of laudanum, selfadministered.