The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-07
!; DEADLY DEBAuCH.
Three Insane Women Mix ChlOrOlorm
with Their Ale.
"PRIvILEGED PATIEyYy on THE Inland.
Two OF Them Dead and the Third
Slowly Recovering.

Tho bodies OF Mary Jane Brackenand Julia hogan
lay 10 tho dead house attached to tho Lunstc Ay,am
on BiackwcIls Island yesterday. They had died from
drinking chloroIorm procured from tho drug OF
mat institution In room -, hlll No 3, Anne Han
nahan, who had obtained the po,son believing u TO be
a bottle OF .something good" abe expressed II,
and who had Invite tho others join her IN the fatal
wassa, was seriously Ill, but progressing toward 70.
coVery All three Inmates OF the nsy
ium-patents who's. Insanity was OF very mild
type and who wero so far conyaicscont as TO DO en-
poyca Tor the discharge OF light duties. They
had previously boon Workhouso patients, were not
acquainted with prison discipline, and in former days.
whom their opportunities moro ample aud thor
resources larger, had boon OF iDtcmporaie habta
PRIVILEGED PATIENTS.
Ammo hannanan, tho survivor Is some sixty years
OF age; Mary Jane Bracken between 6ity Ave and
sixty, and julia Hogan than thirty -four
years OF age Tho portion OF the Lunatic Asylum OF
which they were inmates is occupied by tho mtldsr
class OF female patients, and among these the three
women named were littic affected by dcmentia as
to DO employed In various household dutiea Anne
Haunahan ana Mary Janc BracEen were engaged ~
general helpers and julia Hogan waited al tho table
OF the steward, Mr.. Joracmon. 1t Is tho custom In
tn. asylum furnish some OF tho convalescing pa.
Anne Hannahan OF those who camc within
its operation She received every day ration OF ale
put up In pint bottle Tho rations were put up In
tho drug store or Office and ranged along
outside high counter. They usually
carried round to tho rooms Of the patients entitled TO
them; but II Is ccrtnin that Ammo Hannahan and
other woman named Anne Kavanagh wero permitted
to 10 tho store carry Thorn away with them.
Tho drug STORE stands to tho right OF tho hail. just in
sido the entrance TO tho building II II ordinary
room, almost square, and contains a number Of
shelves the side opposite the entrance. On these
shelves stand bottles OF medicines duly labelled and
arranged, and In fact, tho usual furnishing Of an
apothesary's laboratory. The druggist in charge 10
Mr. hugh H. Hagan. and between him aud tho people
whose business whose privilege brings them into
the Is a high counter
HOW THE cnLoRoYoRx WAS STOLEN
Anne Hannahan must havo been among the privi-
legged. There was certainly written spoken Law
tho subject bus custom had given her rights, and
sho nad never been confronted by prohi0tion. On
the morning OF last Saturday tho rAtions all stosd
ranged along the counter on the outside, and ammo
Hannahan came to take away her share. Mr.. hagan
making up prescription and mad hts mack
turned, and his assistant, Mr. Cassidy, was getting
ready for the distribution OF the rations aud
had his attention directed from tho woman
who entered tho room Although the Immediate
OBJECT OF her attention was tho pint bottle Of sc a
tho bottom OF tho counter, her attracted and
possibly Imagination fixed by OF n lumber OF
bottles which stood its TOP II u blue sixteen
ounce bottle which had never been broachod and tho
stopper OF which was now tied down and sscured w,sh
parchment Hcr diseased fancy associated Il with
former avorts stimunn aud probably the old passion
back to her Al all events she called IL and
slipped Il under her apron
nER INVITED cuEsrs
She carried her ao out with her also, and going 10
stairs TO hall No. mot Mary Jane brackcn, her
mate whom she invited TO partakc OF ssomothing
ton, and Journcyug stairs still urthcr thcy entered
| n ballroom, where they found julia Hogan washing.
the wassaiI In which Death poured ou. tho lIps.
| tions was begun. They mixed tho deadly drug
with The alc to g,vo tho latter potency. and sho
ao fulfilled the condition OF Increasing tho volume Of
their beverage They drank deepy, and their ghassly
carousc beng over, hoy went different ways rhs
drug did not ako effect immediately, and Mr. Haga
the druggist, says that Anne Hannahan brought DacK
tho empty chooroioria bottle nearly two hours iatcr
sayog thar no haa gwen her poison that sho had
thrown IL into tho sink. lilo then smcllcd brcath
but did not, he says detect tho odor OF choroform
Tng vArAL LYrEcrs
Saturday afternoon Is generally n dull time in tho
institution, aud u Is the custom OF DIR William w.
srew, tho medical supcr,ntondcnt to tako advantage
Market lilo followed his usual practise on
and h,s wife also away, but Mra Macdonald, his
motncr-iu.iaw, remained ut homo TO look houses
ner. observed to DO unusually DALI and drowsy.
and about O'Clock sho slipped away and went 10
her room Meanwhile the nurses In hall No. 3 no.
tlccd that Anne Hannahan aud Mary Jano Brackcn
were acting very strangely the general appearance
| bong such would DO produced BY iatoxication.
DR.. strcw's assistants were called 10 them and
| Dr. Newman, VINO came nrst, detected the odor Of
| chioroiorm. Hc and bra Bowen and Hinckicy then
began investigation. They went 10 the arus store
and learned IRON tho druggist that tho bottle OF
| cnloroiorm had beoa stoeu IL was plain
| that ths three women had drunk OF consonts
/ The patients grew rapidly worse, ami when DE-
Srcw returned IRON his marketing lac found his
assistants their snrt sleeves lnDorng all their
might to maintain ARTIFICIAL respiration and keep up
the hearts action Ia the unior, innate women. Julia
Hogan was perfectly stupid and se.ncd ~ u she would
mol 1.-Two fifteen minutes Every means was trlod 10
restore them or st least 10 proong their lives Artt.
DEAL respiration, friction, electricity ala brought
Into requtsItion but two OF the wonicnJulia Hogan
| and Mary Jane Btacken--wcre beyond the reach u
antdoics The efforts to them were Kept up all
through tho Gight, ana ~ eight O'Clock ON sunday
morning, while Dr. strew was Sitting beside Jslia
Hogan, the hearts action ceased altogether.
Mary Jane Bruckcn still fingered. She had formerly
boon spilcptic patient and IA her tho Doctor
rcsortcd 10 heroic remedies she was treated freely
| with imuants. tho bcss French brandy being sd-
minisicred but nj about ono O'Clock yesterday morn.
i Ing she, too, succumbcd.
/ Anne Hapnanan, tho cause OF this dual disaster.
| still lives, ana, although she has had somo severe
attacks Of nervous risor Dr. strew believes that sbo
will survive As sue lay IN her bed yesterday she
spoke quito nationally and told how thoy drank tho
fatal "faught Ia the bathroom. She appeared hav0
impicn isIsh the power 81 the Doctor save ncr
life. Tho most prominent effects OF the poisoning
weio violent purgng ana vomiting Ia Ill thrcc
WHERE DoAs InK BLAME LILY
1his ~ the simple story OF case. but tho Conn.,
missioners oi Charities aud Correction will DO called
upon TO say whether permitting patient AZ all
touched wnh Insanity 10 enter the drug store and
roam large througn tho building ~ consistent with
proper care, ana whether bottle of dangerous
drug standing on the top OF the counter from which
DO readily puroined eau DO said To be sufcscnsy
secured.
Deputy Coroner Cushman made q post-mortom ex.
animation o. both bodies and found death 10 have
animation into the circumstances will be made unsil
thursday morning next, wnen an inquest Will be hcd.
PlCRIC ACID POISONING.