The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-07
TIE FRE.fK or ALUNITIC.
Stealing Chioroform and Giving 10 to TIVE
Women, who Anerwnrd Died.

The dispensary in the Lunatic Asylum on
Blackwels Island is a small room Oh the right
OF the north entrance Of the ground story. The
room is divided near the middle boy a halt-
counter hai-p9rtition. behind which prcscrip-
tions are prepared. On the top Of the higher
portion. which is about five feet from the foor.
row OF bottles is generally standing within
easy reach of any adult. Among these bottles
on Saturday morning was blue siNi"en-oun go
bottle. labelled chloroiorm." Ann Haunuhan.
d helper. who was formerly in tur work
house was allowed a PM q nlc day,
Saturday she was given bottle of alr.
Hugh Fl. Hagan. the druggist. was preparing
prescriptions at the time. and his uss slant was
also busy p"hini the counter. Neither saw IN"
woman when she grabbed the bottle ot rhioro-
pcnsary. On the way 20 her room she met Mary
j. Brucken, another helper. md invited her 10
partake oi her ale and " something good which
She WAS going 10 mix with il. On their way 10
the top story Of IN. asylum they passed inih
room wher" Julia Hogan. recently an inmate Of
the Workhouse was cleaning Ann invited her
TO be- one OF the party, intlmnilng that the
something good a. was gin. la Julas room IN
the garrett Ann emptied the chloroiorm into the
ale. and the three drank Of the mixture.
When she went 10 tie dispensary she astonished
Mr.. Hagan hy showing him the empty chl?ro-
form bottle and declaring, YOU tried TO poison
me. but I've thrown II in the sink.' Then the
woman went e. room %. IN the third hal. and
went To bed. Julia Hogan went 10 wait on the
stewards table. Il was soon observed that She
was sleepy and that she acted strangely, and
she WIS sent 10 bed. Mary Bracken had made
her way MS well rs she could tp her room. where
she soon becEmc unconscious. At about
o'clock The nurses n nal. three found Ann Han
nGhan and Mary Bra ken acting SO strangely
that they called Drs. Newman and Bowen. Dr.
Bowen smelled the odor OF cnloroform
and on making inquiry, at the dlspensary
The physicians Immediately Piled their patients
with the most active RENE dies, Jula Hogan
was found lying as II deal ~ hc bed. Ann
Hannahan Was the Least Affected and she was
kept walking BY the aid OF electricity. Three
ass stants in their shirt sleeves worked with
might and main TO keep life in Julia Hogan
and Mary Bracken. Artificial res praton was
kept ~ while the action Of the heart WIS stimuli
lated with electricity and all the appliances
known 10 science were employed Brandy and
thought that Julia Hogan, a young ana COM
pArntlyely healthy woman would recover, but
AZ O'Clock on Sunday morning She died. The
post mortem examination showed that the
heart and lungs were congested ana the stom-
ach was ulcerated.
After Juliais death hardlya hope WAS enter
tanned Of saving Mary Bracken, ~ she was SO
much older. but all sunday afternoon ana
evening the physicians gave her stlmulanis
and used every known remedy Their efforts
were unsuccessful. and she died ut l O'Clock
Ann Hannahan. who drank but little Of the
mixture, was ut no time considered as being IN
n dangerous condition. and she was pronounced
out Of danger Yesterday. "
Commissioner Brennan said that be did not
see how any ono Was to blame Ann Hunnnlla An
had always appeared to be trustworthy, and her
freak was something that had not been anllci-
pRted and could not be guarded against me
three women. II was said, drank heavily ior-
mery, and tho lunacy of Ann Hannnhan ana
MARY Braeken. it was also said. was caused by
npi