Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-07-31

|
The Inquests.
Coroner Harmon yesterday
morning was called upon TO hold
an inquest on the body Of Mrs.
Ollie Huff, who died from the eff.
fects of dose of laudanum. Mrs
Huff. who was an attache Of
Woods Opera House, occupied
rooms in Cardona Block. She
leaves one child, u daughter about
eight years of age, in this city, and
husband in San Jose, we believe.
INQUEST ON MRS. HUFF.
A Jury was enpaneled and heard
the following evidences:
V. Chevallier sworn: Did moi
know deceased; saw her two oil
three times; saw her last alive two
or three days ago passing the door;
was hot in my drug store yesterday y
that 1 know of; but in the yard she
asked my clerk for a bottle ol
laudanum; she complsined ol
cramps in the stomach; tho CLERK
gave her half an ounce;
DIR. Corbett sworn: / was called
in this morning at 4 O'clock; found
this lady lying here OH the bed
She was breathing heavily with
bloody frOth and mucous issuing
from her mouth; muscles in q
fiaccid condition and severe con.
traction of the pupils of the eyes.
l diagnosed the case as one caused
by severe overdose of opium OF
laudanum. 1 found on inquiry
that she went to bed about 10
o'clock yesterday forenoon and
that she had been lying in u heavy,
deep sleep ever since. Her
attendants got frightened at
8 o'clock this morning OH ac-
count of her heavy breathing, and
because they could not arouse her.
1 applied all the usual remedies for
such cases and finally called in DIR.
Pigne- Dupuytren for consultation.
We applied battery, used cold
water and employed other reme-
dies hut without avail. and the pa
tient died ut about 8 O'Clock.
have no doubt but that the case
was ole of poisoning. think she
must have taken poison
with suicidal intent. A few
days ago she told me about
taking laudanum on two previous
occasions-once in San Francisco
and once in this city, about five
months ago, when DR.. Stairway
pumped out her stomach and
saved her. 1 find that she has
been purchasing lauaanum for
some time. Besides the two half
ounce bottles purchased from
Chevallier she bought an ounce
from Wnllweber some time ago.
That is all I know about the case.
+. Freshman, sworn: knew
this woman by sight; saw her last
yesterday morning between 6 and
z O'Clock; SHE was then in Woll-
weber's drug store, where l ana
employed; she then wanted 10 buy
some laudanum; / sold her one
ounce. Afterwards, between 9and
10 O'clock she wrote a note and
sent down by messenger, calling
for another ounce, which Mr.. Woll-
weber sent her, She had been in
the habit of buying both lauda-
nun and chlorOform, 1 have
sold them to her often. When
she came to our store she said she
had rung every drug store bell as
she passed but found none of the
others open. 1t was about half
past six O'Clock; she never called
with. prescription for medicine; she
has bought as high as three ounces
of chlor0form in one day.
Nora Watson sworn: know this
woman; her name is Mrs. Ollie
Huff; she came from San Francisco
about four months ago; was %
years of age; has been employed at
the Opera House since living here;
was born in Wisconsin,; had been
married three times; had two chill.
dren living. have known her
for about five months; have been
intimate with her all of that time;
lived with her here, having the
next bedroom to hers. She was in
the habit of taking laudanum.
Three weeks ago she made threats
of taking her life; she made no at
tempt to do it at that time; when
she first came down she used to
make threats Of suicide. I think
she had trouble with her last
husband, who is still living
Yesterday morning was very i'll
and she left her room between 6 and
O'Clock; said she was going dswn
street; was out about u quarter of
an hour; did not notice what she
did after she came back; went into
her room and shut the door.
next saw her to speak to her about
10 or IL O'Clock. She then went
out TO get breakfast. Afterwards
she said to me "write to my hus-
band or send a telegram and see
that my child is provided for. !
think this is the last time ]
will ever take care Of YOU
1 think 1 am going to
dIe." She did not say that she
had taken laudanum. She went
to bed about 8 o'clock in the even
ing. 1 did not notice anything un'
usual afterwards until about
O'Clock in the morning, when ]
heard somebody choking. IwenI
into her room and found her gasp
ing for breath; l then went across
the road to friends of mine and sem
one for q doctor, and the Oihel
came and staid here.
Upon the evidence here given thu
jury found the following verdict:
In the matter of the inquisitior
upon the body of Mrs. Ollie Huff
deceased. Before j. Harmon, Cor
Oner.
| We. the undersig ned. Jurors ann