The Morning herald., 1878-08-24
TELEGRAM
A STRANGE DEATH.

4
A YOUNG PHILADELPHIA AT A IoNG
: BRANCH LHoYGL NFoUND sEHsDINe TO
pgArH,fNlHISRoSHAA ~
A special despatch from Long Branch
says:
"The quiet current Of life at Long Branch
was somewhat stirred yesterday on tine
news of the sudden demise of guest at the
Howland House getting abroad. Mr..
Henry O'Neil, Of Philadelphia, young
man, aged about % years, and who had for
several years been telegraph operator for
the Western Union In the Continental Hotel
Hotel, Philsdelphi41came tosthe Howland
about ten dSs Sgo'A Us adYshce agent for
the Montejo-Lencioni Opera Troupe. He
arranged for concert at the hotel for
Tuesday last, but owing to the poor pros
poets Of a paying house he postponed It,,
setting down next Tuesday ss the date.
LAST, ,eyenipg he, sat 10 front of the hotel for
several hours In COMPANY with the telegraph
operstors, Of the village, with whom, as 40
old telegraph man be found himself on
intimate terms. & ''s4e.,.f 'tt2.,. " ~ q..crft
u The party consisting of three gentlemen
:, Aad two. ladies', went over to the West End
/! hotel to look at the dancing, and Mr.. O'neil
} Ibade them good night at the entrance to the
How land House IT. twenty minutes to
twelve. eiua IS he was then perfectly sober and
In the besthumor possible, gay and lively, X
says Miss N. 8. Joslin, the telegraph opera,
tor at the Howlsnd. Michael Laliy who
has charge of the cigar stand at the house,
saw Mr.. O'Neil 90 by window on the way
to his room, which was in the extension,
the corridor through which leads to the
bar. "He was then," says Mr.. Lslly,
cheerful and sober, just as usual" 1t was
difficult to understand whether he visited
the bar or not, all tho hotel people being
reticent. At any rate he retired to his room.
About half past one the night clerk, Mr..
7 WfiitAms, hearing 4, noise IN Mr.. o. 'Nei's
room, hurried to It. and entering-the door
was nlocked--hsfound him lying upon the
s floor upon Ibis face, his head surrounded by
broken pieces of = ctamber bowl, while
!. from ta large wound 10 his neck the blood
was issuing freelydj Williams Immediately
Summoned DIR! Burt, the resident physician
of fthe9 hotel The Doctor instantly re-
sponded, without waiting to change his
nigttdress.s He found the iugular vein
completely severed, and though he sum
smopsd assistance and made every effort to
stop the life current, the injured man died
70 in about seven minutes after the doctor s
! entrance. Tie only words he uttered were,
'tKeep this from my wife and child."a
q There Is no possibility of the act having
been suicidal. His clothes were found folded
sRayS or hung up IN perfect order as on re-
yfripg.d IL Is generally believed that he fell
in a fit, breaking the vessel one of the
fragments inflicting the deep wound In the
neck. He must have lain unconscious for
some time while his blood was flowing ana
then on coming to himself was too feeb'e to
do more than moan. The carpet was soaked
With blood. The deceased leaves q wife
and child who are now In Atlantic Cily,
The sbody was removed at an esrly from
the hotel. 5,s s6 I'M .yt3 "a ,F'i
Mr.. z0'Neii was widely known and re-
spected in the telegraph business. He was
:, brought to Washington at the time of the
electoral count along with the late Presl-
. dent 0rtop, and 1t will be remembered re-
membered refused to testify concerning GER
:. tam dispatches sent between the Republi-
10 can managers. ;bI9A g.TaUE - tJ - e
40 As Mr.. .O'Neil leaves hIs family destitute,
a Madame Montejo, Signor ,Baccei, SignoI
LeDcioni, Mr.. Thomas A'Becket and Prof
j. W. Jost have volunteered their services
to slug at concert which will be given fol
the benefit OF the wife and child.