Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-11
POISONED HIMSELF.
Mr.. poHERTY ACCIDENTALLY swAL-
LOWS A FATAL MIXTURE.
Eistaks in the tles-Partioulars OF
the occurrencs-The FUNERAL to Take
Place To-Borrow.

Yesterday morning Mr. John q.
Doherty, one OF the best known Of
Richmonl's merchant tailors and an cs-
teemed citizen, died from the effects Of
poison taken by accident
Mr.. Doherty WAS uuwell night before
last, but Notwithstanding ate heavy
supper. oysters included lie. however,
said that nigh. tnat ne was running
down il health. Yesterday morning be-
tween 6 and o'c.ocs his wife left aim in
bed while she went about her household
duties. Az hour or 80 later a daughter,
entering her fathers chamber, found
him breathing in an alarming manner.
Upon examination made by Mrs. Do
herty and others of tie family il was as
cert1ned that there we're two Walls Of
medicine on tho mantelpiece, and MIR.
Doherty bad evidently been dosing him-
self from both. One was extract Of gin
GER. which he occasionally used the
other was q linlment prescribed for Mrs.
Doherty for rheumatism IN the knee
ioints. the INGREDIENTS OF which no one
in the house knew.
From the sediment in and thc odor
about the cup which Mr. DohcrtY bad
used TO take his medicine it seemed
certain that he had administered to HIM
self some from each vial.
DISCOVERY or TIE CHARACTER OF TIE
DOsE.
All efforts At rous' z Mr.. Doherty
-. fa-f- G. far b
out to get 4 doctor, end called at the
Office OF Or. George Ben. Johnston, near
by. and from there went to the druggists
e. ascertain what were tie ingredients OF
the linlmeut
The druggist, looking at the vial and
remaining contents and bearing the son s
story. at once realized that it was mat
ter OF roat gravity. tie therefore vent
back ID his tiie OF month ago and found
the prescription for the llnimcnt and CO.
pied if of exactly and tod young Nh
Doherty 10 show 1t to the Doctor. Tho
limmeut vas mixture OF scOHlte, chic
roi0rn, oil of sassaIras and landanum,
ma the doctor tnot Dr. JOhnston) who
prescribed It directed it TO lee used extcr-
ually.
With the copy OF the prescription in
hand. young Mr. Doherty fastened back
hone anu Joined Dr. johnston rs the
latter vas about entering the chamber.
The Doctor promptly went 10 work 70
counteract the poison, and applied every
remedy usual ia such cases but without
effect. Seeing tine hopeiessnoss Of the
case he informed member OF the iami-
~. and Father Van de Nyyer was sent
for. and vac with Nr. Doherty up to the
hour Of death, at 10 o'clock.
Mr.. Dohelt7 never rcgmned conscious
ness. and SO, neither by word nor SGD,
could any explanation DE gotten from
him as 20 how il came about that b.
made the mistake Ia TIE ylals or bow u,
was that traces Of both compounds were
found il the CUP.
It is However, rot unlikely That nc
FIRST took dose Of the ginger, and tnat
not producing the eject wished he pro
ceedcd, as ne thought, 20 rcpeatthc dose,
taking up thie time the liniment bottle.
Aconlta. chlcrolorm. ard laudaEum IN
sufficient doses are all poisonous, and,
what is more, they are oil character to
harmonic with and not ucU.ral-ze each
other, and their iMmcdiatc eject is to
stupeiy the braia,
II vas with acouite that six patients
were killed at tie Western LuYatic Asy-
lum some years ago. Here, however, 1t
vas never intended that the prescription
would be taken internally, and 1t does
not appear that any one Is % blame, Ia
inevitable as IS the consequence OF the
mistake by which a harmless extract Was
mistaken for q poison.
phPK ROOM.
The room which Mr.. Dohertv occu-
pied was darkyDeG to keep out the morn
inc sunlight. and tins is the reason, It Is
thought. d II Nh Nohcrty made the
mistake when he took up the liniment
bottle and drank OF its contents.
AGE.
Deceased was sixty-four years Of age
and resided ut 3i2 east Main street. For
thirty-eight years be had lived in this
city. following his trade, which be learned
in frcland-his native land. lie leaves
q wife and seven children-iour giris and
three BOYS.
He was q Jealous and devoted member
ofthe Catholic Church, and WAS prominent
in al! Of its charities, and especially III
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. he
Was courteous gentleman, q useful citi-
Zen in every way. and ms death Is a pao-
lie loss. The funornl will take place
from st. Peters Cathedral at 10 o'clock
Monday morning.