The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-11
\ 'tTAL MISTAKE.
Mr. John r.. Doherty's Death From Dose
of Aconite

OF htOnlte.
Yesterday morning. about ten o'clock,
Mr.. John T. DOherty died at his late resi-
dence, No. 3l2 East Main street, under
peculiarly distressing circumstances.
For quite a long time Mr. Doherty had
been suffering from general debility and
rheumatism, and oftcntimes was confined
to his room. The last time he was
away from home was on Thurs
day, when he came to his place
Of business. next to the TINES OF
fee, and remained short while
4 TINES reporter went TO the residence
and learned that Mr. Doherty rested well
during Friday mig e. And yesterday
morning. - ben Mr.. Doherty left her room
to come down Stair. ne was still quietly
sleeping ~he returned in an hour and
found him acutcly suffering, gaspinc
painfully, and evidently on the point Of
death The entire household was sum
moned, and the family physician, DIR
George Ben. johnson. instantly sent for
He quickly arrivel and at once suspect
ed that Mr. DOhcrty had swallowed
some drug Of dangerous nature
The doctor anI family .earcLcd
the room and found on the
mantel two bottles, each containing
medicine One contained a medicine used
by Mr. Doherty internally for the alevia-
tion OF temporary pain, and the other
liniment used 10 rub the limbs for the
allcyialion of pain caused by rhumatl,m
\ cup was also found on the stand in the
TO IN hy the two bottles, and in 1t was
found sod mcnts Of the liniment This
at once confined the suspicious hereto
fore aroused and the linimcnt bottle
was sent IF 10 the druggist who com
pounded it, TO find out Of what drugs it
was composed. The answer soon came
back. and among its ingredients were
chloroform, laudanum, and that most
deadly Of poison, aconite. A dose OF this
mixture was what Mr.. Doherty had
taken
In the meantime Dr. Johnson and a
competent assistant had been at work
doing all that medical skill could do TO
cOunieract The effects of the unfortunate
notion. but without avail In two hours
ibe dreadful mixture bad done lis worse,
and Mr. JOnn Il. DOherty was corpse.
Mr. Doheriy slept in a room, which
was darkened at the time he got out of
he'd and took the medicine and it is of
course the belief that he mistoOk the two
bottles in the darkness, and thus drank
the deadly potion.
\ priest from the cathedral was sum
moncd and promptly arrived Mr.
Doherty could not recognize any one,
however In fact ne knew no one after
his wife found him in The throes OF death.
All day and last night hosts OF sym
pathyzing friends crowded the house,
and 'many of them wept with The wife
and children who surrounded the diving
mans bed
Mr. Dohcrty came 10 this country from
ireland. and had been q resident OF
Richmond Tor many years, carrying on
The business of merchant tailor lie had
built himself up, made friends by the
hundred. and he was highly esteemed by
al who knew him As a business man
he was exampiary As member
of the Roman Catholic Church be
was Jealous and Geyout 1t j.
"A truth. that until his last sickness,
which confined him generally 10 his
home. ne never missed "a service at the
cathedral and he WAS one Of the cs-
teemed temporal advisers of Bishop
Keanc lie vas prominent in charities,
and a leading member OF the Society OF
81. Vincent De Paul TO whom the diocese
Of Richmond is dedicated. lie was Of
good appearance and . citizen Who Aad
proved hi. usefulness He departed his
life without a stain on his character.
lie leaves a widow and seven children,
who have the sympathy Of the entire
community
The funeral will take place tomorrow
morning. a. 10 O'clock. when high re-
QUEEN mass will be sung for the repose Of
his soul