River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-08-14

JOHN BOYLE o,REiIIY.
The Famous Irish Poet Takes a Dose of
Poison by Mistake and Expires at Nam
tasket Beaeh-short sketch of His Ro-
mantle Career.

The Famous Irish Poet Takes Dose of
Poison by Mistake and Expires at Nam
tasket Beaeh-short sketch of His Ro-
mantle Career.
BosToN, Aug. IL. - TIE city was
shocked Sunday morning by the news
of the death of John Boyle oReilly, the
brilliant editor of the Boston Pilot. Mr..
OReilly and his family have been pass
ing the summer at Hull, as was their
won't The cause of his death is sup
posed TO have been accidental poison
ing. Mr.. 0'Reilly had been suffering
for severa, days from insomnia, and
during the last week he had slept little.
Saturday night his wife was i'll, and
at II o'clock he called DIR. William III.
Litchfield to attend her. DIR. Litch-
field went TO his house and prescribed
for her, leaving bottle of medicine.
About 2 o'clock Mr.. 0'Reilly again
called the doctor and said that part of
the medicine left for Mrs. O'Reilly
had been spilled. The doctor then
gave him a single dose to take to her.
AS he left the doctors Mr.. O'Reilly said
that he felt extremely taxed and if Mrs.
O'Reilly went TO sleep he would take a
little something himself co see il
he could not get few hours
sleep. At O'clock Mrs. O'Reilly
awoke and found chat her hus-
band was missing. She went down
stairs and found him lying on the floor
in an unconscious condition. The doc
tor was Immediately called. Upon ar
irving he found respiration very weak,
and Mr.. O'Reilly expired shortly after.
A ~. 4 4
cine used by Mrs. o'Reilly. from which
she had taken very little, but which was
nearly empty. 1t is supposed that Mr..
O'Reilly took doze from it by mistake.
J his would not have produced death,
and it is thought that he must also have
taken dose of choral to make Kim
sleep, and that he took an overdose.
Mrs 0'Reilly and her four daughters
are nearly Frustrated with grief. The
body has been removed to Charleston.
Mr.. O'Reilly was 46 years of age.
John Boyle O'Reilly had a brilliant and
varied career. He was born at Dowth Castle,
County Meath, Ireland, in 1874, OF scholarly and
patriotic parents, and after learning the print
ers trade in Dublin elisted in the Tenth prince
of Wales own hussars. the crack dragon regi-
ment of the army. his intention being to spread
Republican principles among the soldiers OF his
own and other regiments. He did his work
so thoroughly that at the end of three years he
was arrested for high treason. After two
years in chain gangs in England the young
patriot in November 1867, was sent to the
penal colony of West Australia in a convict
ship crowded with $40 criminals. His sentence
was for twenty years, but in February, 1868,
be make his escape, putting to sea in an open
boat
Mr.. o'Reiay came TO Boston in 1870 and
within few months went as correspondent Of
the Pilot with the Fenians who attacked"
Canada. Here he had very narrow escape
from being taken prisoner by the British. He
was in command of the Irish for a short
time after O'Neil taken prisoner. Re
/ turning to Boston Mr.. 0Rellly soon be-
came the editor of the Pilot and in 1876 its man
aging owner. He became a contributor TO the
/ Galaxy, Scribner's, the Atlantic Monthly and
Harper's, and was even a welcome contributor
TO the exclusive Dark Blue, the magazine of
oxford University, England, until the publish
ers discovered that he was a Fenian.
His frank. earnsst personality secured the
friendship of Phillips. Whittier Garrison and
othe. staunch Americans. His countrymen
have seemed to put more faith in him than in
| any one else because OF his unselhshness and
generous consideration for the interests OF
others.
Among his books are: 'Songs Of the South
ern Seas" Songs, Legends and Ballads"
statues ia the Block and In Bohemia"
His novel based Australian experiences
was entitled ''Moondyne." Among his
noted orations was that on ''The Com
mon Citizen Soldier" delivered in Boston
| an Memorial day, 1886, while his great
est public poem was delivered at the dedica-
tion OF the pilgrim monument at Plymouth a
year ago. Recently he had written number
of essays on athletic sports, of which he was a
devoted