New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-11
JOHN BOYLE O'REILLY DEAD.
THE IRISH POET FALLS VICTIM TO A
DRUG TAKEN FOR INSOMNIA.
DYING AT HIS SUMNER HOMEWORK OUT WITH
WATCHING BY TIE BEDSIDE OF HIS WIFE.

DYING AT HIS SUMNER HOMEWORK OUT WITH
WATCHING BY TIE BEDSIDE OF HIS WIFE.
Boston. Aug 10 SpeciaD.-John Boyle ORellly
the brilliant author, poet and EDITOR the IRISH
patriot, died suddenly thi, morning at his summer
home in Hull. Dir. O'Rey's death was due
to accidental overdose Of some narcotic
Just what he took Is not known, although 1t
is supposed to have been choral. His wife has
been I'll for several weeks. and in caring for he?
he had bee exhausted and unable to sleep lie had
in fact, other occasions been victim Oh
insomnia, and had probably for a long time been
compelled 10 resort 10 some drug IN oder
20 get sleep. lie told the druggist where he was
purchasing medicine for his wife on saturday
that he was going to take something him
self to induce sleep. An hour or two after
leaving his we'S bedside late on Saturday night
he was found smoking in easy chair in the sltuhg
room and said he felt sleepy. lie half staggered In
drowsy condition to a lounge and unconscious.
dying at ) O'Clock on sunday morning. The news was
a terrible shock to his friends, ana the Hst i W.,
for there was no more popular man IN Lotion M
it-clf aud who had the happy knsck Of mstlns
The biography Of John BOYLE OKeilly reads like a
romance. liil magnificent physique MS caSsc ical
uiee, his fascinating smile his Whoic bctthd9 "erc
calculated 10 inspire respect and tender regard.
John Boyle oRelIy was born at Dowth Castle
Comfy Meath, Ireland June 20, le14 HIS iather'
william David O'Reilly, was scholar OF reputc an"
was for thirty five years master of the Nelcw1le In
stitutlon, DOwth Castle charitable institution HIS
mother, Eliza Boyle, lady OF fine literary culture
lOung O'Rey carefully educated By his father
and carly in life he learned the printing trade IN the
Office Of The Drogheda Argus lie atterward set
type in various English cities, and occasionally did
Shorthand reporting. In tie meantime lie joined mo
Fenau Society. When the revolutionary movement
began in Ireland Mr.. OReIlly returned 10 his native
land and enlisted in the 10Th IIussars (tllnce o.
Walcs's own, where he worked zealou.y TO spread
republican principles. Finding that diSaiiccuon was
spreading among the troops, the Government sent
Head Constable Talbot to the scene OF O'RclIys
efforts. Talbot, who attcrward murdered. WAS the
original Of Harvey Duff in Bouclcaut's shaughran.7
HIS efforts were in vain, and it took the Government
to discover ORelliy's connection with tue insurrec
tlonary movement. lie arrested for treason
tried June 20, 1866 and was lo"nd
guilty on five capital charges. with four Others
he was sentenced TO be shot but afterwaId this sea-
tcrcc commuted 10 Imprisonment for life ana
then to twenty years Of penal servitude
Mr. O'Rcy was first coniIcd at Chatham, then al
Portsmouth, Portland and DartmOor, and at the lat
prison he and his brother Fenlans collected ana
buried the bones Of tho American and French prisoners
Of war WHO were shot by their british guards in l4I3
In November. 1867. Mir Boyle oi 30 con
Wet, who set sail in the Hougoumont FOR the penal
colony IN West Australia The ship reached H.
destination january 10, 1865. Escape seemed
hopeless but OReiuy son began to make his plans
to obtain liberty. lie told no one for some time
but at last he confded his scheme to Tie Rev Patrick
Met abe Catholic priest, who !Gbo9cd hard Tor the
welfare Of the conyicts. 1T is an excellent
wy 20 commit suicide" said the priest, but he
p,.m. d to think Out a plan for OHA!t'
.iy months pas ed by however, before lc again
heard from Tie priest one day, when cars lhS t-c
varden's report To BuEbury depot Q'Kc!,lF was aP-
preached By stalwart man, who said: " Ny nam" IS
Mcguire I'm a friend Of Father Macs. and he's beeA
80 Ff.fff
from the priest, and said he would aid IA carrying
cut the lajter's plan OF escape. TINS was IN Deem
tcr and the pian to secrcte O'Heily on board Al
american whaicr IN February. and thus Ia, I".A on
( prison and cut OF danger. ~ t'o lHsV VI toD
rlty l., l76o he met Mcguire H"u ".!".l-t
nl-ul az an appointed place, and after !oAs gNs
tury rr4c.cl lie coast uclg bunOuf,. I'cie my
Ity AID waited for the whaer NisIlaht. mort
uruu.y they were without provisions or W"ttg aI
..s..,,I tc iIuiant ana roWed toward her bul the
Slip ,l.uged Ter course and Ia TIE men 10 Their
fate, although the captain had PROMISED 70 'dne ,''H
n.p,ol. 40. nearly = Wees % ncIil, -pcnt nc u"ls
upon Tie go BE- his fIau boat in search % friendly
slap, "lule Mcguire went ia sedi "a assam e,
hi. ,,trf MA-u.re brought word that tath-r Mctduc
lad arranged with captain David X. Clifford, OF .he
Dalcl.. 81 New hcdioId. 20 PICK up OKclly' Maruu
!.owflnu u desperate ticket oflcavc man, mad dls,"v
crd i...it plan az .1p'. ana ne thI'd'tH." 80
.o.ri the vhalcr Ills terms had q be acc ped
About noon he next DAY Ia, Galce wa slsA.ed Al
,,ili., from Bu.bury. ten Glze.lc touched at Rod
CIRQUE au English ISLAND ~ "a, indian ocean. Here
OI.rliy saved from captqn b! the surrender 81
Hoamln, whom the sailor, Lad learned 10 drtc,t
4 month later MI. OEclly Vas tran iicri'd u
TIC sapphire. with the papers OF joan ~"d', It
Ge,,rt.r from the Galeuc. Tie sapphire to"'Hed
M Liverpool C-crc OKcluy took pd>saSe or 'He
Iomlay for PAUadclrhla. he banded there on
November -. l-n1, pruulless and Almost f"riH.ss
Tic -o.u came O. NcW-lorh, and delivered one or Vo
H.. ir,- and wrote several articles fJr the news
paper, In 1870. after following tho IenidE rIIu
- +, Canada. he became connected with lac bo>ioh
Plot" a. "A small -alary. lie now drew on hi
IuI %. poetic observation and experience ana us
ar-. ,, soon attracted attention. "Mlc h we .-"k
len ur.,ur, he had composed and co"lmtlrd 10
memory many poem. TAc,c ho no." W,"t o,t ana
...ut o. me Dark Blue the 'Aiotd Ih!Fer,it
Nur;liuc. They were accepted AMI well phd i"r'
thr magazine rot dreaming that they came non.
an c.capcd Fcn!an. In 1850 he became the owner
ul The Pilot ..,.,
Nr o'Ecny has published SONG Of So t,54g
-e,," NST3 "Song-. Legends and Ballads Io'ch
.. N,n0ndy.e" us7uu STATUES IN the Block ISL.
IN Hoaemiar I'D The c9rnIY w Mir NoI he
founded the Papyus Club OF Boston, and was some
time r. president