The morning call., 1890-08-11

gave him a single dose TO take to her. When
he left the doctor, O'Reilly said he felt ex-
tremely tired, and if Mrs. O'Reilly went to
sleep he would take little something him
self to see if he could not get few hours
sleep.
At o'clock Mrs. O'Reilly awoke and
found her husband missing. She went
downstairs and found him lying on the
floor in an unconscious condition. he
doctor was Immediately called, but U Reilly
expired in short time. 1t is thought he
must have taken dose of chloral to make
him sleep and he took an overdose. Mrs.
O'Reily AMI her four daught are nearly
Frustrated with grief.
John Boyle O'Reilly. editor of the Boston
Pilot, was a distinguished orator, writer
and poet, and associated with the history
OF Ireland in an interesting manner by hav-
ing been convicted Of high treason against
the English Government in 1867 and sem
fenced to twenty years Imprisonment In
Australia, four OF which he served and
then escaped to America.
Mr.. O'Reilly was man of medium heieAt,
of portly build and young In appearance for
his years. The checkered life in his earlier
days and the hard and almost endless liter
ary work more recently had not left trace
upon him.
He was a tireless worker in his private
office of the Pilot, where he sat for hours
and hours writing or studying, with a
respite only when walking to or from his
home. Sometimes ii was poem that Occu-
pied him wholly-one of his p0etical con-
tributiOns TO the pleasure of thousands I;
sometimes an editorial on subject OF
Catholic theology, which not every clergy
man of that faith could treat with entire
safety, and again the dry routine of news
paper work kept him so much out OF sight
and caused him TO he looked upon as one Of
the hardest literary workers of Boston.
He had a genial Celtic countenance,
deeply intellectual and refined in its fea-
lures, with bright gray eyes. which beamed
kindly from beneath prominent brow.
His complexion was dark. His manner as
pleasant and easy as his face WAS genial.
There was something about the man that
recalled much of what he had aspired to
and achieyed-the fiery patriot of the Fe-
nian rising in Ireland, the self-reliant pris-
Oner in Australia, and worthy citizen OF
America, the noble spirit Of liberty within !;
his tender and beautiful poems and his able
articles.
By birth he was an lrishman, and when
futile and foolish attempt was made by the
young blood OF Ireland in the COS 10 secure
their nations birthright John Boyle
O'Reilly was among the Fenians. In 1867
he was convicted OF treason by the Eng
lish Government and sentenced to twenty
years Imprisonment IN the penal settle
ment in Australia. After four years Of
hardships and hunger and cruel treatment
there with his enthusiastic young comrades
be escaped to America. The daring feat
was planned in the United States by
Thorn as p. Desmond and John Breslan.
headed by John Dewey. A bark was sent
down TO the Antipodean prison aid carried
the men back to liberty.
When leaving the unbidden settlement an
English cutter put out after the bark. The
officer in command demanded the English
priso ners, but the American captain ran Ep
the stars aud stripes to the masthead and
roared back his defiance.
They're on an American ship now and
there is the American flag. Fire and be
| to you. We will all go down together"
That was OReilly's last experience with
the mini0ns Of the English Government and
| he concluded that it was enough.
He worked hard and conscenti0usly after
| his arrival in America. Mainly owing to
his energy the Boston Pilot is what it is to-
day-the leading Catholic paper of the land.
| with circulation in all the States and an
accepted authority by the intelligent and
| educated classes of Catholic and Irish peo-
pie,