New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-11
A HARD STRUGGLE FOR LIFE,
MRS. AUGUSTA BERG DIED FROM AN OVER
DOSE OF MORPHINE.
ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION WAS TRIED FoF
FIFTEEN HOURS WITHOUT AvAIL-Ir
Is THOUGHT THAT SHE COM
MITTEn STICIDEr


Mrs. Augusta Berg. "A swedish woman OF middle
age who was an artist and evidently person OF
refinement, died in the Metropolitan ocl. at Broadway
and Pruccst. from the eject, Of morphine on Monday
night The police not told Of her DEATH ana 10
word Of the sent 10 The corOners ONCE until
Yesterday Meanwhile. without cOroners pcvnis
sion. her body removed from the hotel TO an
undertahcrs shop I'm spring st. Coroner Levy was toh
by Mr.. lildrcth. one # the ho,ci propneor'. that
Mrs. Berg had taken the fatal dose Of morphine on
saturday probably by accident. brief investigations
however, led the Coroner to believe that the woman
Lad committed suicide. Her motive was not known
Mrs. Berg was 1ncoollng woman. with black
halr. clear complexion. regular features and ample
Asure. rn september 1G 1890 she went 10 the hotel
and engaged hoard. She occupied small room on
the fourth floor. and spent most Of her time In 1t. de-
voting part Of each day t0 painting portraits. Sho
made occasional visits TO friends in the city, and
several person, went to the uotcl 10 sec her.
Christ phcr Eavn, the swedish Consul, was one of
her friends. and visited her at the hotel several tines
Mr. Berg spoke French and English iucnly. and
evidently woman Of good education. Her paint
ng'. two Of which were in her room when she died.
were proof Of her skill, artist
on saturday Mr.. Berg complained of a severe
cold aud had her meals sent to her room. Late in
the evening one Of the maids found Mrs. Berg ap-
pareLty necn,ihlc and breathing heavily the bed.
DR.. W. +. Forrest; Of 30 80 south Washington square
Wa, summoned. lIc reached Mr,. Bergs room an hour
before midnight and found her awake She said she
w't' not III aud did not need a doctor. Dr. Forrest
saw that sh; had taken morphine, but brief eXamn-
a ion made him think that she had taken only suli
cient quantity to induce sleep. Upon her own state
mcnt that she needed medicine and wished TO have
quiet lights rest. Dr. Forrest left her, but he told
tho servant, to keep watch upon her during the
night
At A. m. on sunday Mrs Berg was again found
son-cle-, IN her bed AID Or. Forrest sent for
iu haste. lie found hr thr point Of death. Her
breathing was impcrceptibe. and her heart had nearly
stopped beating. DR.. Forrest applied mean, for in
ducus artificial respiration. lie also sent for tank
Of or gen g,, and forced Of the S.s into her
lungs. For fifteen hours that treatment was kept
MP without pause relays q servant, hcopng up the
artificial respiration. Not until midnight did the
woman hc-i1 TO breath, naturally. Ojher persons
besides strangers watched the stubborn fight with
death. Consul Eavu was called TO th" hotel 10 r.
ccire letter. addressed ~ him. which Mr.. Berg hal
lof ou her dressing table The letter wa written
par ly m Eng-h and partly iu swedish and was open.
That part m Eucu % was t. this effect: "I au not
feeling w,l. II anything happens. send my c6ec:'
10 my daughter In Copcuha- u.' Mr.. Eayn real
jhr le'',s and r-mo.n.3 10 watch tae efforts to
rt,u-c tate t'c woman Ec,de, the letter t Consul
Eayu. there va, 70 AID vacho, a!drs.ed 10 ". }.
>.ar-. q u.u.cualt ou the ruub'1t Nc,uv,u-, Who
al-, Ind 81 tied Ms. Hcr- Lieutenant; scar, arrived
al tlr hDti a. noon and opened the packet. Ii'
pas 9, H iu bl- pocket. saying thut 'hr cuNeop, con-
t,.rcd only q handkerchief. IL va, ln the room
much of thc tim. ou sunday ard Monday, and hl
called Dr. Craig of the Yc,uy!u~ TO the room on
Monday night ocfors Nrs. EcIg died. At one umo
OIL Monday the woman seemed 70 be recovering but
hc never spoke or fully cca.uod consciousness. and
she became weaker gradually and died hour before
midnight.