New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-02
POISONED BY MORPHINE.
STRANGE DEATH OF A SCHOOLGIRL
AWKWARD POSITION OF YOUNG MEDICAL
STUDENT, HER FRIEND-AN AUTOPSY
HELD

| yesterday morning at ii O'Clock from lht c"ect VI
an overdose Of morphine, taken TO procure renei
from insomnia due to Oyerstudy. 1t IS believed
Miss Potts was tho daughter of George II. Potts,
railroad contractor, who lives at Asbury PARK
and has an Office at No. 40 Wall-st. She entered
the school year ago to take a special course OF
study in music and languages. She was pretty
| girl. small in figure and had bright, sunny dis
| position that made her general favorite She
had an exceptionally fine voice. and often de-
lighted her friends at the public and private re-
ceptions at the school with her singing. She was
ambitious, desired to excel in everything. ana
studied hard with the expectation OF being Gradu-
ated this year. The hard work at study overtaxed
her strength, and for the last month she had been
troubled more or less with insomnia. Although
She did not get the necessary amount of sleep and
rest to keep up her vitality, she did not neglect
her studies
Among her intimate friends here was Carlyle
W. Harris, a medical student at the College OF
| fhyslcIans and Surgeons, in West Fifty -nlnth-st.
Mr. Harris is in his last year at college. and. it
Is expected, will graduate in the fall of this year
lie IS twenty-One years old, year older than Miss
Potts. lie lives with his mother at his grand
| fathers house. No. - East Sevcnecnth-st Mr.
| liarriss family are old and intimate friends of
the Potts family, and after Mss Potts came here
10 attend school Mr. Harris and his mother fire.
| pucntly called upon her. They went to theatres
and receptions together, and Mrs. Harris acted as
thc chapcron Of the young woman
Saturday is the regular visiting day at the
| school, and there were few Saturdays when Mr..
| Harris did not call upon Mis- Potts Their in
tmacy, it is said, did not extend beyond the
bounds Of close friendship. Miss Potts during
the last month often spoke TO Mr.. Harris about
her impaired health, and he advised her 10 20
slowly and not exhaust her energy by excessive
study. During the last two weeks Miss Potts
was greatly troubled by insomnia, which was un-
usually persistent and did not give way 10 the
ordinary household remedies employed 10 induce
sleep. She spoke to Mr.. Harris about her in
ability TO sleep, and on Saturday week a2o,
when it became evident that something would
have to be done to prevent Miss Potts from break
ing down under the strain, Mr.. Harris wrote
prescription and had it put up at the drug store
of Even, McIntyrc * Son. No. 80? SINth-avc The
drues which the prescription called for were
twenty-five grains OF quininc and one grain OF
morphine. made mp into siN pills. Mr.. Harris
took the box Of pills TO Miss Potts AT the school,
and. rs a matter Of prccautlon only gave her four
pills, with directions to take orc every evening
ON going 10 bed ON the same day that Mr.. llar
ris sot the pills he went with party of friends
to old Point Comfort Va While there lie re-
cci,cd n letter from Mss Potts, in which she said
| thlt she had taken the pills. that they gave her
a headache and made her worse instead of letter,
and payfully chidcd lin with showing a lack of
skill a physician.
Mr. Harris returned home last Thursday. lie
called upon Miss Potts Saturday evening at
o'clock. lis visit was short one Miss Potts
told him that She was still suffering from insom-
| mia and hc advised her 10 take more of the
ouinioc and morphine pills. rs far as can be
| learned. he, did not get any more pills for her.
Miss Potts remained in tie parlor short time
, nor Mr.. Uarri, went away and then went TO her
room ON 'n, third floor. She told Miss Reed
one Of the teachers. lc'or going. that She felt
! sick and feared that sac WAS going 10 pass an
o,ier .lncnlc., ui.lf Miss PottsS room IS
lor,e ono and Size occupied il with Victoria Smith,
Catharinr Yatc, and Anna Lewis, students at 'h'
school who are about tire sumo a-c IS Miss I"it''
;L,,c t'.frc young ladies were Al concert
S,urla, cycnin- They returned home at 10
o'cloc,, and went 20 their room half hour alter
| ward Ucy c'atjcd and LAUGHED about what
they had seen ~ the concert Miss Potts WAS
,lccpln. IN her bel and WAS awakened by the
sound of the voices Of her companions. She t"d
them that Size was III Whcn She retired AMI had
| taken another doc Of the morphine pills To pui
her r. ,,ccp. She usually spoke quickly. hu'
hcsita,cd in usin. n word, if She were not GER
tain Of II. She told hcr companions about beau
tfrI vi.ion that She saw while asleep.
| While She was talking the SoHnd Of her voice
| became fainter and fainter. then stopped alto
| gcthcr. ana when one of the glilS spoke to her
| and received no answer. they thought that she
had fallen asleep again, and they were glad Of IT.
| The three young ladies, after the light in the
| room was put out. went 10 bell but not 20 sleep
| Miss PotiSs peculiar breathing annoyed them
| She brcathcl with great effort rs ii she were
| being snnocatcd They had never heard any
| thing Of .hc kind before and did not know what
it meant Miss Pots'S struggles for breath he
came more violent as they waited. and they
finally became frightened and got mp.
| The Gas was lighted and il was seen that Mis-,
| Potts was unconscious. Miss Smith summoned
Mrs Lydia Day. the principal of the school
Mrs Day thoucht from Miss pottN's appearance
that She was dying and lost no time in calling
DR.. Edward y. Fowler, of No. 81 West Fort.c;h-st
| DIR. Fowler foInd the girls pupils contracted, slow
| and heavy respiration and other evidences of
morphine poisoning. lie saw that only heroic
measures could save the girls life. and he called
| in Dr.. Banrf of No. - West Fortcth-St., and
| DR.. Kerr, of no. ~ West Ffticth-st to assist
him. An cmctc was promptly given, and her
body was vigorously rubbed and shocked with
a Strong current of electricity. The doctors
worked encrgcticaly for four hours, and at
! o'clock yesterday morning their efforts were
| wardcd by returning signs of life.
| The patient vomtcd freely, consciousness was
! restored, her respiration became normal, ana
| when the doctors went home She considered
| 10 be out of danger ana on the road TO recovery.
| The physicians had hardly got comfortably settled
| III their homes when they were aroused again
| by messenger from Mrs Day with report
| that Miss Potts had suddenly become worse.
| While talking with her friends she had tainted.
| The chill of death was on her body when the
doctors arrived again. They worked faithfully
upon her. using everything known to medical
| science To keep the waning spark Of lie from
| going out At II o'clock a Spasmodic tremor
| passed through Eer body. She tossed upon her
! bed if in great agony, partially raised herself
| from the pillow, and when she fell back upon
] it She was dead