Morning journal and courier., 1891-01-01
A MYsTRRIoUs DEATH.

ARA = = = = <AS4.<A = 88s zzssssi Kitty O,NeIM Dies Afser . Few Hours,
 Illness - Indications of Arsenfcal
 Pofsoning-An Autopsy HeId-Was
 IL Suicide or Something Else-She
 Was Devout Girl. One of the most puzzling and inexplica- ble cases which have come for some time | before the attention of Medical Examiner White is that of Miss Kttie O'Nein of 19 Edwards street, who-died about midnight Tuesday after only few hours' illness, having before been apparently in state of perfect health. The facts of her illness are as follows: About half past five o'clock she first began to complain, having just finished peeling some potatoes, and sat down in chair, putting her left hand up to her cheek. Her mother noticed it and thought she was suffering with toothache and told her to go to bed if she felt bad The girl was taken soon after with violent cramps in the stomach and Dr. F. Fl. Wheeler was telephoned for from Bishops drug store, arriving at the house between 8 and g o'clock. Finding the girl suffering in tensely he prescribed 8 combination of bis muth, soda and 8 little morphine intended to relieve the pains in the stomach. Be- tween il and 12 the doctor was called upon again and told that she was dead. He immediately proceeded to the house and found the report true. He inquired into the symptoms of the girl more fully and found that she had vomited profusely and that the nature of the case gave grave suspicion of .arsenical poison ing. The suddeness of it all and other conditions were peculiar to death from the use of that poison. On the strength of this he sent word to Dr. White, who began yes. suited in his reporting the matter yester- day morning to Deputy Coroner Pond who was acting as coroner, as Coroner Mix was in New York all day on business, not re- turning until evening. MT. Pond ordered an autopsy, which was held in the afternoon by Drs. White and Converse, assisted by Dr. Wheeler. The deputy coroner, in thinking an autopsy necessary, was infu- enced by the suspicious indications shown him by the doctor in the matter which the girl had vomited. Articles of clothing which had become saturated with it were examined, as well as specimens which had been cut off from the floor of the outhouse with 8 chisel, having frozen to the floor. MT. Pond also heard some statements made by number, especially that of young brother of the deceased girl, concerning disagreements which had taken place dur ing the day between mother and daug ghter, which had some weight with him. The mother was much excited and had been taking stimulants for nervous headache and was in no pleasant humor. The house was thoroughly searched for poi sons of any character and resulted in the finding of box of rough on rats, a poison which possesses large proportion | drug store, corner of Edwards and State streets, and elicited the fact that no poison | was recorded as having been sold her, and | that it was her father who had come the l evening previous to have Dr. Wheeler's l prescription filled.
 1 It was late last evening before the medi | cal examiner completed his investigations
 but would reveal nothing beyond the fac1
 that undoubtedly the girls death was due to arsenical poisoning.
 Miss O'Neill's sudden death produced
 the most intense excitement in the neigh
 borhood where she resided Wild rumor
 were spread abroad with amazing propor
 tions and rapidity. Theories of suicide O.
 something worse were whispered, or deatl
 from accidental causes were advanced ant
 discussed eagerly. But it is diffcul
 thing to settle conclusively upon any on
 of these three solutions. The theory O
 suicide seems the most plausible but tha
 necessitates many difficulties to be ex
 plained away. First of all there is m
 apparent cause. She was naturally of
 bright and happy temperament and thougl
 her mother was often irritated and nervous
 yet this never aroused anything like de
 spondency. She was not known t
 have been entangled in an
 love affair at all, and was spoken of by al
 as 8 remarkably good girl. Her fathe,
 who is completely prostrated by her death } said that she never to his knowledge ha ) attended dance or entered theater. Sh ) was devout member of St. Mary's church
 Her loss will be felt with particular keen ness by the father, who, with tears in hi eyes, said, have lived for that girl Sh , was the handspring of tho family, attend ) ing to much of the housework, doing tn
 marketing, etc., as well as finding employ ment at times in box shop. She ha been out of work lately, however. He ) intense suffering. Just before the las moment she called to her father in tone of voice as strong and natural g ever, he said, but before he coul reach her side she was dead. She woul have been IF years of age next April an
 had only one brother, between six an ) seven years of age. Not complsint di
 she have to make or any explanations ( any kind to offer, so if secret she hac
 she carried it with her to the grave He
 father is employed as horseshoer b
 Palmer & Bishop on George street, nea
 State. The father purchased the hom where they reside on Edward street som
 time ago. The coroner will make his re
 port to day.