The evening world., 1894-06-05
FIVE BOYS
/. DIEBY POISON.
And Seven Other Inmates Of a
TarrytoVn Home Are
Seriously Ill.
ATE SUPPOSED FLACR00T.
Picked the Poisonous Stuff Out
of a Trench Which Laborers
Were Digging.
REMEDIES PROMPTLY APPLIED.
But in Spite Of Physicians Efforts
the Little Sufferers Died in
Great Agony.
REMEDIES PROMPTLY APPLIED.

TARRHTOWN, June 5.-Five young
boys. inmates OF the Roman Catholic
Institution OF Mercy at Wilson Park
just back OF this town. died In terrible
agony during the night. They had
eaten n poisonous root while at play
during yesterday afternoon. The VIC
tins are:
JAMES FoRREsTAL. ten years old.
JOHN CALLAHAN. aged ten years and hve
days.
THOMAS PAsMoRE. aged ten years and three
months
RICHARD POWERS aged twelve years
JOHN DONNELLi aged twelve years
Seven other boys also ate the root but
not in such quantities as those who died
One John Harvey. however. is likely to
die. Two OF the i'll boys are named
O'Day. The names OF the others the
Sisters refuse TO give.
the prompt arrival OF Drs. Furman.
Fleming and Contant, who were sum
moned from Tarrytown, saved their lives.
They are convalescing.
The Institution of Mercy Is big gray
stone building. with room for over 300
inmates. 1t shelters orphan boys who
have lost either parent They range
from a few months to fifteen years In
age.
A number OF the boys were out play
ing yesterday, afternoon in charge of
Attendant Wrinkle. ON the grounds
force of laborers was engaged In dig
ging trenches for drainage purposes. As
the men threw up the dirt the boy Dom
nelly discovered pieces Of rough root.
1t resembled the sweet tiagr0ot, which
grows in marshy lands. and Donnelly
a,,IJ laraival the
blance.
He picked up n piece and chewed II.
"Um, fiagroot!' he cried with all the
The other children dived into The heap
of fresh earth and soon dozen were
chewing the root with great relish.
Two hours later the Youngsters who
na,ns a %e ABOUT in ,Se % h9srt. % Phvsicians We're We're
Furman and FleIning responded
promptly. they were unable 70 save tiye
Inc with the other boys. about to go
into supper at o'clock when he was
seized with convuisions. fell to the floor
ani died In few minutes.
The four others died between the
hours OF and s. all OF them suffering
the most terrible agony.
The physicians worked vigorously all
night and this morning on the other
cepting young Harvey. were pronounced
out of danger.
The physicians obtained some OF the
root, and after examining II came to the
conclusion that II was the root of II
poisonous Ivy. 1t resembles hagroot
and Is three-elghths OF an inch in dia-
meter, with a rough bark on the out
aide and plthy centre. II tastes some
thing like slippery elm.
Coroner Apgar, OF Peekskhl, was
notified and this forenoon impanelled
n jury to hold an inquest. The Coroner
has ordered an autopsy to be made In
each case. Undertaken Vanderbilt took
charge OF the tive bodies. and will bury
them at the expense OF the institution
at Pleasantville tomorrow.
The Coroners jury returned a verdict
to the effect that the children had died
OF paralysis OF the heart from eating u
poisonous root.
As soon as young Donnelly died. the
Sisters sent for the Mother Superior Of
the House Of Mercy. at lO7h Madison av-
enue. New York city. OF which the Tar
rytown institution Is a branch She ar
rived early this morning and took
charge.
or the dead boys. Pasmore. Powers
and Donnelly We're orphans. Callahan
and Forrestal had fathers living In New
York.
The institution Is situated on plot OF
thirty acres. and although opened re-
Gently, Is already Il beautiful retreat.
1t IL in charge OF Sister Celia, the Moth
er superior who has under her seventeen
Sisters of Mercy.