Evening star., 1896-02-20
It Was Too Potent for a Well-Known
Prize Fighter.
BILLY M'MILLhN KILLED BY OPIUM
Death Brings a Social Smoke to a
Close.
AN AWF Full WARN IN G

O. clock in 4 room at No. 9i2 h street north
west. from the effects of smoking opium
Mcmillan was not addicted to the use of the
drug, but was always ready for night of 1t
whenever the proposition was made, no
matter what the character of the entertain
mont promised to be. Accordingly, when he
was invited yesterday evening to join three
of his friends and indulge in a pipe-smoking
Social he accepted with alacr.ty, much
for the novelty of the thing as anything
else.
The quartet began smoking about s
O'Clock and the opium was rolled and
cooked and deftly inserted in the peculiar
bowl of the pipe by one of the men, who
was an adept at the art, as often as it need
ed replenishing. There was only the one
pipe. so the party smoked in Indian fashion,
passing the lo1S-Stemmed article from one
to the other.
He Never Spoke Again.
1t was midnight when Mcmillan was
away, saying:
Pass me, this time"
They were the last words he ever spoke
A few moments later he hegan to snore
loudly, and his half sleepy companions
noticed that he was turning blue in the
face. Their efforts to awaken him being
1rultiess, the men ran out for assistance
Dr. Wade H. Atkinson and DIR. Heinecke
were quickly in attendance, but Mcmillan
was unconscious when they reached him.
Every effort was >rnade to restore him. and
artificial respiration was resorted to and
continued from l2:30 until ) am, but the
nan was beyond all chance of recovery
The opium he had smoked had an accumiI-
latINe effect, and his lungs were So filled
with the smoke that they We're completely
congested. Coroner Hammett viewed the
b0dy this afternoon, and upon hearing
That the attending physicians had to saw
decided that an inquest was unnecessary
Mcmillan lived with his wife at No 80
Missouri avenue, whence It is probable ne
Will be buried.
Friends View His Remains.
After the coroner had reached his de-
o.1iOn McMillan's body was removed to
Lees undertaking establishment and the
news of his death quickly spread to the
saloons and hotels where he was a familiar
character. y large number of his friends
visited the undertaker's to take last look
at 'Billys" face. and the regret that was
expressed at his death was deep and gem
uiIe. Almost without exception every one
Nio knew Mcmillan had something pleas
ant to say Of him when they heard of his
oEd, and it is probable that no member of
the sporting fraternity in this city could
leave a kindlier feeling behind him than
Mcmillan has left The dead man was
married only three weeks ago, and his
young wife is greatly prostrated by the
shock of his death.
His full name was William David Nc
MIlan end he was born in England tWen-
ty-nine years $50, of good parentage. He
was a WayWard boy, and in his early teens
ne enlisted in the British navy. He soon
began TO display great deal of proficiency
IN the manly art, and was soon noted
among his ShipmateS a very handy
youngster with his fists. About twelve
years ago Mcmillan came to this country
teing, 1t is said, a deserter from the En-
glish navy. He spent a few months in
New. York, and in 1885 came to Washing
ton. and was soon regarded as a coming
EIan in the ring.
His Career in the Ring
He was the protege of Ned Donnelly and
Bob Hoffman, and in 1856 made his first
regular appearance in the ring in fight
up the river with Pete I.alIy of Baltimore
Old-timers, who were at the scene sard
that this contest was in the nature of a
reproduction of the best of the Aaron
Collyer fights. Mcmillan won it after 4
. stubborn and hard contest, in which his
doSged determination and wonderful ca
pacity for receiving punishment were
strik:ngly exemplified. His next fight was
with Paddy Duffy of Boston, who was then
the chaLIDion wel.er-weight- of the world
and tie Yankee boy whipped him.
Mcmillan then fought George NorthriJse
of this city down the Potomac, and it was
the opinion of every man at the rines;de
that the Englishman had won but in tie
verracular. Mcmillan was up against it,
and did lot get the decision. After this
ne went to Chicago with Lewis Izzell, the
race horse owner, who backed him against
Tommy Ryan
Gave Victory Away.
Mcmillan knocked Ryan out sixteen Sec
onds after the men entered the ring, but
lzzeil. who was behind him, declined to
count. saying that the people at the ring
side Lad paid for a fight, and he was sure
That Mcmillan could give Ryan another
cha:ce and still defeat him. This how
ever, was n mistake.
In order to get down to proper weight Nc
the morning of the fight he had spert three
hours in Turkish bath. and was. conse-
quentiy, very weak. When Ryan got S,p
ana the hight was renewed he tired Nc
Mfian Dy adopting keep-away tactics and
then whipped him. The dead man then
went TO New Orleans. where he had several
nights, winning them all. including an eight
round go with Hines, and he was in Kill
ram corner during the latter's fight with
SnIIiNan- Returning to Washington Nc
William got on a fight with Campbell the
champion heavy weight of Maryland. and
defeated him in sixteen rounds This was
followed by his whipping Mike Raedy in
seventeen rounds. He then fought Pat
Raedy, brother of Mike and won in half
round.
His Last Appearance.
His last fight was with German a wear
ago. Mcmillan had all the best of this
fight. but 1t. was not down on the program
Tor him to get decision. Gorman's sec
onds threw up the sponge, but the referee
declared that 1t was no contest. At the
time of his death arrangements were being
consummated for a battle between McMiI.
Ian and Kid Mccoy.
Mcmillan was regarded as a clean and
square fighter, who did not know what
punishment was, and possessed a wonder-
1ul amount of pluck and dogged determine
tion- Until the close of the track at Alex
ander Island Mcmillan officiated there as
assistant starter to Mars Cassidy. McMil-
lanS popularity was not confined to the
men with whom he mostly associated, as
ne was well liked by a large number of
those outside that circle. He was of a gen.
erous disposition and sympathetic to those
IN distress, and many incidents were re-
cited today of the helpfulness he had ex-
tended to the needy when his own circum-