The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-13
VICTIM OF ALCOHOLISM
Mirko Neralich Drops Dead
While Drinking in a Saloon.
HAD BEEN A HARD DRINKER
Witnesses at the Coroner's Inquest Tes-
tify to His Having Drunk a Large
Quantity OF Whiskey and
Beer During the Night.

Yesterday morning between / and .
o'clock Mirko Neralich. while drinking
in saloon at the corner of Cedar and
Third street, fell over backwards and
in a few minutes afterwards he was
dead. The death of Neralich occurred
in the presence of a number of per-
sons, all of whom agree as to the de-
tails of the sudden expiration.
The body was removed to Ehret's un-
dertaking rooms and yesterday after
noon Coroner Hardenbrook empaneled
the following jury TO inquire into the
cause of Neralich's death; j. r. Sack
rider ]. II. Collins, r. ID. Crosswhite.
Tom Boland, William Hilbert and Mike
Shea. The inquest was held in The
court room of Judge Donoghue at >
o'clock.
Nick Bosanitz. a police officer, testi-
fled that yesterday morning between /
and o'clock. himself and another OFF,
Ger went into the saloon. Neralich was
standing at the bar and had a schooner
of beer in his hand. He asked the Off
GERS to have drink but they declined.
Neralich drank the beer and his legs
apparently gave way and he fell over
backwards The bartender and another
man tried to make him sit down, but
the officers told them to leave him
alone. that he would be all right in a
the man was in a bad way and Bo-
sanitz sent the other officer after
doctor and also to notify the coroner.
When the physician finally arrived he
said that Neralich was very nearly
dead. Neralich had been a hard drink
er and was very drunk at the time OF
his death
officer Lebouf said that he came into
the saloon with officer Bosanitz The
deceased and Rosanitz talked together
in Austrian for d moment or two and
asked the officers to have drink. They
declined the invitation. Neralich was
standing at the lar and had a schooner
resting on the bar. He drank the beer
and began to fall backwards He fell
to the floor Troth appeared at the
mans mouth and also a little blood.
The witness went after a physician
He went to DR.. Leehey, but that doc
tor refused to come. giving as his rca-
son the fact that the affair was in
saloon. The witness then called for
Dir. Wood but he could not be found
He finally summoned DR.. Gattan, who
responded He notified the coroner and
the undertaken.
George Lubich. the keeper of the sa-
loon where the death occurred was the
next witness. He had known Neralich
for seven or eight years. He was be-
hind the bar when Neralich came in.
He took two or three drinks of whiskey
and four schooners of beer, He then
went and sat down at a table and had
three drinks of whiskey and four more
schooners of beer. He came TO the bar
again and told Lubich to give him some
more whiskey. He told him he wanted
all the whiskeY he had in the house.
At the bar he drank two more drinks of
whiskey and about four schooners of
beer. Prior to the time he came into
4 ;,IS
in a bucket The bartender had told
him TO go and sit down in a chair and
had started from behind the bar TO as
sist him. He took him by the waist,
but before he could do anything fur
Their the man fell down He had al
ways been a hard drinlter. lie was a
laborer at the lower works. 1t was
about 10 o'clock when he first came
into the saloon
Matt Roly was also in the saloon.
He saw the man fall down. The wit
ness told Neralich to get up, as he
wanted to take him home. The man
did not speak a word after he fell lie
was not quite dead when the witness
tried to pick him up. He had been
moved five or six feet from where he
fell before the coroner came.
John Roly, George Munitz, Peter
Hayden and Tom 0nisitz We're also in
the saloon, but their testimony added
nothing to that which had already come
to light
The jury Immediately found verdict
to the effect that Neralfch had come to
his death through heart failure. SUI
perinduced by alcoholic excesses.'
Neralich was about Is years of age
and leaves family in Austria. He has
been in Anaconda for a number of
years and has been employed as la
borer at the lower works.