New-York tribune., 1907-09-17
HOW DIR. SHEPARD DIED.
Brooklyn Physician Care Himself
Overdose of Morphine.

Although himself physician and accustomed to
prescribing opiates for his patients, DR. A Warner
Shepard, Of 91st street and the Shore Road, Bay
Ridge rniscalculated the amount Of morphine which
his system could stand and gave his life for the
error. The intense pain caused by acute attack
of neuralgia from which of late years the physician
had been a sufferer drove him. late on the night OF
September 7. take dose Of morphine The drug
failed to give the desired relief and although he
hesitated take another capsule, the pain in his
head finally impeIed him to take the chance TO al
lay il
This act which he would never have permitted In
the case Of one his patients, caused his death,
although Dr. Shepard himself and Drs Louis Z
Aver and Bruce G. BIackmer. who were hastily
summoned by Mrs. Shepard when her husband real
,zAd that he had taken too Of the morphine,
did everything possible during the six or seven
hours he survived TO counteract the ehecs oi 'he
drug
Brewer and he sent his physician, Dr. Emil r
FIar+,4ng to the house to make an examination.
After hearing the statements of the physicians ana
Mrs Shepard Dr.. Hartung decided that an autopsy
was not necessary and issued permit Tor burial
The natural desire Of those concerned In the case
n keen the exact facts Of the death unknown 10
the General rrblic caused a report In Brooklyn that
Tr clepard had committed suicide and that there
would be a contest Of his will Bernard j 1orh'
former Fire and Police Commissioner VINO was one
~ the big four lieutenants Of Hugh Mclaughlin
y17a
rolitIcs in Brooklyn. was an oidtlTne irleho VI -
cbenard who was of the habitues OF lhe WI
Ioughhv street auction room when Mclaughlin was
King He drew the will for the doctor whose couh-
cal ,a has heen for twenty-five years or more MI
yorix said Yesterday that far as ne knew tiiee
,,ld he no contest of will and that ne mao o'
reoei,ad any notice that 1t would be quesuohed
IT. Shenard left a brother, DR.. Luther 0nepal"'
90 poeton who came on 10 attend the funeral ana
curing his stay in this city remained at MS oroln-
er's handsome home at Bay Ridge MT YORK saio
YESTERDAY that, so far Mrs. Shepard Knew INC
BOSTON dentist had no intention of contesuhg Dis
brothers will.
Mrs Shepard was formerly Miss Mary Meyers
She had for years been a friend of the doctor ana
had acted as his housekeeper. The couple were
married last June. DR. Shepard was in his sixty
sixth year. his wife is about twenty-f years
younger The estate OF the physician is a valuable
one and Includes besides the residence at Bay
Ridge about fifty tenement houses In various
parts of Brooklyn Most of them located In
the old section about Wioughby street, where for
wears the doctor had office at No. 12s and
loved an extensive practice among the people Of
the neighborhood
Mr. York declined yesterday to divulge the
tents of the will, bat inclined TO believe that
the estate would be found to be worth less than
81 ol0O0 He knew OF grounds for a contest.
end explained the delay in Offering the will for
probate by saying that, executor, with Mrs.
Shepard he was endeavoring to locate all the
tives an6 next of kin who might possibly have
interest IN the estate.