The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-17
Stricken by Heart Fail
ure on Stairway of
Rectory.
PASTOR HERE
FOR % YEARS
Came to Old Sacred Heart
Church in 1891, Going to New
Cathedral at Dedica-
tion-Born in Cavan,
Ireland, in
1853.

The Rev. Father James 3. OReilly.
for the past twenty-five years pastor of
Sacred Heart Cathedral. and one of the
best-beloved men in the Catholic
Church In Virginia. was found dead at
o'clock Tuesday evening in the home
of Father ]. OiConnell. In Wytheville,
where he had gone Sunday on a visit
to his old friend. Father O'Connell.
who had spent the day In Bristol, found
the body In sitting posture on the
stairway leading to the second story.
upon his return home in the evening.
Father O'Reilly had arisen at the
usual hour Tuesday morning and ap-
peared to be In the best OF health. He
celebrated mass at the Convent of the
Visitation Nuns and was heard later
in the day to complain OF the heat. A
call from Bristol took Father O'Connell
away for the day and Father OReilly
spent the afternoon alone at the REQ
tory.
Stricken by Heart Failure.
The supposition is that the priest
was overcome by the heat while de-
ternoon and sat down to recover. While
in the sitting position, it is believed,
he was stricken by heart failure.
Physicians who were summoned
shortly after s o'clock assigned heart
failure as the immediate cause or
he had been dead for from six to
eight hours. He was fifty-nine years
old.
Father O'Connell. as soon as he sum-
mooned medical aid, communicated
over the long distance telephone with
Father Joseph Frioli, pastor of ST.
Andrews Church. Roanoke, who left
for wythevllle on an early morning
train He directed the preparation OF
the body for transportation, and with
Mrs. John Miller. of this city, accom-
panied It to Richmond. The party
left Wytheville at o'clock yesterday
morning md arrived here at 6 o'clock
in the afternoon.
The news of Father O'Reilly's death
did not reach the city until yesterday.
1t spread a mantle of grief over the
SIX parishes OF the church. The
calamity was sudden and wholly un-
looked for. and for hours the pastors
friends as we'll as members OF his
congregation refused to believe the
worst. Later reports confirmed the
news. and long black streamers hung
from the cathedral columns sent the
sad story abroad through the city.
Escort nt Station.
At the Byrd Street Station COM
mittee of seventytve from the
Knights of Columbus. OF which Father
O'Reilly was member and from the
various Otnef CatncilC OrSnnlZltlOnS
OF the city. was in waiting when the
funeral train arrived. 1t escorted the
hody to the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
where 1t was placed to lie In state un-
til the b,V'ial tomorrow morning.
Out OF Nspect for the memory OF
their departs brother and leader.
Richmond Council No. 395, knights OF
Columbus. adjourned It's regular meet
ing scheduled for last night. Through
out the night hours q guard of honor
recruited from the six Catholic
parishes OF the city remained by tho
bier. With n change OF personnel II
will continue on guard to-day and to-
night until relieved from watch to-
morrow morning by the ceremonial OF
interment.
The funeral will take place at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning from the
Sacred Heart Cathedral, and the burial
will be In Mount Calvary Cemetery.
4 local committee worked until late
last night upon the details of the fu-
neral. hut were unable to decide def
Continued on Third Page.)