Murdock, Anna – d. 1878

MURDOCK

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 10/6/2010 at 11:43:55

Sudden Death – Miss Anna Murdock, a Scotch girl who has been living in the family of Gen. Jas. Wilson for some time past, and whose mother lives three miles south of town, died suddenly on Wednesday evening last. In the morning she did not get up, and Mrs. Wilson went to her room, and the girl told her not to send for the doctor but to send for her friends. She did not seem very sick, but at noon word was sent to Dr. Gorrell, who went to see her, and sent her medicine to take. On going to her room to give her medicine at about 6 o’clock, Mrs. W. found her gasping for breath and gave the alarm, and sent for Dr. Gorrell. He came, and everything was done to revive her but without avail, and she died at 10 o’clock. In her trunk was found a bottle of morphine, which she had been in the habit of taking for inflammatory rheumatism, and it is supposed that she died from an overdose of this drug, but whether taken for the purpose of producing death, or otherwise is not known. She was an excellent, exemplary girl, and no cause can be assigned why she should produce self-destruction. Coroner Newell held an inquest, and the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts.
Source: Newton Journal; December 19, 1878, page 3