NEAL, Harriet “Hattie” (Durbin)

Death from Chloroform.

Mrs. Hattie Neal, a former resident of Edinburg, was found dead in bed at her home in Chicago, Tuesday, Aug 13. She was a niece of H. P. Durbin, A.H. and Thomas Durbin. The remains were brought to Edinburg Friday for burial. The Chicago Chronicle says:

Mrs. Harriet Durbin Neal was found dead in bed, Tuesday morning in the Groveland flats at Thirty-First Street and Groveland Avenue. Mrs. Neal had been at the Groveland about six weeks and was living alone with her maid, Lizetta Kaiser. She was from Evans­ville, Ind., where most of her relatives now reside and where her brother, L. W. Durbin, has a drug store, in which she was financially interested. Monday evening, accompanied by Miss Kaiser, who looked upon her as a mother, she went to the Chicago opera house, re­turning home about midnight. Before going home, however, they had supper at a downtown restaurant.

Before retiring Monday night Miss Kaiser was given a merry good night and told not to get up early. Tuesday when the postman came, about 8:30 o’clock in the morning, she arose and went into Mrs. Neal’s room. She was ap­parently sleeping quietly. Miss Kaiser returned to bed and about 11 o’clock, when she tried to awaken Mrs. Neal, she found her dead. Dr. Andrews of 3169 Groveland Avenue was cal­led, but his services were found unnecessary. The janitor of the building found a one-ounce phial that had contained chlo­roform. Miss Kaiser explained that Mrs. Neal was in the habit of taking chlo­roform. She had purchased the bottle for Mrs. Neal about three weeks ago. Before the druggist would sell it he exacted the name and address of Mrs. Neal. She explained that it was for headache and that Mrs. Neal had often taken chloroform before. The coroner’s jury found that death was accidental.

Link to Harriet “Hattie” (Durbin) Neal’s grave

Submitted by Mark McCrady and Cathea Curry