Brooklyn Death Trip*

January 12, 1893
“Henry BOERUM, an oysterman, who lives in his shanty on Plum's Marsh, Jamaica Bay, had a narrow escape from freezing to death on Wed. While out in his boat on Jamaica Bay, it became fastened in an ice floe.”

March 22, 1909

“Seized with an attack of vertigo as he sat in a chair at his home today John LAW, 23 years old, of 163 Utica Avenue fell to the floor. He sustained lacerations and contusions of the face and head and was removed to St. Mary's Hospital by Dr. McCluskey.”

 October 18, 1906

“Nora MURRAY, 28 years old, a waitress in the lunch room of the Commercial High School, Albany Avenue and Dean Street, was bitten yesterday on the thumb by a large tarantula which was concealed in a bunch of bananas. It was feared for a time that Miss MURRAY would
lose her arm as a consequence.”

January 10, 1871

“James GREGAN was drowned yesterday while cutting ice on the meadows in Fourth Avenue.”

August 15, 1888

“While Gertrude SCHERMERHORN, of 75 Lawrence Street was walking with her mother at Willoughby and Jay Streets Monday night, a stylishly dressed young man who carried a cane, poured a bottle of ink on her silk dress and spoiled it. The young man is not known.”

January 9, 1879

“Mary FOX, aged twenty-two years, a servant in the employ of
Mr. Orestes P. QUINTARD, of No. 158 Sterling Place, by accident yesterday afternoon, severely cut her foot with an axe.”

August 28, 1877 

“A verdict of suicide was today rendered by a Coroner's jury in the case of Valentine LEM, who shot himself near Evergreen Cemetery. The wife was too poor to bury the remains, but took the rifle home.”

August 13, 1887

“A member of the Coney Island police force last evening found near the Oriental Hotel a bottle containing a small quantity of brandy. Soaking in the liquor was a piece of paper on which had been written the following: “This ship has gone down ten miles off Sandy Hook, with all her cargo of rice and ten souls. There is nothing to save us, as we have not been seen and our signals not heard. The last survivors to the bark Victor H. T. Vallience.” It was dated Aug. 1, 1885.”

June 12, 1879

Deaths of a Week.
Mortality Report of the Board of Health. 

Measles: 1
Scarlet Fever: 8
Diphtheria: 16
Whooping Cough: 2
Erysipelas: 1
Diarrhea: 3
Dysentery: 1
Cholera infantum: 4
Cholera - mortius: 1
Entero Colitis: 2
Remittent fever: 5
Inanition: 1
Delirium tremens: 1
Cancer of breast: 1
Cancer of face: 1
Cancer of liver: 1
Cancer of pelvis: 1
Marasmus: 1
Consumption: 31
Tub. meningitis: 5
Hydrocephalus: 1
Meningitis: 7
Apoplexy: 3
Acute Hydrocephlia: 1
Softening of the brain: 1
Paralysis: 2
Anemia of brain: 1
Epilepsy: 2
Convulsions: 4
Dementia: 1
Melancholia: 1
Insanity: 1
Sunstroke: 1
Disease of heart: 2
Fatty deg. of heart: 2
Hypertrophy of heart: 4
Val. disease of heart: 2
Laryngitis: 1
Bronchitis: 6
Pneumonia: 12
Cong. of lungs: 1
Gastritis: 1
Gastro enteritis: 1
Peritonitis: 1
Hepatitis: 1
Nephritis: 2
Bright's disease: 3
Diabetes: 1
Uterine tumor: 1
Spinal disease: 2
Premature birth: 2
Preterm birth: 2
Cyanosis: 1
Dentition: 5
Flooding: 1
Puerperal convulsions: 1
Puerperal Metritis: 1
Asthenia: 1
Burns: 1
Drowning: 1
Falls: 2
Killed by motor: 1
Killed by blow: 1
Run over by steam car: 1

* cf. Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy, 1973. The Wisconsin Death Trip Flickr stream here.  
News items from the fantastically sprawling Brooklyn Genealogy

images from the Brooklyn Museum Flickr stream