by Laurel | December 6th, 2011
06 December 1934
Edmund J. Dwyer Had Recently Remarked That Stairs in Court Building Would Be Death of Him
Dec 04, Holyoke. –Edmund J. Dwyer, 50, of 461 Appleton Street, Holyoke, a juror on duty at the civil sitting of superior court, dropped dead of a heat attack in the courtroom about 3 yesterday afternoon. He was waiting to be called for service on a case soon to be started when he collapsed. Dr. Charles J. Downey, medical examiner, said death was due to coronary thrombosis.
Dwyer made an outcry when seized with the attack, attracting the attention of Deputy Sheriffs Edward J. Sullivan and Thomas Rooney. The officers caught the man as he was about to fall and carried him to a consultation room adjoining the courtroom.
Rev. J. J. Powers of St. Michael’s Cathedral, who was summoned, arrived in a few minutes and administered the last rites of the Catholic Church. Dr. A. G. Lavoie arrived a short time before Dr. Downey, and pronounced the man dead on arrival.
Waiting to Be Called
Judge Edward Broadhurst was delivering instructions to a jury in an automobile accident case when Mr. Dwyer, who was waiting to be called for jury service in the case to follow, suddenly slumped forward. Court Crier Simon J. Griffin recalled later that yesterday morning Dwyer told him the stairway of the building would be the death of him and asked “When are they going to put in elevators here?”
The stricken juror’s relatives at Holyoke were notified by County Treasurer John J. Murphy, and an aunt was on the way to the court building within a short time. Mr. Dwyer was unmarried and was the manager of a sales agency distributing an electric dishwasher of his own invention. He was widely known at Holyoke, and was a nephew of John J. McCoy, for many years rector of Holy Name Church at Chicopee.
The body was taken to Dillon’s undertaking parlors.
Adapted from The Springfield Republican.
