Los Angeles County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Trantum, O. O. January 1891
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Los Angeles Times, January 9, 1891
Los Angeles Times
January 9, 1891
Page 3

HEART FAILURE
Sudden Death of O O Trantum, the Attorney

Orin O. Trantum, a well-known lawyer of this city, died at his residence on 
Court street, Wednesday evening about 9 o'clock from heart failure, caused by 
an overdose of morphine and atropia.  Mr. Trantum was a great sufferer of 
neuralgia, the pain being so great that he resorted to hypodermic injections of 
morphine and atropia for relief. Wednesday evening he had an unusually severe 
attack, and Dr. Austin, who keeps a drug store at the corner of Grand avenue 
and Temple street, was called in.  Mr. Trantum told the physician that he 
wanted him to give him a hypodermic injection of morphine and atropia, 
explaining that it was what he usually took under such circumstances.  Dr. 
Austin did as he was directed, but the result was not satisfactory, and Mr. 
Trantum asked that another dose be given him, saying there was no danger, as he 
frequently took greater quantities than had been given him.  Yielding to his 
entreaties, Dr. Austin administered the dose, and as the pain was still 
excruciating and Mr. Trantum called constantly for relief, two more injections 
were given.  Almost immediately after the last dose Dr. Austin became alarmed 
at the physician's symptoms, and he suggested that another physician be called 
in, which was done.  Dr. Kirkpatric and Maynard responding.  Everything 
possible was done for Mr. Trantum, and he at one time rallied and was conscious 
for about ten minutes, but lapsed again into unconsciousness, which continued 
to the time of his death.

Owing to the peculiar circumstances surrounding Mr. Trantum's death, the 
physicians in attendance declined to sign a certificate, and yesterday 
afternoon an inquest was held by Coroner Weldon.  A post mortem was also held, 
and it was found that the heart was very small for a man the size of Trantum, 
and was weakened by disease, and, after hearing the testimony of two 
physicians, the jury returned a verdict of death from heart failure, 
superinduced by neuralgia, it being the opinion of the medical men that men 
might have resulted from heart failure, even if no morphine had been 
administered.

Mr. Trantum was about 50 years of age at the time of his death.  He leaves a 
wife and child to mourn his loss.

A meeting of the bar was held at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon in Judge Wade's 
court to take action on Mr. Trantum's death.  Judge Wade presided.  A committee 
consisting of Judge H. K. S. O'Melveny, Judge A. M. Stevens, Hons. M. E. C. 
Munday, H. M. Morgan and John T. Jones, was appointed to draft resolutions and 
report them to the meeting on Saturday.  The court then adjourned out of 
respect to the memory of the deceased lawyer.

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