Dropped Dead

Oakland Evening Tribune

Monday Evening, 20 July 1874
Page Three, Column Three

DROPPED DEAD

A Man found Dead in the Road at Berkeley

Coroner Mather has the body of a Frenchman named Roland on his hands in the rear of Helmer's undertaker's rooms. An inquest will be held this evening.

After some inquiry we got a little of the man's history. Mr. Gaudin, liquor dealer on Broadway near Seventh street, gave us the man's name, and stated that the deceased was at his place about seven o'clock last evening; had taken a couple of glasses of wine there, but was not at all intoxicated when he left. Mr. G. says he has known him for twenty years; that he was at one time in the mining towns of Sonora, Columbia, etc; and latterly from Portland, Oregon.

Roland had only been in Oakland about three weeks; was engaged in keeping the Antisell House at Berkeley; and his body was found last night within a few hundred yards of that place.

He probably dropped dead from heart-disease or apoplexy. Some $500 was found on his person, and there can hardly be the least evidence of foul play. Deceased looks to have been about fifty years of age.

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Oakland Evening Tribune

Tuesday Evening, 21 July 1874
Page Three, Column Three

Coroner's Verdict

The verdict of the jury last evening was that the man who was found dead at Berkeley was named Ramon Roland; was a native of France, and aged 62 years. Cause of death--supposed valvular disease of the heart. Other particulars were published in the TRIBUNE last evening.