St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-15
JIM HORRIBLE AGONY.
A Party Of Eight Poisoned by Eating
=. Canned Oorned Beef at a.
- s. Birthday Party.
Mr.. James Ooombs, His Wife, Children
and Brothers Of West St. Paul
the Victims.
Taken Suddenly in the Evening, Their
Home Presented a Scene of
Pitiable Suffering.
Physicians and Nurses Rendering All
Assts lance Possible--The Di-
rect Probable Cause.
AFamtly POISONED.

Few such heart-rending scenes Of agony
are seen as that which met the gaze of ex-
cited neighbors at the residence of James
B. Coombes, at the corner of Alice and
Ohio streets in West st. Paul last
night. A little two-year-old girl was
convulsed in agony, father and
mother were sick unto death in
the room, which little while before had
presented picture of domestic merriment,
hve-year-old daughter sat in corner,
cramped with gripping pain, and near by
were two full-grown men doubled up with
nausea aud it's attendant pain. Seven men,
bers of the home circle had met together
around the well-loaded table at o'clock
yesterday evening, to celebrate the twenty
eighth birthday of James B. CoOmbes, a
job compostor of the Pioneer Press COM
pany. Constituting this party were Mr.. and
Mrs. Coombes, their little daughters, Sadie,
5 years, and Mollie, 2 years old. baby,
George, Mrs. Coombes' brother, George
H.. young carpenter living there and
SOseph Saleys, a stone mason and con-
tractor, the landlord of Mr.. Coombes.
Among other meats upon the table was
dish of canned corned beef and this was
served. Considerable of this was partaken of.
When the supper was finished, all sat
around the room to engage in conversation.
In little while there were
SYMPTOMS OF SICKNESS.
Vomiting commenced. Not only one
felt sick, but all except the baby.
who was not old enough to eat
meat. Mr.. CoombeS became alarmed
and rushed out doors and across the street
to Harry A. Schott's drug store. He gave
the intel igence that he believed his entire
family were poisoned from eating corn beef
DR.. Hawkins was summoned Immediately,
and all the victims were removed upstairs
to their sleeping apartments. AS the
physician administered hydrates of iron
and magneSia for an emetic, and placed
bottles OF hot water at the feet and on the
legs Of the sufferers, it was sad and hor-
rible scene. Near a bay window of the
front bedroom lay Mr.. CoOmbes in convul.
sions. grOaning and screaming. Upon a
bed was Mrs. CoOmbeS in comatose state
apparently. AT her feet was the little five
yearOld daughter with pale face and APP
pealing eyes. George CoombeS suffered in
the rear bedroom, by his side sleeping his
little namesake, quite oblivious of the
agony of his parents. sisters and uncle. Dr.
Darling was soon called and assisted DR..
Hawkins. and this morning DR.. Ancker
was teleph0ned. At 2 o'clock this morn
ing all the victims could talk with effort,
but did not vomit except little Molie, the
two-year old, the emetic having had the
desired effect only upon her. Dr. Hawkins
feared that all but her might be
dead in two hours. 1t was horrible,
and the little home looked like some plague.
stricken hospital besieged by death.
THE DEADLY MEAT
Mrs. Coombes purchased the beef yester-
day at Minea 81 Pieper's grocery, No 537
Ohio street. in anticipation of the birthday
party. The beef had the brand of Libbey,
McNeale IL Libbey. Chicago. 1t is sup
posed the arsenic from canning and solder
ing had been communicated TO the meat.
A number OF friends volunteered their
assistance at the stricken place. and they
did adj in their power to aid the doctors
Ladies made themselves nurses readily. and
contributed greatly to the relief of the VIC
tins.
AT o'clock this morning the poisoned
party were all alive. though the doctors in
| attendance did not speak encouragingly of
the recovery of any OF the adults.