The morning call., 1892-12-16
\ CURIOUS CASE.
fIystery Surrounding a
ChiId's Death.
The Father in a Critical Condition, but
With the Stepmotiier Now
Out of Danger.

There is a mystery surrounding the death
OF Clarence, the infant son of dward
Squires. which may be cleared up at the
Coronei's inquest.
The family, consisting Of Squires. his wife
and his 11-months-old son, lived in the upper
story Of a tenement-house on Solano street,
near Iowa. Potrero.
The mother of the child was a sister of
Squires' present wife. who died soon after
its birth. The boy was always a sickly
child. and required constant nursing.
Squires only removed into his present
residence on Monday last, aud he and his
wife had been busy at nights getting the
carpets laid down and putting things in
order.
On Wednesday night they had for supper
tea, homeless Goldfish and canned apricots.
Husband and wife ate heartily and the
baby sucked the gravy from the Goldfish and
the juice from tile apTic0ts.
The large bedroom in front not being yet
IN order they all slept In small bedroom to
the rear, about eight feet square.
They retired TO rest about 10 o'clock, but
as the room felt chilly Mrs. Scuires emptied
the ashes from the kitchen stove into a
bucket and put a chunk of live coal ON top
of the ashes.
She placed the bucket in the bedroom TO
keep The chill off the air. saw that the
window was alright. and closed the door.
Now comes the strange part of the story
The baby died at II o'clock yesterday morn
ing, tue husband lay in a srmi-conscious
and critical condition without the power of
speech and the wife was also confined to
her bed until late in the evening.
Mrs. Squires was seen by q reporter on
THE CALL last night and said: I'VE were
kept awake by baby. who commenced to
cough so badly that he went into spasms.
The water was also running from his eyes
and we thought he WAS going 10 die.
II felt queer myself. My head was
awfnlly light and there was a strange buzz
ing in my ears. 1t was so LOUD that could
scarcely hear my husbands voice.
pretty soon / commenced to be sick aud
my husband, who also feltqueer. got out OF
bed and got one of the neighbors to fetch
DIR. Simpson. This was shortly before mid
night.
and left prescription to be filled in the
morning.
After the doctor left ! felt the same
queer sensation.
when the neighbors came TO us 10 the
morning neither my husband nor could
stand. L lost consciousness and didn't
know that baby was dead till the nurse,
sent by the doctor. told me.
Il could not say whether or not the doctor
closed the bedroom door when he left at
Midnight, was so confused.
Il am sure 1 have not the slightest idea
what caused our illness.
Dr. simpson was also seen, and In an.
swer 10 the reporters Inquiries said:
when wen. TO the house about midnight
to treat the child for spasms, saw that
Doth Sauires and his wife were excited, but
attributed their condition to grief at tho
possibility OF The child dying. Besides. /
knew that Squlres suffered from heart dis
ease. ana his chlld's condition would nat
uraliy have bad effect upon him.
. mil ffot
usual smell OF coal gas. nor did l observe
The bucket.
Il was again sent for in the morning.
found the child dead aud the husband and
VILE requiring all my care apd attention.
Dr. Wempie was also called in and he