The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-01-23
DEATH OF MRS. BARNUM
Lawyers, Doctors and tho Coroner It
Work On The Case
ALL CAUSED BY RUMORS

ALL CAUSED BY RUMORS
Theories Of Murder and Suicide
Advanced by Friends OF the
Dead Woman-An
Autopsy.
Butte, Jan. 22.-It is barely possible
that the death Of Mrs. Nina ). Barnum.
which occurred about q week ago, will yet
cause q sensation. but It's more probable
that Il will not. Her death was very sud.
den. and the certificate Of death issued by
DR.. Leonard, at whose house she died,
stated that she succumbed to neuralgia OF
the heart. Instantly, however, busy
tongues circulated rumors and all kinds
OF stories.
A few hours after hor death II was re-
ported that she had committed suicide,
and one party stated that only day or
two previous to her death, she had threat
encd TO kill herself. Tho suicide story was
circulated for several days after the
funeral. but as nothing could he developed
10 justify the belief of suicide, the matter
was kept out OF the papers. From the
suicide story, another Of death from .
criminal operation was evolved,
and that had . run, and whom
that had run its course no ono
was very much surprised to hear another
to the effect that sho had been murdered.
and stories Of untold wealth which Il vas
alleged she died possessed Of were neces-
sary TO bring up an excuse or motive for
tho murder. No one In particular was ac-
cused Of the crime, but the stories In re-
gard to her death became SO numerous
and varied that the county attorney and
coroner were compelled TO give some ut.
tcntion to them.
Friends OF the deceased woman first
urged Mr.. Wines, tho county attorney,
and Coroner Porter to make an investiea.
tion and finally demanded II. A we'll
known young widow and another woman,
friends Of the late Mrs. Darnum. werc es-
pccially energetic In their accusations and
expressions Of suspicion Of foul play. Mat
tiers went so far that DIR. Leonard himself
demanded an investigation, and Coroner
Porter to-day ordered the body exhumed
and taken to Mccarthy q McI3ratncy's
undertaking rooms, where an autopsy
was held this afternoon by Drs. Haviland,
Blackburn. Fourth, Wells, Schultz and
weyerhorst. DR.. Leonard was also in
attendance. Drs. Sch ul,s and Haviand
acted as clerks and took down in writing
the proceedings and results. The first
thing settled was that tho woman had
nsl died of any criminal operation. and
that she had never been pregnant. The
stomach and kidncvs were removed and
will tomorrow be examined for traces of
poisoning, but 90 far nothing has been de-
velopcd. except what went toward sup
porting the claim OF DR.. Leonard that the
woman died OF heart disease. Il ID
well known that sho was subject TO at.
tacks Of heart failure, and while employed
ut the Butte cash grocery house she
| tainted several times from such attacks.
Al the time she got her divorce from
George Barnum, few weeks ago, she had
another serious attack when tho decree
was ordered entered and had to be carried
| from the court room.
Dr.. Leonard is In receipt Of letter from
| friend Of Mrs. Barnum at Salt Lake. la
| which the writer says that she always OK.
pected to die In that why. ns she had been
subject to spasms Of heart failures
Mrs.. Barnum has . sister and
foster-mother living In Cleveland
Ohio, but their names could no,
be learned and have therefore not been
notified OF her death. She also claimed
| to be q niecs Of Rear Admiral Joseph S
Sksrrit Of the navy, and when she died
DR.. Leonard who had personal acquaint
aucs with Admiral Skerrit, wired to ths
Marc Island yard and received q reply ts
the effect that hc did not know the
woman; had never heard OF her, and tina
she must be an impostor. A telegram wal
also sent to Washington which was an
swered by Mrs. Skcrrit, who said tina
Admiral Scrrit had no niece, but that tho.
had onco heard Of young woman il
Cleveland. who claimed that relationship
but he was q fraud. she also claimcs
that hsr husband. George Barnum, was
nephsw Of tho late p. 7. Barnum, and tim
he had been willed u great deal o
monsy BY tho great Snowman. Thi
proved to be misrepresentation
by the fact that only short time ago sh
received o telegram from her husband
asking her to send him q small amount O
money. He was in Butte last sunmc
with Robinson's circus, but did not cal
on her. She las been living In DI
Leonard's inmily for nearly year an
was treated ns n member of 1t. II appear.
however, that she had some real O
} imaginary grievance against tho doctor
and was known TO do considerable talkin
L
against him, and IL 10 likely her storie
are the basis for the investigation inst
tuted at this time. II was claimed tina
the doctor was deeply indebted to her fo
, borrowed money, which he emphaticall
denies.
/ The only thing OF a sensational natur
that the stgation can possibly di,
, close v that the woman mny have suicidet
which does not seem probable, nlthoue
sho had threatened Mt one timc TO do 81
, There are several matters i'm the bistor
OF her life thnt " i'll prove sensational, an
. may b brought out at the inquest whic
10 10 b held Tuesday morning. althoug
Il seems fiendish to rake Up the dead W.
1 man's misfortunes. DIR. Leonard has
!, his possession number OF letters belonI
) ing to her. which might show cause Il
. suicide, although he docs not think II po
!. sibls that sho died of anything but hea
failure. Sho had been n confirmed mo
| DbinA Sater and there was also found