The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-16
DENIED BY GEORGIE
LITTLE M'BAIN BOY DECLARES HE
MADE NO TERRIBLE AC-
CUSATTON
QUITE IMPROBABLE STORY

Remark Attributed to Him Is That
He Said His Mother Had Given His
Father Something Out of a Poi
sOn-LabeIed Bottle While ON His
Deathbed-POIice Place But Little
Credence in the Tale.
A remark attributed to an 8-year-oId
boy has led to a police investigation con-
corning the death of John E. McBain,
who died at his home, S76 Market street,
last Sunday.
Mamma said papa was no good any
more and gave him some Of this is what
George McBain, the young son of the
dead man, is alleged to have said to his
n-year-old cousin, George McBain, son
Of Robert McBain, living at 1872 East
Eighth street. The ''this" referred to is
said to have been a small bottle, bearing
a red label, with skull and cross-bones,
which the younger George McBain is al
legged to have shown to his cousin.
The authorities are not inclined to place
much credence in the story that has
brought about the investigation, but
nevertheless yesterday interviewed the
parties concerned. County Attorney Bige-
low was informed of the alleged facts in
the case, but as far as could be learned
no action had been taken last evening.
AS told in the G of yesterday, John
E. McBain was a consumptive A week
ago he returned from North Dakota and
was in very much weakened condition.
He went to the home of his wife, who has
$40
clairvoyant, business and test medium
DR.. A. w. Miller was called to attend the
sick man. He says McBain was in the
last stages of consumption and could not
have survived many days. Sunday morn
ing about 10 o'clock DR.. Miller visited
Mccain and left some powders for him to
take. Two hours later McBain died. DR..
Miller says he has every reason to be-
lieve McBain had sUccumbed to the dis
ease with which he was afflicted, and
therefore issued a death certificate stat
ing that death was due to consumption.
McBain was buried Monday afternoon,
the funeral taking place from his wife's
home.
Robert NcBain, together with his IL
year-old son and his wife, attended his
brothers funeral 1t was while George
McBain, the dead mans nephew, was at
the house that he claims his little Swear
old cousin made the remark about the
bottle. According to the story that
George McBain, the 11-year-old boy, told
Detective Campbell yesterday he was
standing on the back porch with his
cousin when the younger boy took a
small bottle out of his pocket. According
to the older boy the younger one said
Mrs. Mccain had given her husband some
of the contents of the bottle, saying the
sick man was no good, anyway. The
older boy claims the bottle had a red
label bearing a skull and cross-bones, &C
cording to Detective Campbell.
Mrs. McBain, wife of the dead man, was
nearly Frustrated when informed by
reporter for the C o b Of what had
been reported to the police. She emphat-
ically denied that her son had made the
remark attributed to him or that she had
even had any poison of any kind in the
house She said if there was any sus-
piciOn she wanted the matter fully in
vestigated and said the police or any
one else was at liberty to search her
house
IT certainly have trouble enough with
out being suspected of anything so hor-
rible as that said Mrs. McBain. MY
husband was nearly dead when he came
from Dakota, and frequently remarked
himself that he was about to die. We
had two doctors attending him, and he
grew worse every day. I never gave him
any medicine other than that left by Dr.
Miller, and I do not believe that my son
ever said what his cousin claims he did
The cousin, George McBain, is really not
full cousin, being a son of Robert Nc
Bain's wife by former marriage Our
families visited together but little, and
the cousin was never in this house ex-
cept the day of the funeral. There has
never been any poison Of any kind about
the house, and how the boy could repeat
such a story as is attributed to him is
beyond my knowledge. My husband died
from natural causes, and if there is the
slightest suspicion that he came to his
death in any other manner I should be
the first to ask for an investigation"
George McBain, the son of the dead
man, who is said by his cousin to have
shown the bottle and to have made the
above remark is a bright youngster, not
yet quite years Of age Mrs. McBain
called him into the room and invited the
reporter to question the child.
did you tell your cousin ANYTHING
about your mamma giving your papa
something out of bottle?" the boy was
asked.
mo, sir, I did not"
did you show your cousin a bottle
while he was here last Sunday"
The boy shook his head emphaticalIy
Did you have a bottle of any kind in
your pocket, or did you say anything to
your cousin about your fathers death?'
81 didn't have a bottle and I didn't
talk to my cousin about papa dying re-
piled the lad.
The police say the only way to learn
positively about the contents of the mans
stomach is to exhume the body and have
an analysis made. This is precIuded.
however, County Attorney Bigelow says
because the body was embalmed The
embalming fluid is poisonous and would
penetrate the entire body, according to
the county attorney, so that an exanina-
ton of the body now would be of little
consequence. The authorities take no
stock in the story.