Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-05
MURDER IS SUSPECTED
Jackson County Woman Dies
Under Circumstances That
Indicate Foul Play
STOMACH SENT FOR ANALYSES
Mrs. Margaret Mccain Living Near
sabua Dies After illness Apparently
Resulting From Poisonins-son Had
Frequently QuarreIed With and
Abused Her-Postmortem Held.

Special to Times-Republican.
Clinton, May 5.-An investigation Is
l,being made into the death of Mrs
Margaret Mccain, an aged woman
who lived with her son and his wife
| in Jackson county a few miles from
the town of Sabula. Sensational de-
velopmentS are expected within few
DAYS and the arrest of John Mccain.
the son, is possibility. There is con-
siderable mystery about the old lady
death, the symptoms being strongly
those in attendance on the woman at
the time of death that there had been
foul play it was deemed best to hold
La postmortem. This was done and
certain parts of the organs have been
sent to a chemist for analysis.
For some years past Mrs. MeGann
has been living in the same house
with her son, John, and his wife.
The relations between John and his
mother have been anything but
pleasant, and their troubles have not
only been known to the neighbors for
years. but have been aired in the local
courts several times, it being only two
or three mcnths ago that he paid fine
for giving her a severe beating. Nio-
lent threats have been made many
times and it appears that Mrs. Mccain
had been in the habit of doing her
cooking in the house, not eating with
the others. Several witnesses Were
examined and the facts established
showed that deceased first complained
OF being sick on the Tuesday previous
to her death. She complained of an
intense burning sensation in her stom-
ach, which was accompanied by severe
retching and vomiting spells. This
continued on Wednesday, Thursday
and worked part of the day each day.
On Saturday morning she became
worse and DIR. Ayers was summoned
and administered the necessary rem
edies. and left orders that if any change
for the worse came TO notify him at
once. Mrs. Chas. Wall, daughter OF
deceased, living about quarter of a
mile west, was notified of her mothers
illness and came over and did what she
could for her comfort. When Mrs.
Wall arrived at the house she found
her mother on her hands and knees
on the floor, retching and vomiting,
but the spell soon passed off and the
old lady said she felt better and re-
fused to be undressed and put to bed.
Mrs. Wall then returned home, the
relations between herself and brother
John not being friendly, but in the at
ternoon sent her daughters over to see
how her mother was getting along.
They returned between four and five
o'clock in the afternoon. reporting that
she was much better and did not need
anything.
John Mccain testified that his
mother had a tit, or spasm, between
six and seven o'clock that evening, and
continued to complain of the intense
burning in her stomach as she had
ever since Tuesday, but after throwing
mp freely, felt better and slept well most
OF the night. He said he came down
stairs three times 10 see her, and found
her sleeping naturally and sound until
the last time in the morning, when he
found her dead.
The testimony submitted to the jury
was both contradictory and unsatis-
factory, and in view of surrounding
circumstances and existing conditions.
together with the nature of some of the
evidence, the jury did not see how
verdict could be honestly and fairly
returned without u more thorough and
a complete investigation, hence de-
cided that postmortem examination
OF the body was necessary. Drs. Ayers
and Ristine made most thorough
autopsy, working until after ten o'clock
at night to complete 1t, and certain
parts of the organs We're removed and
have been sent to a chemist for analy-
sis, pending which the inquest is still
held open.