Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-17
No Arrests Yet Made in
Poisoning Mystery.
Story Of Affairs Connected With
Pearl Barnes Death.
Talk Of The neighboThood- But Who Did
Send the Poison?


yet been made in the poisoning cas-
which resulted in the death Of Pear
Barnes, the 14-years-old daughter O
Isaac Barnes of Sprague's Mills o.
Sunday night. Oct. g. although tn
coroner's jury returned a verdict tina
the girl 'came to her death by taking
dose or EPSON salts containing strych
nine, said poison being placed therei,
with felonious intent by some person
or persons unknown
briefly the unfortunate occurrence
which has brought this unpleasant no
torlety upon the Barnes family, is a:
follows:
i On Sunday night. Oct. 49, Mill Pear
barnes, aged IA years, took a dose OF
EPSON salts. Almost Immediately she
became Ill and died in a few hours lat
CT OF, as the physicians diagnosed it,
StrHcnnlne poisoning. The stomach
with the package of salts, We're sent to
| Professor Robinson at BowdOin college
| Tor examination. He found strychnine
IN botn, and Tuesday the coroner's in
died from poison administered by som.
| quest returned a verdict that the pirl
| person to the jury unknown
| The home where the death of Me-
| Pearl Barnes occur ed, ana where her
| father lived and around which The Gu
riosity and suspicicns have conferred.
is on a back road from the main travel
ed highway, leading from Pressure Isle
to Sprague's Mills and about two
miles from the latter village. and a
l mile hn l.
TIC this neighborhood MIR Barnes
came, few years ago from the adioin-
| ing town of Easton.
Formerly he had resided in Fort Fair
held to which town he came from the
province of New Brunswick.
Mr. Barnes was a widower with a
family OF several children. In the
neighborhood lived the widow of John
Gordon, who was an Odd Fellow, an old
soldier. member of the Grand Army
post, and very well known He had a
lamlly OF three sons and two daughters.
Mrs. Gordon was very pleasant and
attractive woman, a member of the
Free Baptist church and held in high
esteem by the community.
she was good singer and quite a
worker in church affairs and in the
Sunday school and Ladies' Aid Soci-
ETY.. >.
Her eldest daughter played the or
gan much of the time In church meet
ings and on social occasions, hence
their little home was the frequent gath
ering place for the young people of the
community.
While thus pleasantly situated and
receiving pension, which was a helm
in the rearing and education of her
family. 1t occasione0 no little talk and
much adverse criticism in the neigh
horhood and among her most intimate
friends i'll the church, in social and fra
ternal circles. and throughout the town.
when Neighbor Barnes began to make
frequent calls at the widows home.
In fact. the intimacy became the
much talked-of subject of the people in
quite part of the town and especial
ly by Mrs. Gordon's most intimate and
trusted friends.
so much so. that they reasoned with
her. advised her, warned her and tried
to show her that she would regret the
step she was taking and that conse- |
quences ruinous to her and her family |
would Ge sure to come. Her children |
were equally opposed to her marriage
to Mr.. Barnes.
But unmoved by all that was said
and the loss of her pension, the woman |
married Barnes.
At that time Mrs. Barnes was SIM
posed to be the possessor of several |
hundred of dollars, which it Is now
claimed is in the possession Of her
husband.
Since then, it Is and has been re-
ported that life to her has been for
from a pleasant one. Bitter tears of
regret she. 1t is said, has shed over her
rash and misguided act
Time after time she has left her
home and gone forth homeless and
alone, seeking a place of shelter and
support among her friends. children or
relatives with sad heart and crushed
spirit and a dark and hopeless out
look,
Last spring after an absence Of
months. she returned to Sprague's
Mile, passed a few days among old ac-
and friends and then by
advice of friends returned to domestic
infelicities as before.
A few weeks ago she left home again
and found shelter at a neighbours
where she was staying on that Sab
bath evening, when Pearl E. Barnes
took the dose of salts containing poi
son from which she died In from four
to five hours.
Mrs. Barnes went to the home as
soon as she heard of the sickness or
death of the child and did all she could
TO aid under the circumstances.
Say the lady and neighbors, who
were sent for, to lay out the child:
"Mrs. Barnes did all in her power
during the night, while the father went
to his chamber and did not appear un-
til morning"
Lee Powers, who notified the selectmen1
of Pressure Isle of the case, says he asked
Mr.. Barnes. whom he met upon the road
the next morning, If he was not to have
an inquest. to which Mr.. Barnes replied
that it was not necessary and the physi-
clan attending the child had not taken
any steps towards it. Mr. Powers thought
differently and telephoned Presqne Isle
selectmen. Hence the cali of the in
quest through DR.. s. W. Boone and Coun-
ty Attorney Herbert Powers, which re-
turned a verdict M0pao,,