The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-27


The above statements are the sub
ject matter of interviews given out last
night by the different persons connect
ed with, tint death of 9-year-old Roger
Howell, who died Monday night at 10
O'Clock at the residence of his parents,
1929 Herring avenue, Owenton. Coroner
Brasher together with DIR. Hardness
and DIR. Solomon held an autopsy over
the childs body at o'clock yesterday
afternoon They came to the conclu-
sion that the child died of valvular
heart disease.
DR.. w. W. Clapp, the homeopathic
physician, to whom the child was taken
10 days ago, said last night that he
did not want any statement publish ed
over his name concerning the case.
Boys Father Talks of Death
When seen last night at his home
Joseph f. Howell, father of the dead
boy, said: About three months age
Roger was taken out of school because
he did not want to be vaccinated. Some
time later man came and vaccinated
him. That man killed my boy.
Soon after the vaccination he be-
came slightly Ill and indisposed. He
had spells when he was all right and
would run about and play with his
brother and little friends. The mat
! ter passed on for a few weeks and
gradually it could be seen that the
moroseness and brooding spells were
growing on the boy. He never com.
planned of any pain but would say thai
he did not feel good.
About two weeks ago the matter
took serious turn as the child's legs
and stomach began to swell. week
ago last Sunday 1 took him to the Of
fee of DIR. w. W. Clapp and he was
examined. DR.. Clapp said that the boy
had valvular heart disease and was in
durable. He gave me some medicine
for the child which the boy did not
want to take.
II am a Christian Scientist and be-
lieve in the Christian Science doctrine.
1 belong to that church as do my
entire family. I do not believe that
medicine would have done my boy any
good. 1 know of similar cases that
have been cured by Christian Science
treatment. Therefore l secured the SER
vices of Mrs. Foster and Mrs. Thomp-
son, who are Christian Science prac-
TONERS. They helped the boy very
much and at times we thought he might
get well.
Il did not, nor did any one in this
house, ask that the coroner should not
hold an investigation. l welcomed the
autopsy as did all the others. l expressly
desire to refute every word of the story
published today about my child's death"
Coroner Brasher's Views
Coroner Brasher said last night: "Dr.
Hardness, DR.. Solomon and myself per-
formed an autopsy over the boys body
this afternoon and found that he died of
valvular heart disease. The family claim
ed that the child had two abcesses upon
his stomach, but we found his stomach
in perfect condition. / hold that someone
ia guilty of manslaughter on account of
the child's death.
II will make no arrests nor do any
thing further in the matter until 1 can
have q conference with Solicitor Heflin
tomorrow. If he says that there is any
material for case in court with evil
dence to back it up. l will take further
action. The child was treated according
to the mo medicine dictrine of Christian
Science. which, believe, was the remote
cause of his death. The immediate cause
was heart failure
Mrs. Foster Makes Statement
Mrs. e. H. Foster, Ills South Seven