The Coroner’s Inquest regarding the murder of George A. Barclay took two days. On the second day a verdict was issued and it was recorded in the Register of the Coroner, Cass County, Minnesota. It appeared in the newspaper the next day.
Register of Coroner’s Inquest
Source: The Register of Coroner’s Inquests, County of Cass, State of Minnesota, in the Matter of the Inquest held upon the body of George A. Barclay, by E.R. Sundberg, acting Coroner of said County.
Nov. 2, 1899: Oct 31, the following jury was impaneled J.B. Spencer, B. O’Connor, Peter Dennis, John A. Wilson. Jury sworn and examination opened. Verdict of Jury: That the said George A. Barclay came to his death on Oct 29, 1898 between 7 & 8 P.M. O’clock while sitting in his Hotel office by a bullet passing through his neck from a gun or revolver in the hands of some person on the outside of the building and to this jury unknown. In testimony whereof the said coroner and jurors of this inquest have hereunto set their hands the 2nd day of Nov. 1898. John King, Foreman, R.D. Holden, P. Dennis, John A Wilson, J.B. Spencer, B. O’Connor. E.R. Sundberg, Justice of the Peace, & Acting Coroner.
The following appeared in the Cass County Pioneer on November 3, 1898
“The Coroner’s jury sitting over the remains of Geo. Barclay after a two day session brought a verdict as follows: We find that deceased came to his death by a gun shot wound inflicted by some party unknown to the jury.” Particulars next week.”
The next week issue for November 10th was missing on the film at the Minnesota Historical Society.
There is no official death certificate for George A. Barclay at the Cass County Courthouse per my personal investigation. After George’s death, Amarilla tried for his Civil War pension on several occasions and below is an affidavit that described the death of George A. Barclay several years later.
Bertha Michelson on February 25, 1901 made this statement, she knew George about 4 years. It is interesting to me that she was not among the witnesses at the Coroner’s Inquest?
“That she was well acquainted with George Barclay deceased for a period of 4 years before his death. That in the evening of October 29th, 1898, about half passed seven o’clock said George Barclay was shot and killed by a person unknown at the time he was sitting in a chair in his own house. I heard the report of the gun saw him fall and he expired on the floor where he fell. The ball passed through his neck. The shot was fired from outside of building and was fired through a window.”
It could be assumed that this would be the end of the investigation of George A. Barclay’s death, but it was not. A Grand Jury would be called in May of 1899 and then in May of 1900 there would be a trial. There was more events to come in this sad tale.
The Barclays of Pine River 