Boy Predicts Own Death

Three-Year-old Child Tells His
Mother He Is Going "Into
The Big Pit."

Russell, the 3-year-old son of Milton Hungerford, a St. Paul mail carrier, living at Selby avenue and Dale street, died shortly before noon yesterday of lesions in the brain. Four days ago, while apparently in good health, he predicted his death, telling his mother that he was going "into the big pit." "Mamma," he said, "what if I should die? What would you do?" "Oh, I would cry." "But you would have papa," he returned. He played for a while and then said: "Mamma, I'm going away." "Where are you going?" asked his mother. "I'm going into the big pit," answered the child, sorrowfully. The little boy seemed to be in good health, and his mother thought no more of what he said. Wednesday he became suddenly ill and four doctors were called and watched over the dying boy all night. His side became paralyzed and shortly before 11 o'clock yesterday morning he died.

The Hungerfords lived a stone's throw from Selby Drug Co., also at the corner of Selby and Dale in St. Paul. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)