The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-02-27
WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEB. 20.
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE DEXTER TRAGEDY.
New Evidence of the Treasurer's EerOisn
More Inie resting ID Developments.

New Evidence of the Treasurer's HerOism |
More Interesting Developments.
DEXTER, Feb 26.-The savings bank muir
der continues to furnish material for great
excitement IN this vicinity. The trustees of the
bank have concluded from the memoranda
left by the murdered man that the thieves
secured about $3.50 of the bank funds that was
In the cash tray and had not been pnt in the
safe. 1t also seems probable that they secured
some 5000 of town funds, as the tax collector
paid Mr.. Barron that amount late in the after
noon of the murder. The heroism of the muir
dered man now appears greater than was at
first supposed. The fact that the cash tray had
not been returned to the safe makes it probable
that the burglar chest was not locked at the
time Of the attack. Those knowing the ways
of business at the bank say it was Mr.. Barron's
custom not to lock the burglar chest during the
day,-only to turn the knob sufficiently to hold
the door in place. This chest was found fully
locked after the murder 1t seems likely from
the way Mr.. Barron was treated that the
thieves, having taken him from the rear room,
supposed this chest was locked and commanded
him to open it, that he apparently acceded to
their request, but having got his hand on the
knob, fully locked 1T in their very faces and
says. "Now do your worst you are foiled;"
that they. exasperated at his conduct, did all 10
their power to compel him to open the chest,
and failing in this, left him for dead in his
own treasure house.
The sorrow felt in this community at the
event cannot be expressed in words. The dead
treasurer was very Bayard, knight without
reproach in his life and character, and will not
soon be forgotten.
Mr. Barron was always known to be man of
conspicuous moral courage. Not long since
when the subject of bank robberies was in
debate, he remarked "If the funds of the
Dexter savings bank are wanted in that way,
L prefer to keep them company
1t would seem from the testimony of two
ladies named Farrar and Putnam that the
murderers meditated the robbery of Mr.. Curtis,
cashier of the National bank, the night before
the savings bank tragedy. Mr.. Curtis was
accustomed to carry money belonging to bis
bank from the express Office to the bank and
he was rather reckless about it. Sometimes
when large amount came by express he
would carry it into the bank alone in the even
ing and deposit it. Thursday some $4,000
arrived by express for the National Bank, and
in the evening Mr. Curtis, accompanied by
Mr.. Eldridge, took this money and deposited it
in the vault. About s o'clock that evening
Mrs. Putnam with Mrs. Farrar was passing the
bank, when a TALL broad-shouldered man
accompanied by large woman, or man
dressed in woman's clothes, stepped out Of the
street door of the building on to the sidewalk,
She noticed them particularly because she
thought their presence there indicated that
there was sociable at the Masonic Hall, and
wondered why her brother, who was a Mason,
had not told her. She stepped up, intending to
ask them if such were the fact, but seeing they
were strangers, did not do so. 1t was subse-
quently ascertained that the Masonic Hall was
not opened that evening by any one who had a
right to do so, and no one has been found,
except Messrs Curtis and Eldridge, who were
In that building that evening. Hence it seems
probable that these parties were aware of the
arrival of this money, and would have robbed
Mr.. Curtis had he gone in alone.
Several parties have appeared who say they
have several times of late seen on the street 8
man like the large one seen by Mrs. Kate
Russell coming out of the savings bank Friday
evening. On one occasion Mr.. Barron made
inquiries who this man was. saying he had
seen him in the bank several times and did not
like his appearance.
more thorough examination of the rooms
of the Masonic Hall over the bank has revealed
aquantity of cigar ashes near one of the front
windows, from whence the watcher could
observe the street and his confederates outside;
also a lot of cracker crumbs under one of the
sofas at the same place. These could not
reasonably have been left there by any one
having lawful access to the hall, and show
almost conclusively that the murderers were
secreted here for time before proceeding to
their work.
CALAIS, Feb. 26-At meeting of the
directors of the Calais National Bank to-day
resolutions of sympathy for the widow and
family of the late cashier of the Dexter Savings
Bank were unanimously passed, and the Presi-
dent was instructed to send Mrs. J. w. Barron
the sum OF fifty dollars in recognition of the
sacrifice.