St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-02-07
Was j. W. Barron Hero or Defaulter
A HIGHLY IMPROBABLE STORY.


The suicide of j. w Barron, the
Dexter Mel savings bank treasurer,
who was found bound, gagged and un-
conscious in the outer vault of his bank
OH the evening of February %, 1873,
and died soon after, seems established
beyond IA doubt, the deed having been
committed because he was detaulteT
for $4,000. There were several suspi-
cious circumstances about Bairon's
death, bht no decided steps were taken
to unravel the mystery until NOvem-
Der |. Then the new treasurer dis
covered that Barron's sworn statement
to the bank examiner had been tam
Reged With -aB9 MADE tbs, liqtRRtlliteff u9at
amount. Barron's last statement to the
examiner was audited by two of the
trustees, and the books agreeing with
it, it was approved. A more minute
examination showed, however. that the
figures ! and 5 in the original state
ment had been erased, and the and 8
substituted, while i'll the sum charged
to loans on collateral securities the
figure had been substituted for O max
ing the sum loaned appear Sl2,7S9. in
stead OF SlO,7S9. These alterations had
evidently been made after the state
ment had been audited. An eXamina-
ton of the cash-boOks from November
l, 1877, to February -, 1873, showed
that, if the entries were correct. there
ought to have been about $1,000 in the
bank. Sandwiched in among the regu-
lar entries, however, were items of
various amounts, aggregating $1,000,
which just balanced the account. From
BarlOn's cash-book it appeared that
$500 in cash should have been on hand,
but no money was found. A $500 bond
entered on the books by Barron was
advertised for, but never found. and
the presumption is that the entry was
made to cover Il deficit. An expert is
now examining Barron's accounts for
the past 10 years, and further develop
ments are expected.
Barron is supposed to have been
frightened into suicide by the suspension
of the neighboring Newport bank, and
the expectation of run on the Dexter
bank III consequence, which he knew
would expose his defalcation. In Bar
rOn's desk was found copy of the trial
of Scott and Dunlap, the Northampton
(Mass.( bank-robbers, and he is sup
i'SS' w h"NO ucldllS 50 lIlll
he would appear to have been treated
In the same way that Cashier Whittlesv
OF the Northampton bank, when the
latter was gagged and forced to open
his bank. No suspicious characters
were seen in Dexter on the day of Bar
ron's death, though it was so reported
at first. The physicians who attended
him decided that none of his external
wounds could have been fatal, his
symptoms being those of morphine
poisoning; and he did not die of heart
disease or suffocation either. There
were no traces on Barron's clothing or
in the outer rooms of a struggle. In
vestigation showed that he could have
easily locked himself in the vault, taken
poison, handcutfed and gagged himself,
and awaited death. This he is believed
to have done. He had previously talked
of suicide and inquired about various
kinds of handouts, it is found.
This is sad sequel of dishonor to
one whose death was considered so hon
Orable. A Barron memorial church,
was being erected at Dexter with funds
contributed in Maine and other New
England churches, through a wish to
honor his memory, while from $500 to
S4OO was collected for his family. The
latter were not in destitute circum-
stance, however, for Barren left them
$4,000 life insurance.