New-York tribune., 1879-02-01
NOT A HEEO, BUT 4 THIEF.

NOT A HERO, BUT 4 THIEF.
TIE DEXGER BANK MYSTERY SOLVED.
EVIDENCE That JAMES W. BARRON, THE CASHIER,
ROBBED THE BANK, FALSFIFD HIS ACCOUNTS,
swoRE TO FALSE STATEMENTS, AND COMMITTED
SUICIDE.
BosToN, Jan. 31.-FOr some time past De-
tcctiye Dearborn of this city, has been investigat-
ing the circumstances attending the mysteri-
Gus death Of James W. Barron, cashier o.
the Dexter, Ne, Savings Bank. VINO was louhd
in the outer vault Of the bank about O'Clock III tue
evening Of February 22 1873, bound gagged. and in
dying condition. Barron died ina few hours after, and
il was believed by the bank officers and all Others that
be had been murdered by burglars or refusing TO dis
close the combination Of the inner vault, which con-
tanned the banks securities, and in consequence OF ths
the affair attracted general attention throughout
the country. Although several suspicious cHcnn-
stances developed after Barrons death it was not
uut November l. 1879, that decided effort was made
TO clear ND the mystery About that date the new
cashier Of the bank discovered that Barrou's
sworn statement 10 the Bank Examiner had
been tampered with and the Liabilities of the
bank made 5000 less than the actual amount.
BarrOn's last statement to the Bank Examiner was
audited by TIVE OF the trustees and the books agreeing
with it, the statement approved BY more minute
examination the astounding discovery was made that
the figures l and in Barron's original
statement had been erased and the hguTes
, and o substituted. IL was further discovered
that IN the charged 10 loans on collateral securities
the figure had been substituted for cipher, making
the sum loaned appear $12,7s9 3d. instead Of SlO-
7s9 So These erasures and alterations had evidently
been made after the statement had been audited
Examination has also been made OF the cash books
from November l. 1877, up TO February %. 1873 the
time Of the supposed murder. and 1t WAS asceraned
If the entries that book correct there ought TO
have been about $1,000 in the bank a! that Time
in %mo1s the fesr fntSs dGs. on we're tPe
found items Of various amounts ,n,n, nnUmn''nG ~
money which should have been on hand at that
time. Barron was $1,000 short IN all ana hau peiJIeu
mcnt. with these facts basis, an exhaustive N
vcsti;atIon made and fu statement OF the rest
showing that Barron committed suicide, VIII be pup
lished tomorrow.
EvIDENCEs or SUICIDE.
The statement shows that not single dollar IN the
outer vault taken paper disturbed; that tue
bank was i'll full view OF the Post once through
out the day, and not suspicious person was
secn To leave IL, nor any known 10 have
heen seen in the town or TO depart from 1t; that
was ON the ground and not footsep was found IN
the of the building Under the %inuoW w19n m was
the time of hls death agree that none OF ms sight
outward wounds could have caused his DEATH ana mat
his symptoms were those of morphine poisoning !
that he did not die of heart disease as some
snpposed and not by sufocatiOn the vault that the
room IN Which he was supposed have been attacked
by burglars and where his false teeth etc. were found
traces of scue nor there any dirt upon Barrons
clothing. screw-driyer and an old lamp were
Inc discovery of Barron. The finding of the lamp and
screw-driycr proved the clcw to the mystery.
HOW THE ACT WAS COMMITTED.
After one days experimenting the officers demon
strated Barron could havo locked himself in On
the outer door OF the vault 4 combination lock.
This was held 10 the door on the inside by cap
fastened by The cap being removed
1t was easy 10 pull the door to- shove
the bolts into place wt the hand from the inside, and
then secure them by finger manipulating the DGt or
the lock INTO its proper place Ihls DONE was easy 10
replace the cap 1hen the door was locked and could
not be opened except from the outside and
tucn only by who knew the comblna-
Ilon. The officers clam that he ana Il on
lamp referred 70, and also fastened he second or
de door without the a'd OF ms KEYS lhis tne qcers
and Mace the Lamp and scrcw-drivcr whore they
found on the top small nucr safe. Next IN
order probably came the swallowing or poison AMI thc
adjustment Of the rope and gag. To place manacics
upon his wrists was a comparatively task. Every
thing beiug then ready all That renamed wa; To lie
cred that he had talked OF suicide and had inquired
about various styles OF hanicuf5 tbat ne
had discharged mortgage Oh his house OF - 600 about
January, S77, and that as far back then he had
"d0corcd his books TO cover discrepancies. In Bar.
Dmnap' the Northampton Bank robbers. Il win be re-
mclnbered that when that bank was robbed me cshcr
was taken from his house. ragged. haDdcufcd and par
italy rhOked by rope around his neck. IN order 10
compel him t0 open the doors OF the bans Inc sPpo
si;Io j. that inflated closely as he could the
mOdus Olerandi OF those dcsperadocs.
THE FAISlFIED ACCOUNTS.
By his cai-b00k IL appears that there ought 10 have
been $500 IN cash hand when in reality there was no
money I'm the bank, has already been stated In re-
ference to 300 bond entered the books, the bank
has advertised very extensively Tor information as to who
IL any one sold such bond 10 Barron or about that
uac but has not been successful. The presumption
now l. II9t no 5000 bond purchased by him,
and that entry was account in part for $1,000
which should have been hand at that time. In addl-
tlnn to the value OF the bond he charged of
S567 to "cash," which together with tae bond, IS
unaccOuned the other books II is supposed hat
the false statement made by Barron 10 the Bank EX-
amncr in November 1871 together with the suspension
OF The Newport savings Bank the week previous, and
The knowledge in his possession that the Dexter Bank
could not stand run, imueed him ia the commission
Of the deed.