The Portland daily press., 1879-02-08
THE DEATH OF CASHIER BAR
RON.
A Practical Test for the suijide ACCUSE
ton.

ME-. ED1roR:-I am glad that you have vim
dicsted the memory of the dead cashier OF the
Dexter bank from the recent extraordinary at
tack have seen nothing in the arguments or
evidence OF his assailants to justify the terrible
charge OF embezzement, perjury, fraud and
suicide with which it is now sought to defame
bis character.
Ii his nsligners are in possession OF such
ficts they have not produced them.
The weight of all the evidence thus far dis
closed is overwhelmingly in favor OF the orig
inal theory-that Mr.. Ba,rou's death was the
work of at least two professional villains, who
having been led by th-ir own depravty to rob
the bank. were encouraged by our law to finish
the JOB by dsposing of the only witness of their
crime
By robbery they had incurred life imprison-
ment, if detected and they had nothing more
to fear if they murdered their captive. So they
lessened the danger of exposure without adding
20 the penalty to which they were already
liable.
And now portion Of the same public whose
sympathy for criminals demanded the enact.
meut of law which offers direct premium
for murder after burglary, comes forward to
deny that any murder or burglary has been
Notwithstanding but embezz'ement, per-
jury, and fraudulent suicide, and that by the
JOINT victim of bank-robbers and the Law of
1876
Aud this is the final outcome of modern SEN
timentalism!
Yet there is grim economy about this suicide
theory.
Each of the unknown or uneIposed robbers
may have wife, as did Barron, aud are not
the feelings of those ladies worthy of consider
alton? Suppose the cashiers widow is tortured
BY this blackening of her husbands memory,
may she not as well suffer ss for distress to fall
upon a couple of other women? Besides, an
exposure of the robbers would bring trouble to
them, while the cashier has gone "where the
wicked cease from troubling"
But seriously, 1t is discreditable to the
intelligence Of our State that tue present con-
dition of things should continue.
If 1 understand the facts, the bank officers
have authoriz two professional detectives
from Boston, Chapman aud Dearborn, to
publish in the Boston Herald substantial
charge that the lsts Mr.. Barron after having
dfb6rGu 'U6 uOodo VI tu0 uduh W CUuCohl us
own emb. zzlemshts therefrom, psrjared him
self by swearing to their correctness ard then
unable to face exposure, CON mi ted suicide
with the fraudulent parpose of couuterfeiting
murder.
If this IL SO, there is very easy road to the
truth.
If Mrs. Barron is convinced of her late
husbands guilt, let her say 80 aud end the dis
cussiou. II sha is satisfied of his innocence
why does shs not without further delay have
the detectives land the bank officers too, If
privy to the accas ,tion) Indicted for libel in
any county in the State which the publication
has reached? And why does she not follow
the crmiasl prosecution up by civil suit for
damages?
IfMrsB Barron has received the proceeds Of an
ioaurauce policy upou her husbands life she is
probably liable to suit BY the COMPANY for
the recovery of the money il her husband took
his own life wilfully.
II so, do not see why she may not main
tain civil acron against bis accusers aud
have cal ed upon the State CT Name to pay
them $4,000 for SANDER.
If It is fouod that Mrs Barron is unable to
incur the necessary expense, L have faith to
believe that the requisite sum could be readily
raised by popular subscription, and think 1
know several gentlemen ia Portland who are
ready, If so, to contribute.
While it is believed that such vindication
is due to the memory of the heroic victim of
violence and now of Islander, l confess that
there is small hope that it will bs ATTEMPTED.
We live in an age not eminent for the manly
virtues Scepticlsm and timidity seem to
have taken the place of that faith in God and
confidence in our fellow-men which dis
tipguished our ancestors.
1t remains for some man or woman of spirit
by wel-directed blow, to demonstrate to
some of the timorous, vacillatiug, doubling
leaders of modern public opinion, that there is
still power enough in the laws aud institutions
of chr fathers to protect those who have the
self-respect to invoke them. c. WIG
Extract from Revised Statutes of Maine,
cbaoter 129
SEC. 1. A libel is the malicious defamation of
\ deceased person made
public by any printing, writing sign, PICTURE repre-
sent ton or efigy n designed 10 backen
his memory, aui tending to scapdalize or provoke
his relatives or friends
SEC. q Whoevsr makes composes dictates,
write, or prints libel; directs procures it 20 be
dove; wifuy publishes c,rcu ates it or know
ngiv and w'fuly aids in do ng Ell her shall be pun
ished by imprisonment not less than Que year and
by fine not exceeding $1,000.