The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-02-18

what the Detectives suspect They
Have Found at the Dexter
Hank.


Dexter. Me-, Dispatch, January Stat.
II il a matter of general knowledge
that on February 22, 1878, the savings
bank at Dexter, Ne. was robbed aud
the cashier, Il. w. Barron, murdered
in a shockingly inhuman manner. AT
least, that such was the case no one
had hesitated TO affirm, until within a
week Mr.. Barron was held in high
esteem by all the citizens OF Dexter,
and had won a reputation for fidelity
to the trusts OF his Office which he
maintained even in his death. The
surroundings indicated that the muir
der was committed by party OF three
men, who found the cashier alone in
the bank. and. failing 10 make him aid
them in their scheme OF robbery. mur-
dered him by beating, gagging and
binding him, and leaving him inside
the bank vault TO suffocate. The nom
appearance Of Mr.. Barron at his home
on the evening Of the murderous attack
first excited suspicion, but he was not
discovered until the next morning,
when the cashier Of the national bank
adjoining the savings bank opened the
vault for the days business. The
groans OF Mr.. Barron then attracted at
tention, aud he was found bound aud
gagged, aud badly bruised about the
head and died soon after being releas.
ed. The doors of the vault must have
been open at the time, as we'll as. the
outer door OF the safe. but the door Of
the inner safe. where the valuables
were kept, were closed and locked, and
the refusal TO unlock this or divulge
the combination cost $50 il has been
believed) the faithful treasurer his life.
This heroism has been the theme OF
many high-sounding enc 0miums from
pulpit and press, and has evoked the
sympathies Of the public to a marked
degree. Indeed, contributions for the
murdered cashiers family have been
taken mp throughout New England,
aud a Barron memorial church is in
process OF erection at Dexter. The
high character OF Mr.. Barron, coupled
with the condition in which he was
found, and the fact that only small
sum was missing from the bank, would
seem to preclude the possibility Of his
being a dishonored suicide; but two
prominent detectives OF this city. who
have been at work on the case, at the
instigation of the bank officers, will
publish a three-column statement In
the morning papers. attempting to
prove land. il must be said, with an
unexpected degree Of success), that the
memory OF Barron, instead OF being
surrounded with a nimbus OF glory, il
black with an ineffaceable stain Of dis.
grace. Two or three noted robbers,
among them Jenny Hope, have been
with the robbery and murder,
but we're acquitted because OF lack of
evidence. The detectives now give as
their reason for believing that Barron
suicide a deficit Of 81, 900
which he wished TO conceal. The gag,
they say, was not such as ia used by
thieves. The cord which
was around Barron's neck was secured
by a piece Of common twine,
aud various other bits OF circumstantial
evidence 60 10 show that the respected
treasurer was not only a defaulter and
a periurer (having sworn 10 a false
statement Of the banks affairs). but
that with the aid OF an accomplice he
had deliberately planned and executed
the whole scheme in order 10 save him
self from inevitable exposure and the
disgrace that would follow. The ply
siciaus arc quoted by the detectives as
affirming that the slight wounds which
we're found on Barron could not have
caused death, and that the comatosc
con lition in which be was when he was
found was what eight or ten grains of
morphine would have produced.-.
Neither does the theory Of suffocation
hold water. The detectives claim TO
have demonstrated that Barron could
have locked himself in the vault and
then swallowed the poison and adjust
ed the rope. gag and mauacles. Be
tective Dearborn says that he did all
this in Just four and a half minutes. -
This is the outline Of this astonishing
story, the fruit OF years patient in
vestigation. Many supicious acts and
words OF the dead cashier have been
collected and. taken ia connection with
his financial embarrassment and NOR
bib sensitiveness, constitute an almost
irrefragable chain Of evidence against
him. The officers Of the bank and
prominent citizens Of Dexter are repre-
sented as entirely in accord with the
story given above, and it's
will convert the public
from the bero-worship and monument
Of a year 10 a sullen belief,
with the psalmist. that 'all men are
liars.