Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-04
THE DEXTER TRAGEDY.
-VFs. Barron Makes u State
NPnf.
SHE ASKS A SUSPENSION OF PUB
Lie OPINION.
moth Err VIEW OF TIL
SUBJECT.
THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE BAR
RON ESTATE SPEAKS:
A SERIOUS Interrogation Put to the Sui
eide Theory.
4 REVIEW OF THE DETECTI We
WORK BY DEXTER PEOPLE:

Bank, in a brief letter to the Wing and Cou-
rier, asks suspension Of public judgment.
while desiring the most thorough and impair
tiai investigation She says that contrary to
| the usual procedure, the theory seems to
have been advanced that her late husband
and that facts are yet being brought forward
to sustain the theory. She asks the public to
| consider his character in the community
where he has lived since boy, and been ac-
| lively engaged in business. having transac-
lions, perhaps, with more individuals than
any other man in town, and asks any one of
that number to bring any accusation of intcn-
tional fraud on his part. She believes they
will acknowledge that rather than wrong an
other, he would himself suffer, and that all
| thus far advanced are unsubstanta rumors,
! which that community will never believe.
| She closes by saying, "If Mr.. Barron was
! a defaulter, he must be shown as such to his
| executor and bondsmen, and let us wait for
| the evidence
Mr. Copeland, the administrator of Mr..
ing interviewed, said: II tell YOU only one
side is now having hearing in this case.
This Boston detective has come down here
and fourished about with his handouts, and
has been trying not only to bull-doze us, but
| the public in general, into the idea that Mr.
Barron was scamp. The detective gets the
bank officers into the bank and comes his
slight o hand with his burglars tools, and
shows how it was done. Why, it seems to
me very much Ike a circus rider getting up
on his horse and jumping through a hoop,
and saving to the public: Just see how easy
it is done" Here was a cash on Mr.. Bar
ron's forehead-a bruise just such as pair
| of handouts would have made-bruises also
on the back of his head. Are we to infer that
Mr.. Barron thumped himself. and banged his
head against the safe: The theory is prcpos-
ferrous. For my part believe that the rob-
Der of the Dexter Savings Bank is still liv-
ing"
''Now just look here-and see Mr.. Barron's
private accounts. Mr.. BIS account book is
produced. See how minute he is. Here is
a charge of cents for a lamp wick here are
charges of % cts. -; and even one cent. On
| the other side Is a note and a coupon, and all
the details eff his private affairs, showing cx-
actly his financial condition. People are try
ing to make out that Mr. Barron was a de-
faulter. by saying that he was generous
Well, he wasn't a mean man, but he was not
only scrupulousy honest, but scrupulously
economical. Why, just see how he lived-if
you had come up here two years ago, you
would have found him in midwinter in blue
shirt without an overcoat without rubbers
He kept COW and MIXED and cared for her
himself-driving her to pasture in summer
He was a home man--a man without suspi-
cion or stain, all his life.
Here is his insurance policy. Look at the
preamble and see how careful he was to guard
the bank against any loss. See how it reads
if any bad investment through my advice,
entails the bank in loss, and observe how
carefully he provides in his life policy for re-
endorsement. Is this the act of man who
had in his head self-murder and hypocrisy?
| Mr.. Barron knew that an investment which
he had advised entaile | the bank in a loss of
$1,000, and although not legally responsible
his keen sense of honor provided for the
banks protection. Moreover, Mr.. Barron
stated that he intended gradually to lay up
money to make that loss good
The savings bank was also used as bank
of deposit, and now Mr. Barron's estate has
been called on to pay certain sums of deposit
which have never been drawn from the bank.
l have had some difficulty in settling with the
bank officers, but have always said to them
I'll pass the matter over to referees ! con-
suited n Judge of the supreme court at Ban
gor and he told me had no authority to lay
over to the bank anything that wasn't clearly
due them.
Now about that wallet | want to say 4
word. happen to know that Mr.. Barron had
a wallet containing $1,000 in cash of his own
on deposit at the bank When we ask what
became of that wallet and that money!" We
are coolly informed that he chucked it into
the stove, money and all, to cover his tracks.
Was ever anything more preposterous And
then to confirm this theory, we are told that
he carefully left few coins in the till to
give affairs an air of plausibility. Why, even
I the detectives claim at this time is that Mr..
Barron's accounts were only $1,000 short, and
rybody here in Dexter knows and Mr..
Barron himself knew that he could raise So
600 almost any day in Dexter, on his own
name. Where is the motive for the crime
confess can't find it out.
.'For my part" continued Mr.. Copeland
81 can't for the life of me tell why the trus.
tees are so 10th TO let me or any representa-
tive of the estate even look at the bank books
cant get near the bank records, although
have repeatedly asked for an opportunity.
think only one side has been allowed to b,
heard since this new theory has been invent
ed, You take almost any man who knew Mr.