Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-05

gravely ask us to believe that there was no
murder and no robbery, They tell us
Treasurer Barron took his own life
that il was a case of suicide--of com
pick suicide, so TO speak,-in which
the actor played such fantastic tricks as
to deceive the very elect and win the admira-
ton of the world. The detectives would
have us believe that Mr.. Barron, with cal
culation, method and nerve necessarily super
human, planned and executed the tragedy,
by first buying some handouts long before
the day he had set for his death secondly.
BY deceiving his wife on the incoming he left
her presence for the last time, saying he
would return at O'Clock; thirdly, by open
ing and shutting the Masonic hall door divers
times during the fatal day; fourthlv, upon
being left alone in the bank near the close of
the dav. he Immediately sought the coalroom
TO throw his false teeth, penboldcr and bunch
of KEYS in different parts of the room among
the rubbish. and TO carefully overturn the
coal-hod; filthy, by lighting the lamp and
shutting himself into the vault. to laboriously
lock the two doors with a screwdriver. though
il is not known that he was aware of the pos
sbility of such a feat; sixthly, by extinguish-
ing the lamp and hiding it where it was not
found for months, then swallowing poison,
then severely bruising himself, then gagging
himself. then Handwriting himself, -his hands
behind him-then, all things being ready,
dying at his leisure.
This is the story the people are asked to be-
lieve. As if wary of some weak spot in their
wonderful web, the precise amount Of poison
is suggested by the detectives, and sure enough
the man died ut the very hour their hypOthet
zeal amount called for. And they are partic-
ular to state that it was possible for Barron
to do all that was done. This was WELL for
nobody would have thought of it for mo-
ment if they had omitted to declare il.
Smart men, those detectives,
No hriag man is convicted of crime in our
courts without facts and evidence and without
the privilege of confronting his aetusers
before he can be condemned it is essential
to show that some mofire existed to provoke
the crime. The dead Treasurer is certainly
entitled to the same privilege. The mostsig
nifcant feature of the revelation given to the
world by the detectives through the Boston
press at a round price per column is the
absence of any sufficient mofire for the sui
eide. They say the Newport Bank had just
suspended, and run" on the Dexter Bank
was not improbable, but pray. what had that
to do with his assumed purchasing of hand
cuffs weeks before, when according to the
theory, he had planned his own death! Moth
ing has vet been shown to the public-not
even in the sensational account published
from the lips of the detectives themselves
to Justify the belief that Barron was
a defaulter or was in any way financially en-
barrassed. All the facts thus far made pub
lie point in the other direction. The detect
ives themselves do not openly charge it--they
only hint mysteriously that an accountant who
is examining the books may possibly find
something out of the way bye and bye.
Il "a. In,rpr;,rbt ctoJp "a asvai1
character of man who cannot confront his
accusers. Their theoretical fabric is built up
entirely of improbabilities. without an iota of
proof to cement the thing together. A
suicide committed under the circumstances
and in such manner as claimed by the theo-
rists, is entirely at varience with nature and
experience. No rOmanccr ever founded n
plot on conception so bold and unnatural.
The people will not believe but that Barron
died in the defense of his trust.
While the detectives and bank officers are
hunting for motive in the mind of Mr.. Bar
ron to justify the obloquy that has been cast
upon his memory. let us see for a moment if
there was any motire for the new set of de-
tectires to invent the remarkable theory which
they advocate. 1t is well-known that detect
ives like other men, have pride in their pro-
fession. They dislike to be "beat."-to re-
a
case of such Importance and publicity as this.
Is it surprising that they should feel tempted
to jump to any conclusion that might confuse
the public mind, and tend to ''let them down
easy?'-even at the expense of the good name
of the dead. Again, there is the matter of
compensation for their services who will
pay it? hear that bill of $1,000 has been
presented to the State which the Governor
and Council decline to pay. Will the bank
pay it? Probably not. Is it possible that
there is a design by interested parties to des-
troy the fame of the martyred treasurer so as,
by common consent, to divert the Barron
Fund" which amounts to IA few thousand dol
lars, toward the payment of these detective
expenses? We hope not, surely. The very
idea is cruel-even revolving, but pray is it
any more so than the thus far futile attempt
to prove that Barron was villain and I'M
worthy of the name he bequeathed to man
kind? SYPHAx.