The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-02-06
THE DEXTER MYSTERY.
Mr.. BarrOn's Murder No Longer
Doubtful Assertion.
Evidence Accommodating on all
Sides.

DEXTER, Feb. 4.-The evidence in favor of the
theory that Barron was murdered seems to be much
more conclusive than that which points to his suicide.
Drs. Springall and Mudgett agree with DIR. Clough
that his death might have resulted either from vio-
lcnce or poison, and barring little professional
rivalry they agree very nearly in what they say
about the affair. Before Barron died he was care
fully examined Tor traces Of subcutaneous injection
Of morphine, but none was found. The doctors
agree, however, that this does not prove that NOR
phia was not thus forced into him.
Inc presence in town on the day before and on
that day OF the tragedy Of strangers who excited
tention, is well attested. Mrs. Della P. Whitney,
Mrs. Kate A. Russell, Mrs. Samuel Farrar, Miss
Abby Putnam and others saw suspiciouslooking per-
sons about the bank, and at times, too, when they
would not have mistaken them for towns-people.
Charles G. Crowell. who forced his way between
the safes in the vault to Barron, and who was the
only person who saw him he was originally bound,
says that the gag was drawn very tightly into Bar
rons mouth, forcing his cheeEs well back. Crowell
endeavoreG to unite the square knot with which the
string holding the gag was tied, but was unable to
get his finger under it, and SO he cut it with his
knife. Barron's head lay on trunk which the dust
was disturbed only where his head came in contact
with it. Had he struggled sufficiently to cause in
eH"" way eAo piuicC upon ulu, tudG W0uu SCARCELY
have been the case. Dearborn assumes that Barron
used lamp while arranging for his tragic fate. Mr..
Bradbury says that the lamp found in the vault was
an ordinary bracket lamp without any chimney
Now, had this lamp been lighted, the vault would
soon have been filed with vapor of an unmistakable
odor. Ctowell declares that when he entered the
vault it was dark, that the air was Close and that
In 1t was no trace of kerosene vapor and, moreover
that by the light of the lantern which he used he
saw no lamp. One team left the town that night
which has not been salts actorly traced and no one
knows who were the two men it carried away.
Mrs. Barron is very indignant at the turn the case
has taken She says she considers it an attempt to
ruin the reputation of one who cannot defend him.
SELF and that, no matter what occurs, she can
never believe that her husband was guilty of suicide,
Samuel Copeland, administrator of Barron's es-
tate, looks upon the attempt to prove suicide and
prior defacaton growing out of the involved state
OF the banks affairs, and is ready at any time to do
all in his power to protect the widows property.
A Strong Link i'm the Murder Theory.
A Lewiston lady, who has friends in Dexter, was
in that town on the day of Mr.. Barron's death and
requested Mr.. Barron to admit her to Masonic Hall
She states that Mr.. Barron with her, went to the
hall door with key in his hand and WIS much sur
prsed to find the door unlocked, saying, "this is
the third time have found this door open to-day.
and don't understand it, After looking at the
hall, Mr.. Barron locked the door again In connec-
ton with the testimony of the Masons of Dexter
that none of them left the cigar ashes and crackers
found there, it looks though strange people had
been in the vicinity.
Statement by the Editor of the Semerse,
Reporter.
SKowHEGAN, Feb. 5.-When held an interview
with MIR. Wiggin after he had arrested Jemmie
Hope, he gave me an item of news which I was to
hold in confidence until "something turned ups
Something has turned up and he has told it, so that
releases me. He then told me that there was not a
doubt but that Worcester Sam" did the deed, and
ii he could capture "Sam' he could obtain evidence
that would convict him. He did not dare to touch
the evidence until the "principal" (Sam) was
Gagged.
1t now seems that while the bank officers were
waiting, the game escaped to Europe. This state
ment made above goes to show that Mr.. Wiggin did
not get up the Worcester Sam" theory to meet the
detectives story, but that it was theory al year old
which he still clings to-
Ibelieve that some one has stolen something and
they are making scapegoat of dead man.