The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-02-10
THE BARRON TRAGEDY.
why WASN'T the Defalcation, il it Exists,
Found Out Reforee

To the Editor of the Press:
So much has already been written concern
ing the Barron matter, that it would seem i'm.
possible, at this late day. to add anything of
importance to the case; but in the published
statement of Detectives Dsarbon aHd Chap
man appears paragraph to which the public
attention should be called. 1t reads as fol-
lows:
"Ibe bank officials have ascertained IL on
the nrst day or January, 1877, Mr.. Barron DIS
charged mortgage on his house of $1,000.
Tney also nod that he began covering up his
tracks as far back as Octob-r 1876 or 1877, by
'dnctorlng' his books. % that GATE appears an
entrv OF $4,000 charged off to no especial ac-
count, tn,t sum being necessary to balance the
account"
The whole paragraph is confused and indef-
mite, but the substance appears to be that Mr..
Barron appropriated to his own use portion
of the funds of ths bank and that he had at
tempted to conceal his crime BY "doctoring"
the books of the bank. We are left to infer
that as be discharged mortgage of the same
amount at about the same time, be applied the
stolen funds to pay the mortgage.
Granting that Mr.. Barron did appropriate to
his own use portion of the funds of the bank,
aud that he did ''doctor" the books in order to
conceal his crime, there are several interesting
questions arising from the transaction which
some people would like to have answered.
According to section 80 of the savings bank
law of 1877, the trustees of all the banks in
the state are compelled to make an examina-
ton Of the affairs Of their respective banks,
"settle the treasurer's account and report under
oath to the Bank Examiner the standing of the
corporation, the situation of the funds, &C."
In accordance with this law, the Examiner did
call for report of the standing of the bank,
said report to bs made May z, 1877. Without
doubr, Committee of the trustees of the Dsx-
ter Savings Bonk Did make such return, under
oath, at the time indicated by the Examiner.
Twice more, prior to the tragedy of Feb. 22d,
the trustees of the bank examined its condi-
ton; a. least it was their duty to do so. Au.
gust 14th, 1877, the State Bank Examiner in
ves,igated its affairs. Immediately after Mr..
Barron's death the Examiner again made a
thorough investigation of its condition. In
August 1878, by order of the court, this depos-
It's of the Dexter Savings Bank were redused
fifty per cent. and, without doubt, critical
examination of its accounts and securities was
made at that time By order of the court. Not
withstanding all these examinations and in
vestigations, this alleged defalcation of Mr..
Barron was not discovered until November
1873, nearly two years from the date of the
CRIME. an6t then by accident.
But it may be said that Mr.. Barron covered
his tracks SO shrewdly and cunninsly that it
was possible to discover the deficiency by
examination. Let us see how easily defalca-
tioo of the kind may be concealed and, to Illus
trate, let us take the treasurer's report of the
coalition of the Dexter bank Nov. 5, 1877, the
very report 10 which it is alleged MIR. Barron
psriured himself: