Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-07
THE BARRON MYSTERY.
False differences Used TO Prejudice the
Community Against the Dead
Treasurer.

Community Against the Dead
Treasurer.
Boston Advertiser,l
The hot controversy over the Dex-
ter Savings Bank case has now some
what subsidized. No authoritative de-
cision has been reached, nor has any
fresh evidence to strengthen either
the theory of murder or that of
suicide been brought to light.
There is no need to say that the
affair will not be permitted to rest
where it now does BY either party to
the late discussion. Especially on the
part of the friends of the dead treas
urer can there be no disposition to
allow the case to be closed at this
point. They feel that a grieyous
wrong has been done to a man who
lived a life beyond reproach. They
demand, and with justice, that the
evidence be most carefully weighed,
so far as there is any evidence, and
that nothing shall be assumed further
than there are facts to support it /:
they will also continue to search for
more light on this dark affair, conf
dent that the truth will not harm the
memory of Mr.. Barron, and hopeful
that time will at last reveal the fact
that their friend was murdered, and
that the assassin will be brought to
the bar of public justice. Moreover.
they have no fear that anything will
be added to the collection of distorted
facts and false differences that have
been so dexterously used to prejudice
the community against Mr.. Barron.
The fullest and most careful analysis
of the whole affair that has yet been
attempted is presented in our columns
this morning. Two or three points in
this statement will attract special at
tention. The first is the origin of the
suicide theory. Aside from the hasty
remark of the president Of the bank
when the disappearance of Mr.. Barron
was discovered, to which no import
ance whatever is to be attached. the
idea seems first to have obtained a
lodgment in the mind of the present
treasurer, and to him is the public
indebted for all hat has followed
since. 1t appears further that the
investigation made by Mr.. Dearborn
and his associate was of the most
superficial character that it was
wholly directed by the successor Of
MIR. Barron, who, as the author of the
theory, was interested in having his
suspicious confirmed that it was of
such a nature as to be open to the
charge Of having been made with the
sole object Of confirming the theory
and that all evidence that could be
used for that purpose, and none other.
was laid before these detectives.
Whatever judgment may be passed
upon the i~nstigator of the latter in
quiry and upon the detectives. who
must take their share of the response
bility of it, one thing may be said alb
solutely-that the course pursued was
not the right way to get at the truth.
Another class of considerations may
be referred to-the accounts of the
bank and Mr.. Barron's private nnan-
cial affairs. 1t is alleged that more
erasures and suhstltutions of figures
are TO BIO found in an account pre-
scented to the Supreme Court of Maine
by the present treasurer than are al
legged to have been made on Mr.. Bar
ron's books, That does not prove Mr..
Hamilton to be an inaccurate man.
nor do the changes on the books about
which so much has been said pr0yc
Mr.. Barron to have been a dishonest
man, The letters, which we arc per
mittcd to use, from the State bank
examiner, express the opinion Of A
competent judge as to the integrity of
Mr.. Barron, as shown by hisaSeounts,
very clearly, 0f course a motive
must be shown for suicide, or the
theory will fall of its own weight. and
up to this time there is not one limo OF
evidence that is worth the tlmo il
takes to refer to ia that gives the
smallest reason 20 believe that Mr..
BawOn was other han an unusually
honest aud scrupulous man. Our cor.
respondent refers to some gossin that
has arisen since the suicide stoiy was
started-particglagly % the malicious
inquiry .NNW tho dead man became
POSSESSED OF SO much property in real
estate. The answer is complete and
overwhelming. A part Of the proper.
ty had not been Eaid tAE, aud the rest
was lRheFlte9. But, further, there
was . possibility of his having saved
something, inasmuOh as his income
was larger aud his expenses were less
than the gossips asserted. The utter
collapse Of this unworthy insinuation
b~aseless and unspeakably cruel toward
a dead man, is an example probably
! y. WhaI mlght bo done with the whole
fabric Of fiction that has been built
up BY many hands to obscure, il not
to destroy his good name,
WE need NOT cali attention further
to the Poviow Of the case. 1t will be
found to be strong and suggestive, and
if il should provoke a retort from the
advocates Of the suicide theory it will
serve the good purposes of drawiaq
out all that can be ssiA pa Che one
side aud an tAe other, The truth is
WkataII should seek, aud there is
merit In whatever helps to induce
men to search for it wherever it MAY
l5e found