Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-30
Tnteryie,g ,ctth the Murderer.

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Intervietc tctth the Murderer.
A reporter of the GLOBE called at the
police station shortly after the arrest of Bar
ton and Devlin, for the purpose of learning
their part of the story. Barton was found
in the middle cell of the main corridor, and
his companion in that adjoining, on the
left. Barton is young man of respectable
appearance, about 25 years of age, five feet
nine inches in height, clean shaven, with a
good complexion, clear eye, and manner
and speech that do not bespeak the ruffian.
He was dressed in respectable style and wore
clean linen, and spoke with the utmost free
dom.
81 want to know something about this
affair."" said the reporter, "and clear state
ment of all the facts"
sis the man liable to die?" queried Bar
ton.
she is as good as dead. He cannot live
more than few minutes"
"I'm very sorry it happened, and if
could save the poor fellows life I would
suffer anything. 1 would 60 to Saltwater
for life if it would save him from dying!
Don't you think there is some hope that
he'll live?"
"None whatever"
"Well, he brought it on himself, and I
suppose I'll have to hang or go up for life;
but couldn't do anything besides. Would
you have done different if you had been in
my placer"
.'As don't know anything of the circum-
stances can't tell. Let me have your side
of the story"
DiYested of repetitions and CALCULATIONS
that we're lmmaterial to the subject, Barton's
story was this:
He had been employed as cook at the
Lakeside hotel at Minnetonka in the early
part OF the summer, working for Col. Hutch
inson. He remained there until ABOUT
month ago. when he went to Lake Elmo as
cook for Gen. Flower. The closing of Elmo
lodge threw him out of job about week
ago, and he came to this city to wait for
Col. Hutchinson, who had promised to en-
ploy him, and was to meet him on Tuesday.
He got acquainted with Devlin, and
through him made the acquaintance
of Mary Madigan, chambermaid at the
Clarendon hotel. He and Miss Madigan
went out for walk about $50 o'clock, Dew
They were returning to the hotel, and when
they encountered three young men who
made use of insulting language both towards
himself and Dsvlln, and the girls who were
under their escort. The language was too
vile to be reproduced in print. Barton
expostulated, but his remonstrance
only called forth viler insults.
He allowed Miss Maddigan 10 go ahead, and
turning, said that both the girl and himself
were strangers to them and they had no
right to insult them. A laugh, few curses
and obscene illusions were the response.
Barton said that no gentleman would act in
that manner, whereupon one of the party
struck at him with his fist, another picked
up a stick lying in the street, and the third,
Larkin, went down in his pocket for his
knife.
"One of them," said Barton, "cried out,
kill the son of b-h.' thought / had to
defend myself, and pulled out my knife and
struck the poor fellow. I didn't intend to
kill him, and wouldn't have done it for the
world, but had to defend myself some way"
care you sure that Larkin drew knife?"
"No, buG he went down for it, and sup
posed was going to be cut. had to do
something. There was three against one,
and cut him. I didn't suppose I was 60
lug to kill him, or 1 would have stood a
good thrashing."
"What kind of knife did you use?'
"Only small pocket knife"
"What did you do with it ?"
"Threw it away"
"That's bad, and looks suspicious"
~ can't help it, did not stop to think"
"Had you ever seen Larkin before?
"Never. only came to town last week
and am complete stranger. considered
the insult to my girl was an insult to me,
and any man in my place would have done
the same thing. Do you think the poor fel-
low will die ?"
"He is probably dead before now.''
"Well," with sigh 81 suppose I'll have
to stand it. I'd give anything in the world
to save his life; I'd sooner die myself.''
'sIt's too late now. The worst is done.''
81 suppose so. 1 havn't a friend or q
nickle in the world, and I'll have to face the
music; but didn't intend to kill the poor
fellow. There was three against one, and I
had to pull my knife or get cut myself.''
Barton says he was born in England, and
has no relatives in this country. He absolves
his companion, Devlin, from all blame, and
says he knew nothing about it, took no part
in the quarrel, and ought to be released. He
acknowledges the emitting without restraint.
DEvLIN.
The other prisoner is a gooa-looking
young man of about %, and is employed
upon one of the river steamers, Mary Whar-
ton. He corroborated Barton's statements
in all particulars of which he was cognizant,
and was only anxious to be released, in
time to take the boat this morning, SO as to
keep his berth. He treated the matter more
lightly than did Barton, and evidently did
not regard himself as at all compromised.