The evening bulletin., 1893-09-04
DRIVEN TO DEATH.
DR.. Thacher Graves Commits Suicide ia
His Cell.


Josephine Barnaby, committed suicide
in his cell at the county jail Saturday
night, presumably by taking poison.
He was found stiff and cold in death at
o a. m. Sunday by the "trusty" who
was found 10 letters. One was as fol-
lows:
DENVER, Aug. 0, 1893
To the Coroner of Denver;
DEAR SIR-Please don't hold an autopsy
on my remains. The cause Of my death
may be rendered as follows: Died from
persecution. Worn out Exhausted Yours
respectfully, ~ THACHER GRAVES.
The corpse was quite cold when
found. No direct evidence Of suicide
was visible, but the above letter tells
the story. There were also letters to
Mrs. Graves, wife of the doctor, to
Jailor Crews and an address to the
public,
That the prisoner had long con-
templated taking his own life is evident
from the date of the letter-Aug. last.
Another letter was addressed to Cap
tain Crews the jailor. 1t was dated
Aug. 30, 1893 and read as follows:
1t would keep man busy to follow Ste
vens and answer the lies which he unblush-
ingly peddles out to the papers One or
two, however, need attention, and they are
easily proven to be lies. was a member
of the Massachusetts, State Medical So
ciety, also Connecticut State Medical So
ciety. l never made proposition to the
Rhode Island State Medical society for ad-
mission. My lawyers have the full reports,
showing that neither wronged the estate
of Mrs. Barnaby, and that the estate now
owes me, outside of the legacy by will
l can not expend more money fighting Ste
vens. must take the only means to prove
it for my wife and dear, honored, aged
mother. Il. THACHER GRAVES.
AS well known Dr. Graves was await
ing his second trial for the murder of
Mrs. Josephine Barnaby, of Providence
who, at the time of her death was visit
ing friends in Denver. She died April
10, 1891. On April she drank from a
bottle of whisky that had come by mail
from Boston and that was labelled
wish you happy New Year; please
accept this 1ine old whisky from your
friends in the woods.
The whisky contained solution of
arsenic. DR.. Graves was accused of
sending the bottle. After one of the
most famous trials in the criminal an
nails of this country, Dr. Graves was
convicted of murder in the first degree
and was sentenced to be hanged. Ihe
supreme court granted him new trial
which was to have begun the latter part
of this month.
''Its a clear case of suicide" said Cor
oner Chivington, while sitting in the
cell of the dead man yesterday Depu-
ty Warden Shire nodded, and the coro-
ner opened letter addressed to him by
the doctor. 1t was dated August s,
and after requesting that no autopsy
be held, informed the coroner that he
could find the cause of his death, as
foil ows
DIED from persecution, worn out
and exhausted.
The letter was found with half
dozen others addressed to various per-
sons in bundle of manuscript under
the doctors saathcel, which stood near
the head Of his cot.
One of the letters was addressed to
John w. Bridges, the "trusty," who
discovered the doctor dead in his CELL
A thorough search of the cell had
been made before the letters were
brought to light. A pile of books and
magazines that stood ON the little table
were examined and his clothing was
searched but nothing was found that
would explain matters until the satchel
was lifted aside and the letters found
under it.
The doctor left everything in order
before he died. When he was found he
was clad in his trousers and dress
shirt. He lay on his right side in a
posture he usually assumed after retir-
cIf foraf
lips, which might just as easily have
come from natural causes as from poi
son. There was paper sacks of fresh
peaches and pears on his table, the gift
of his wife on her late visit Saturday.
Captain Crews, the jailer, was the
last person to see Mr.. Graves alive, ac-
cording to the statements made to the
coroner. He passed the cell at o'clock
in the morning and then the unfortu-
nate man appeared to be all right. For
some time past, however, he has been
looking pale, but he did not complain
of being i'll. About q week ago DR.. Du-
lin, the county physician. remarked his
paleness and asked him if he did not
think that little iron would do him
good.
He replied: ITO the dogs with
physic."
Among other letters left by the doc
tor was one directed to his wife, very
lengthy one and another addressed to
the public. The coroner refuses to
make the contents of the letter known
until Mrs. Graves has read it. Just
now the lady is too much prostrated to
be seen.
Ex-District Attorney Stevens is pre-
pairing n statement bearing on the case.
A postmortem examination will also be
held on the remains and the exact
cause of death ascertained.