The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-04
The Murderer of Old Mrs. Bar
naby Commits Suicide.
HIS CORPSE FOUND IN HIS CELL.
The Infamous Peisoner Who Killed His
Benefsetor with Arsenic Takes .
Miider Drug. Morphins.

hatinR poisoned dfs. bAEu1oy. Ahc
doctor took his own life, using morphine.
In a satchel in the doctors cell were found
five letters. the first one having been writ
ten on August 9 last. showing that his
suicide had been contenp plated since then.
Following is the FIRST letter opened:
TO the Coroner Of Denver. Colo.-Dedr
Sir: Please do not hold an autopsy on my
remains. The cause OF death may be
rendered as follows: Died from persecu-
ton; worn ont: exhausted Yours re-
spectfuliy, 7. THATCHER GRAVES. NJ. ID.
The last letter is directed TO Capt. Crews.
iailer of the county jail, and is full of bit
terness to County Attorney |. \. Stevens.
who secured DR.. Graves conviction in the
first trial and had been working hard to
again have the doctor convicted.
In the second letter. which is dated Au-
gust q. Graves denounces Stevens as a
liar and adds:
Ny lawyers have full receipts showing
that never wronged the estate of Mrs.
Barnaby. and that the estate now owes
me outside of the legacy by the will. The
public sees what have TO expect from the
yillainous. cowardiy fa!sehoods of Stew
ems cannot expend more money fight
ing him. l must take every means to
provide for my wife and dear, honored,
aged mother.
Notwithstanding the above letters, Capt.
Crews. in an interview, Indignantly dc
MES that DR.. Graves committed suicide.
He says the doctor died of broken heart
and. to use the captains words, twas
murdered by the attorneys for the state,
who have harrassed the cid man TO
DEATH" The three other letters are to
Mrs. Graves. the county commissioners
and a lengthy address to the public. The
ones addressed TO Mrs. Graves and the
commissioners have not yet been given
out Mrs. Graves was informed of her
husbands death shortly before noon, and
for time was almost crazed with grief.
Notwithstanding DR.. Graves request
that no autopsy be held upon his body q
rigid Investigation into the cause of his
death will take place tonight. DR.. Graves
before his death said he was penniiess
and thought it no more than right that if
the county paid the costs of his prosecu-
ton II should also be willing to appropriate
enough to enable him to defend himself.
The decision OF the county to try him again
undoubtedly prompted Graves to put into
effect his idea of suicide. which it is plain
he had been contemplating for some time.
DR.. Graves letter to the public is q long
document, in which he reviews the story
of his remarkable case. He denies that he
ever committed the crime with which he
is charged. and declares that his prosecu-
ton was accomplished by money and
political influence. In his letter he saws :;
THE district attorney at that time was
Isaac Stevens, a young leading politician.
ambitious. full of deviiish schemes and
cunning; man who never hesitated to do
any kind of dirty work to advance him.
self, and who was surrounded by the
viiest men in the West as his tools.
At the trial which followed we found
everything completely and absolutely un.
der his control-the reporters, bailiffs.
court officials, except the clerk of court
deputies and the honorable Judge
and jury. Since the trial we have
learned that no man was pat on
TO favor Stevens. Promises of political
preferment and value received were freely
offered and taken. Forty years ago man
named Perrin, in Connecticut, and nv
father had some trouble over some land.
The son worked himself upon the iurv
and paid an old debt in full after
the usual manner of such men. This we
did not know until long after the trial
/ am informed that since the trial
some of the Jurors have received political
appointments from Stevens, and some are
professional jurors, getting on the lurv
where he always wins his case These
things are well known in Denver, What
possible chance did stranger stand
agains; Stevens backed by such a Judge
and purchasable iuryl
Conrad boosted that he spent s6o 900
among the witnesses, detectives. Judge
and jury. He always omitted to remark
that the money belonged to his wifa and
he was playing for a $le0, 600 stake. The
supreme court of Colorado, in most en-
phatic, scathing and bitter words. PRO
nounced the trial unfair, unjust and Illegal
and ordered new trial. NV lawyers have
found proof that at the trial $500 was
paid out TO only one witness. They have
af'idaylts OF numerous men that they
were sounded as 10 whether in case ~
their being summoned on the iurv thew
would favor Stevens, and this was dons
by stevens baiiiffs. The Jury were under
charge OF one OF the worst villains on earth
and boarded at a hotel kept by one. The
jury went TO the theater and around town
pretty much as they pleased For months
and months L have languished in fail
clamoring for new trial, until I have
little by little, learned ali of the villainons
things which appertained to the former
trial. and / have told not half
stevens in the meantime had All.
a
political boss and controls today most of
the judges. They dare not decide nraips,
him. and so my motion for new trial was
deferred and IL was impossible 10 fnr,isb
the bonds. and have teen forced 10 20
main in jail all through this hot snltrv
summer until must confess nay spirit is
broken down.
A new district attorney has meanwhile
been appointed. but he does not conn,
a
serene.y as he Is ordered. the same as
the nudge. The people are indignant
oat what can they do with this octo-
rus AZ tue present writing stevens
has gone East 70 coach ore of the com
H''ssioners ami heodwink him. lie wiii
return % beaver with a trDnklui of lies
alter having properly worked the papers
lie Will then cajose and deceive the com
mis>leae.s aud probably induce them to
iGfnssa funds TO commence again mis-
ueiaTi1us prosecution
Vow, am tired II the whole business
lhey have exhausted me. Is IL strange
'AanN ~ useless 20 continue the Hcht
noS am tired Of il | have freely ex-
Feade8 fortune lighting them. put the
cogF.s will compel me To exner,s y,,ars
tat 10 not propose 20 give them anv
more " hat may nave left will Go 10
ny nooie tttle ATE and nav POOR. safer.
ln% mother There Is one way can stop
the expenditure.
Atso~ me "a rspea, that which have
arrays SAD publicly and privately upon
ny solemn Masonic oath. |. 4. Thatcher
"fsFes' "'d net hSve anything 10 10 in
aay nay. shape or manner with the
dsa'h ct Mr. Barushy. | write this
knaSing ~Aat the future vii soon
aAss "a store FOR me. The people xii
ssilexf- ply and sympaihlxe with nae.
iaey ~. know that even the strongest
insn can be beaten down by cyclone Of