The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1893-09-07
KILLED HIMSELF.

liz Il Thatcher 0EAv90. Once ConylekeA
90 Psisoains Mr.. Basn.b,yl. ana Await
lag - Nov Tri.l, commiss suicias Ia
IAN 6 Dsdlvsr.
DENvER, Col, Sept. 5.-Dr. i.
Thatcher Graves, who was convicted of
poisoning Mrs. Josephine Barnaby, but
had been granted new trial, COM
mitted suicide in his cell at the county
jail Saturday night, presumably by TAX
Ing poison. He was found dead at 9 q.
10. Sunday by the ''trusty" who had
been caring for him. & On his, person
was found the following letter:
.DENvER Col. Aug. 9. 1883 TO the Coroner
OF Denver-Dear Sir: Please do not hold an
autopsy on my remains. The cause Of death
may % rendered rs follows: .Died from psrse.
cution Worn out Exhaustea' Yours re.
spectfully, s. T. THATCHER GRAVES. N. Dr.
The corpse was quite cold when
found. No direct evidence was visible,
but the above letter tells the story
There were also letters to Mrs. Graves,
wife of the doctor, to Jailer Crews, and
an address to the public. That the pris-
oner had long contemplated taking his
own life is evident from the date of the
letter-August last. .-~.-,
DR.. Graves was awaiting his second
trial for the alleged murder of Mrs
Josephine Barnaby. of Providence, who
at the time of her death was visiting
friends in Denver. She died April 10, 1891.
After one of the most famous trials
in the criminal annals of this country
DIR. Graves was convicted of murder in
the first degree and was sentenced to
be hanged. The supreme court granted
him 9 new trial, which was to have be-
gun the latter part Of this month. a.
AS is evident from the letter ad-
dressed to the coroner, DR.. Graves COM
united suicide, but with what drug the
autopsy alone viii tell. 1t was sup
posed. however, that he took morphine.
THE crime of which DR.: T. Thatcher Graves
was accused was q celebrated case, He was an
intimate friend of Mrs. Josephine Barnaby, of
Providence, r. =. and her financial adviser and
agent on salary Of $1,000 annually She was
the divorced wife of wealthy mer.
chant Of Providence, and possessed q
fortune of 100000 and an annual income
OF el2,ooQ Mrs. Barn~by was q great traveller
and was accustomed to spend part of the sum-
mer at Blue Mountain Lake. N. Y, living
at the residence OF Edward, Bennett In the
spring OF 1891, while at that place. she and Dr.
Graves had a misunderstanding They parted
and Mrs. Barnaby at once started west. Event
ually she arrived In Denver and visited Mrs. Wor-
rcll Six days before her arrival In April OF
that year package came to her address. 1t
contained bottle of liquor labeled SPINE old
whisky II ON your friend in the woods" The
bottle was laid away in the house. its
contents untouched for q week. Mrs. Barna.
by and Mrs. Worrel took . drive April
Is, and on their return both drank of
the contents Of the bottle. Almost i'm
mediately both were seized with great pains
fhey became violently i'll, and MIRA Barnaby
died. Mrs. Worrell finally recovered The
physicians declared the illness Of both women
was due to arsenical poisoning. Suspicion was
cast upon the Worrells, but no action was
taken against them. The writing on the pack.
age resembled that of DR.. Graves, and finally
he was arrested and then indicted for murder.
The long fight he made for his life developed the
past History Of Mrs. Rarnaby and the accused
man, His friends claimed there was an alb.
sence ~ motive for him. He could have no OBJ
ject in desiring the woman's death they said
He receiN ell q salary from her and had, they
admitted, absolute control over her fortune and
could have converted it to his own use il he so
desired. His enemies declared he had other
reasons for wishing her out OF the way.