The Helena independent., 1893-09-04
SUICIDE OF DR.. GRAVES.
Closing Scene in a Tragedy That
Was Once a Reigning
Sensation.
Worn Out. Exhausted and Full OF
Bitterness. DR.. Graves Takes
Poison.
Five Letters Written to DIfYcrent Parties
by tho Dead Man-Tho Act Was
Promeditated.

DENVER, Sept. 3.-Dr. II. Thatcher
Graves. formerly OF p. evidence, X. l., was
found dead in his cell at the county Jail
about nine o'clock this morning. whore he
was awaiting a rehearinQ on the charge of
having poisoned Mrs. Barnaby. . wealthy
widow. also of Providence. Tho poisoning
Ia said 10 have been done to cover mp Dr..
Graves alleged dofalcAtions a. manager OF
Mrs. Bnrnaby's estate. Tho doctor took
his own life. using morphine. In satctiel
In the doctors cell wsre found fve letters.
the first one having been written Aug. 8
last. showing shat his suicide had been con-
templatsd since then. The following is
the hrst letter opened: "To the coroner of
Denver county. Dear Sir: Please do not
hold an autopsy on my remains. Tho
cause Of death may be rendered a. follows
Died from prosecutions; worn out, OK
haustsd.' Yours respectfully, T. Thatcher
Graves, NJ. d."
Tho last letter il directed to Capt. Crews.
iailsr of the county jail, and is full Of Bit
terness to County Attorney J. N. Stevens.
who secured DR.. Graves conviction in the
first trial. and has been working hard to
again have the doctor convicted. In the
second letter. which ID dated Aug. 25.
Graves denounces Stevens a. . liar. and
adds:
my lawyers have full receipts showing
that I never wronged the estate Of Mrs.
Barnaby. and that the estate now owes me
outside Of the leRsoy BY tho will. The
public sees what have to expect from the
villainous, cowsrdly falsshoods of Stevens.
] cannot e1lsnd moro money fighting him.
must take the only means. to prove it for
my wife and dear. honored. aged mother. Z"
Notwithstanding tho above letter Capt.
Crews In an interview indignantly denies
that DR.. Graves committed suicide. He
says the doctor died of . broken heart.
and. to use the captains words, WAS mur-
dered BY the attorneys for the state. who
have harrassed the old man to death.'
Tho other letts loft were ono each for
Mrs. Graves and tho board of county
commissioners and the public. Mrs.
Graves was informed of Ter hus-
bands death shortly before noon.
and for time Was almost crazed with
grief. Notwithstanding Dr. Graves re-
Guest thH. no autopsy bes held upon his
body a rigid investigation into the cause OF
his death will take place tonight.
DR.. Graves, before his death. said he was
penniless and thought 1t no moro than
right that if the county paid the costs of
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
10 plain he had been contemplating for
some time.
a.. ALo l.
document. in which he reviews his story OF
his remarkable case. He denied that he
ever committed the crime with which he ia
charged and declared that his prose cution
was accomplished with money and political
influence. In his letter he says: 1.-The dis
t,iot attorney at thnt time, Isaac Stevens.
a young leading politician. ambitious. full
any kind of dirty work to advance
himself and who was surrounded by the
vilest men in the west 40 his tools. At the
t, ial which followed We found everything
con plstely and absolutely under his ooun-
cept the clerk of the court). deputies. the
honorable judge and the jury. Since the
trial We have learned that no man WAS put
ON tho Jury unless ha first agreed to favor
| Stevens. Promises of political preference
and value received were freely offered and
taken.
Forty years ago man named Perrin. in
Connections, ana my father had some & on.
| bic over some land. His son worked him
self upon the jury and paid the old debt n
| full after the usual manner of such men
This We did not know until long after the
| trial. l am informed sinos the trial tina,
some Of this Jurors have received political
appointments from Stevens. and some arc
pr OCCASIONAL Jurors. getting on the jury IL
cases Whs he always wins his case. Th est
things are we'll known in Denver. Whs,
possible chance did stranger stand agains
Stevens, backed by such judge and pur
chasable Jury.
Conrad boasted that he spent s60. .0ot
among witnesses. detectives. judge anc
the money belonged TO his wife and he wa
playing for $1,000 stake. The suprem
court of Colorado. in most emphatic
soathing aud bitter words pro
nounoed the trial unfair. un-
Just and illegal, and ordered . nev
at the trial 81. 800 was paid out to buy on,
witness. They have the affidavits Of mum
erous men that they were sounded a. :.
whether. In case they were summoned OF
the jury they would favor Stevens, ant
this was done by Stevens bailitfs.
"The ju'y were under tho charge OF one
of the worst villains on earth, boarded at ,
|
thentsr and around town pretty much a
they pleased. For months and months
have languished In jail. olsmmoring for I
now trial, until have little By little learnst
of the villainous things which appestsinee
to the former trial. and l have told no
half.
II have expended . fortune in fghsins
them, but the cou to will compel me t,
spend more but l do not propose TO Civ
them any more. What have lsf
will 90 to my noble little wifi
and my poor, suffering mother. ALLOW
me 10 repeat that which have alwaya ssi'
publicly and privately: Upon my .solemI
Masonic oath, l. Thatcher & aves. did no
have any thing to do in any way. shape o
manner or deed. with the death OF Mrs
BarnAby.'
II write this knowing what the futnr
will soon have In store for me.
II leave little ky Stevens to the peopl
OF Colorado. Please take care OF hiu,
(signsd. "T. THArouER GRAVES. n. ID.
Harvard University"