The herald., 1896-11-05
BARTHELMAN SAFE IN JAIL
TIE COwardly Wife Murderer Arrested
Yesterday Forenoon
He Talks About the Crime and Says 1t
Was Committed Under an I'm
controllable Impulse.

Safe behind the bars of the city Jail,
TRUSTEES" and where the eye of the jail
er is continually upon him, is Wife Muir
derer John F. Barthelman, the coward
who on Tuesday evening fatally shot
his divorced wife, Mabel out near her
home, and then lacked the moral cour-
age to end his own miserable existence.
After committing the terrible crime
Barthelman made good his escape and
was not captured until 10 o'clock yester-
day morning, when Officer Vignes found
him at No. 1926 Buena Vista street,
placed him under arrest and took him
to the police station. Barthelman made
no resistance and seemed weak and i'll
at ease. On being searched his revolver
and a bottle of laudanum We're found in
his pockets, and as some of the poison
had been used the prisoner was taken
into the receiving hospital and ques-
toned.
At first he would not say whether or
not he had taken any of the drug, but
upon the production of the stomach
pump and the preparations made to so
to work on him he wilted and declared
emphatically that he had taken no pois-
on. He had bought it with the intention
Of ending his life, but later on changed
his mind. Ascertaining that nothing
was the matter with him he was hustled
into Jail and safely locked in cell.
To the reporters Barthelman posi-
lively refused to talk. When seen he
was lying on cot wrapped in a blanket
and would make only monosyllabic re-
plies to questions. He would not either
deny or affirm that he had shot his wife,
and only requested to be left alone.
From another source, however. it was
learned that Barthelman had done some
talking after the deed was committed.
He ella med he had no intention of killing
his wife when he left his room Tuesday
morning. and took his revolver only be-
cause he expected to be out late at night
10 see the election returns and carried
it for protection on the way home
In reference to his domestic troubles
he made reference to an occurrence of
last October, when he said he had an
almost uncomfortable impulse to kill his
wife on finding her in the company of
another party out walking. He claims
to have loved her dearly and to have
been jealous of any attentions paid her.
Since their separation last March he has
continually desired to obtain control OF
his little girl, Dorothea. He rode home
on the car with Mrs. Barthelman and
Miss Lord, talking with Mabel about the
child. The argument became heated.
Suddenly his old mad impulse to xii.
came over him and he pulled his revol
Yer and fired.
In all instant after the deed had been
committed he was sorry. but the deed
could not be recalled. He ran away
oevr the hills and came into town. All
night long he tramped the streets, tor
tured by his conscience and the ineVita-
BILE consequences of his crime. He
bought the laudunum with which to end
his life but IL cked the courage to take
1t. He did, however, rub little on his
gums and lips to allay the pain and
calm himself. 1t was his intention to
give himself up to the officers, but not
until after his wife's funeral, as he
feared being forced to be present at thu
coroner's inquest and looking upon the
dead face Of his victim. He had done
the shooting in a moment of insanity.
but regrets came too late; he could NOT
undo the past
THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
At the parlors of Orr & Hines an in
quest upon the body of Barthelman's
lictin was held yesterday afternoon at
o'clock. But four witnesses testified.
and their evidence developed nothing
Beyond what has already been publish
ed. Dr. Lindley performed an autopsy
and found that death had ensued from
two bullet wounds, one in the brain and
one in the left lung, either OF which
would have proved fatal. w. Fl. Hold |
en-, the father. c. A. Holden, brother Of
the deceased, and Miss Angelina Lord.
who was in company with Mrs. Barthel-
man when she was shot, recounted
their stories of the tragedy 1t took but
moment for the jury to reach verdict
which was to the effect that the deceas-
3D. Mabel Barthelman, came to he
ieath by gunshot wounds inflicted
he hands Of her husbabnd, John F. Bar
.helman.
The funeral will be held from the ur-
lertaking establishment this afternoon
at 2 o'clock and a large number Of the
dead girls companions who worked
with her will be present