The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-30
A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR
MISS BARRETT'S DEATH AT BOSTON
NOT YET EXPLAINED.
Her Employer Certain She Was Muir
dered, While p. j. Collins Says She
Committed Suicide.

BOSTON, July 29.-Fire Marshal Whit
comb to-day continued the hearing as to the
cause of the fire last Saturday in the Of
fee of Goldman & Goldman, in which Alice
M. Barrett was found dead with a bullet in
her heart. The most sensational feature
of the day was the testimony of P. J. Col
Inns, proprietor of the London Shrub"
Collins stated that he was with Miss Bar
rett on parts of Thursday and Friday
nights preceding the Saturday on which
she died; that he took her around to sew
eral hotels for suppers, and that they drank
bottle of wine. Thursday night he de-
clared Miss Barrett asked him for the
loan of $1,000 to meet pressing need He
could not furnish this amount, but gave
her $40 He said the girl was very despon-
dent He would not tell where he had the
suppers with the girl After the hearing
Collins alluded to certain Improbable spec
ulations in Sugar and talked about short
age IN the accounts of Goldman q Goldman,
put the members of the iirm deny that
there is any truth in this statement.
In every point Mr.. Collinss testimony
was met by counter testimony on the part
of the relatives of Miss Barrett. The young
wOmanS mother stated under oath that
Alice was at home on both the Thursday
and Friday nights to which Collins referred.
She also stated that her daughter never
that the much-talked-of $500 mentioned in
the will of the dead girl was not paid to
him. Medical Examiner Stedman has no
belief in any stories which reflect on the
character of the dead girl
The Traveller publishes an affidavit by
Mr.. Collins, in which he says: Il firmly be-
lieve that Miss Barrett committed suicide
because she was between 600 and $1,000
short in her accounts with Goldman d Cod
man.. l base my belief on the fact that on
the day she bought the revolver (Friday)
she asked me to loan her $l,200, saying that
she needed the money that day did not
have the amount of money with me, and
a 9 the banks closed | could not raise
She told me that Mr.. Foss was the person
to whom she loaned the $500 about which
so much has been said and the loss of which
has been thought to have an important
bearing on the case. He invested the money
in his business, she told me-"
FoSS is the man to whom Miss Barrett
was engaged. The enga cement was broken
about three weeks ago.
William G. Goldman, the employer of Miss
Barrett, tonight pledged his word for the
correctness of the following statements:
First, no money above $500 is missing. The
cash book, check book and letter book are
the only books burned. Mr.. Goldman admits
that 5000 in bills is gone from the safe, but
believes 1t was paid out in the ordinary
course of business on Friday. Not over
$500 could be missing without Mr.. Codman's
knowledge now. Second the statement
that the girl has speculated in Sugar or
SO 600 or $4,000 loss is an absolute untruth
omanating from a wholly irresponsible per-
sen Third, 70 Miss Wheelwright or any
other female relative of Mr.. Goldman ever
gave Miss Barrett a cent in money or in
clothes, or had any dealings whatsoever
with her Mr. Goldman says that he had
heard that the girl told her intimates that
a Miss Wheelwright gave her dresses, but
declares that the name is fictitious and
pure folderol of Miss Barrett if it was
mentioned by her at all. Fourth. Miss Bar
rett did not go to the Hotel Thorndike or
any other hotel with a lady about to de-
part on a journey. Fifth. she was MUIR
dered."
Mr. Goldman says that Mr.. Stedman had
told him that the wound was not such as
would be inflicted in the average case of
suicide and has admitted a shadow of
doubt Mr.. Goldman challenges the police
their verdict of suicide. He believes the
murdered was would-be thief. who es-
capped by clambering In the light shaft with
the aid of projections there. He thinks
Miss Barrett bought a revolver for protec-
ton on account of the robbery of a year
ago.