Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-29
Relatives Of Man Killed in Wash.
burn Wreck Accept $4,000
From B., G. R. & N.
Settlement Recalls the Mystery Sur.
rounding His Affair With
Miss shadville.
The Case Attracted Attention for
Months in 1owa-Miss shad.
ville's Silence

traitor of the estate Of Edwin j. Barker,
Who was killed in the Washburn wreck
of May, 1899, and the b., C. r. & N.
Railway Company, whereby the rail-
road company pays $4,000 damages and
the case is closed. Action in the ma tier
was commenced on Aug. %, 1899, in
Blackhawk county, where the wreck
occurred, the original amount asked for
being 100000. An amended petition was
later filed, making the claim $4,000 The
amount at which the settlement was
made was $4,000.
Barker was, about 33 years of age at
the time of his death. and was the own
ier and manager of valuable mining
properties in Montana, his home being
at Neihert. The petition filed in the
case stated that he was earning salaries
to the amount of $4,000 year, and up
on this basis the large amount was
claimed.
Barker had been at Hot Springs,
Ark, with his wife and mother and met
his death while returning north.
The wreck occurred on the morning
of Sunday, May %, 1899. On the evening
of the next day a young woman put in
an appearance at the Irving hotel at
Waterloo, registering az Miss Ida Shad-
VILE of Neihart Mont. Seeking the
proper authorities she stated to them
that Edwin j. Barker. one of the wreck
victims, was to have met her at Mime
apolis on the previous day, where they
We're to have been united in marriage.
Her appearance demonstrated the Sc
we're shock to which she had been sub
.jected, and her grief was pitiable. The
next morning, accompanied by b, c.
II. & n. representative, and a young
lady whose acquaintance she had made
at the hotel, Miss, Shadville Went TO the
undertaking rooms where the bodies
from the wreck had been taken, for the
purpose of Identifying her lovers re-
mains. "A reporter was present, and
With one or two other witnesses saw an
exhibition of sorrow and despair i'm
possible to describe. The girl, with the
name of the man on her lips, sank over
the casket and gave way to flood of
tears from which the witnesses turned
as one Of the saddest sights it is possible.
for man to witness.
from Hot Springs, Ark, reading as fol-
lows:
Edwin j. Baker left this city FRI
day, May 26, fopS Butte. Mont, where he
had extensive mining interests He and.
his Wife, the latter in delicate health,
have been here for several months, their
home being in Butte. Mrs. Barker and
her mother left for Waterloo this fnorn-s
ing. She s a bride of a year, and the
shock Sis a severe blow. Barker has a
brother, /. G. E.. Barker, at Great Falls.
Mont, where they own valuable mining
9interests."
This telegram was shown to Miss
,Shadyille, who said that Barker had
+ told her of his marriage, but assured
! her that the ceremony was Illegal and
would not interfere With arrangements
he had made to Wed her al Minneapolis.
Before the time named for the arrival
of Mrs. Barker, Miss, Shadville left the
city, but not before she had convinced
several personSsof her possession of doc
uments which would entitle her 10 big
portion Of Barkers' property. III was
found by communicating with Ninneap-
oils parties that Miss shadville had been
at the Hotel Nicollet for several days
waiting for Barker and that she had re-
ceiyed a telegram from him sent en-
route which probably appointed their
meeting on the day mentioned by the
girl The news of Barker's death re-
ceived by Miss Shadville brought s,e-
we're nervous shock from which she rail-
lied after several hours, and then left,
for Waterloo. Why she did this If her
story was not true has not been deter
mined. The girl left ostensibly for San
Francisco, and has been in the west
ever since.
Barker's remains We're prepared for
shipment on the Tuesday following the
wreck and We're placed on the train
which carried Mrs Barker to their
western home When saen on the train,
which she did not leave. Mrs Barker
Was found to be greatly grieved over the
death Of her husband. II was found
that she had already heard of the pres
ence of Miss Shadville. and concerning
her Mrs. Swingley, mother Of Mrs. Bar
ker, said: She is woman with whom
we have no connection or concern, and
she has, no business to NEEDLE in our at
fairs.
There's nothing like mystery to in
|tensify public interest In matters which
donot concern people. and the revela-
ltions up to that time had a tendency to
create an appetite for developments
which the newspapers endeaVOred to
satisfy. But this they We're enabled but
slightly to do. as the matter is still. and
|probably Will ever remain, closed
against the curious Investigate tors, ex-
cept in q few details, and the most i'm
portant chapters of the story We're no
doubt torn out in the death Of Edwin
j. Barker. Several things, however, are
certain. Miss Shadville. 1t was devel-j
oped was, az a girl. taken in charge by
Barker, and had continued as his pros
tege, having been educated at his ex-
pense, and under his personal direction
at Neihart That she was intensely in
love with Barker was clearly to be
seen. That he had left the woman sup
posed to be his wife and Went a long
distance to meet the Montana girl on
mission which she alone is able to name,
is also plain. When asked concerning
the alleged Mrs. Barker. Miss Shadville
said: She is an unprincipled woman
who became in trouble and compelled
the marriage with Mr.. Barker by false
accusations against him.. He Was en-
gagged to me at the time and I knew all
the connected with 1t.
am convinced that the marriage with.
her was illegal and that az soon as he
reached Minneapolis we would have
been married, and then they would be
powerless to secure his money, and that
is what they were after.