The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-05

ognized him. Meacham acknowledged
that he killed Posey Barker and told
Scott that If he would visit him pri-
vately IN the jail he would give him
| ali OF the particulars. Scott went to see
him later, but Meacham's attorney had
warned nim 20 keep still and he refused
70 tell anything else. He had previous
| ~ told Mr.. Barker enough, however, to
warrant he statement that Meachdm
was at least drinking if not drunk when
he committed this horrible deed. He
| acknowledged to having had whisky on
the day of the murder for person saw
him visit a saloon as soon as he reached
Cleveland Meacham says that he want
ed to drive on into Cleveland that day
before getting dinner and Barker refused.
when they passed some wordsa and after
they had stopped for dinner Barker t. Ell
to interfere with the cooking, he OBJ
jected and that the dispute terminated
In Barker being killed. The evidence dis
closed the fact that the lick that str"ck
Barker was a right handed stroke deliv
cred from the victim back ard cTasitt d
in the right SIDE of the skull, forcing his
eyes from their sockets. SCOTT informs Us
that he srCke to his uncle before leav-
iIcg Tecumseh about taking such = man
as Meacham with him and that Mr.. Bar
ker, recognizing Meacham's demeanor
when drunk, had promised 20 avaid stor-
ping or camp.rg at any place where jim
would have access to the saloons. From
Meacham's own statement it seems that
Barker was insisting on following out
the plan he had informed Scott he would
follow and leaves a very strong impress
sion here that that was the reason Jim
fell out with him. Meacham also said
that Barker had refused TO stop in town
over night during the entire trip, but for
what reason he never knew.
Meacham regretted very much that he
had committed the crime and expressed
a desire that he was the victim instead
OF the slayer He spoke very tenderly OF
Possy Barker, saying that their trip up
to tilA tine of the killing had been
very pleasant one and that no man could
have been kinder or treated him with
more respect than Mr. Barker did until
the dispute arose. Meacham did not ap-
pear much surprised when informed of
the indignation the people here had
toward him and volunteered the express
sion that he supposed the Tecumseh
people had him accused Of numbering Mr..
Barker for the purpose of obtaining the
wagon and team and what money Mr..
Barker had. This he stoutly denied say
ing that he hoped nobody would enter
tain the idea that he was low down
and degraded enough to kill man for MS
worldly possessions.
When asked how much money he and
Barker had when they left Tecumseh,
Meacham claimed to have had so and
said that Barker had about 800 Scott
thinks his uncle had about 800 with him,
but does not believe Meacham had
dollar. as he left here owing Mrs, Met
calf S. for board Meacham also claims
to have made $40, at a point in Missouri,
doing some carpenter work.
The citizens in and around Cleveland
were very diligent in their search for evil
dence in the case and place was found
where Bankers pocketbook, papers, boots,
and other articles had been burned and
a steel picket pin was found concealed in
a hollow stump near the spot where Bar
ker was killed. This inhuman Meacham
had forced the pin in the hollow at the
into his Intervals, presumably while he
was breathing his last breaths. In
briar patch near Chattanooga, the black
cap so frequently worn by Meacham In
Tecumseh, was found, and it bore stains
of blood.
At the preliminary trial Of Meacham
the demonstrations of a mob were so ev-
idcnt that the preliminary was closed
the judge ordering the prisoner to jail
without bond To await the action OF the
grand jury at the s. ptember term VI
court withou. completing the hearing.
heavy guard is KEEP around the jail at all
times now. M. Barker says the prose
cution has over one hundred witnesses
and will be able to prove that that Mea-
cham killed his uncle outright without
DrOV0patiOn