The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-08-14

tody at the depot. Barney claimed that
Lorbeer approached hlm and without
Iany warning of his inteatio. p suddenly
struck him tBarneyJ, knuc4,i y HIN
down. and then jumped ON I y VI hi.n.
He called to him to get OH HIN which
Lorbter refused to do. lie then reached
to his hip pocket with HE ght had
and drew 3S-ca.iDre revoiV ana
placing II against Lorb sgrs b dy fired.
AS Lorbeer stil held him dow II, &c hred
a secotd bail into the man whom ne
claims was the assailant. IL claims
that Lorboer first struck hin b furt hc
had any intention of doing dliy harm
and says he would not have IS such
extreme measures had not Lorb ar per-
sisted In pinning him to the ground.
Yesterday afternoon an Advertiser
reporter was admitted to his cell. He
was not Glossy confined, the grated door
being allowed to remain open. when
the reporter entered the cell Barney
was lying upon his back on the board
platform which serves as Il couch and
seat. Barney had his coat and vest off
and rolled up for a pillow. His collar
and tie had also been removed he
had made himself as comfortable as
circumstances permitted. He rose to
sitting posture when the Deputy sher-
if. turnkey and the reporter entered
and greeted all with a Good afternoon,
gentlemen"
He was dressed p'ainy and evident y
had donned his Sunday clothes for the
excursion. LIS face seemed slightly
drawn about the lips. and his eyes in
dicated that he was resigned TO await
whatever was in store for him when
he shall be tried by Jury of his peers
Il would like TO inform you, Mr..
! Barney" said the Deputy Sheriff slow
ly. that Lorbeer is ,ead "
After a moments painful Silence Bar
ney leared his head to one side and
said with a sigh. Yes. I know 1t. Cap
tain Fox tod me So" He shook his
head as If to answer some mental query
and began to trace his finger along tao
platform
He was asked II he wished to make
any statements in regard to himself for
publication excepting anything tn II
had Ia do directly with the affair which
eliminated in having n charge of MUIR
der placed against his name.
mo. | don't believe have anything
to say now" he answered. II may
later. but you see I haven't conferr d
with an attorney in regard to my case
and I would prefer to make my first
statement to him. never had an ex-
perience of this kind before in my life
No. I never have. I want to give the
truth and the facts. ! am not afraid
to tell the truth. and I do not antici-
pate II will do me any harm.
"Can you tell me when he died"
oueried Barney. He was told that
death came to Lorbeer shortly after
noon.
Il did not think he was SO badly
hurt" said Darney sadly. I'VE had
been on friendly terms and I was d.
rectly under him for the past few
weeks. 1t certainly surprised me to
hear that he was dead. am very
sorry. indeed I am. But then"-and he
sighed again, that does not help eth
er of our cases to say that I feel sorry
more on his account than on mine. The
matter of killing a man. for 7 under
stand that Is what I am charged with.
Is mighty serious affair for one, no
matter how II Ia done. am sorry to
hear that Lorbeer Is dead"
When questioned as to when he pro-
cured the revolver, and how II happen.
ed he carried II yesterday. Brrney
stated that II was one he had owned
for some time. but that the cartridges
were bought on Saturday. Az he was
to have been one of the party on the
railroad mems excursion yesterday he
had carried the revolver along with
him. thinking he might have an opo r.
tunity to shoot Mt some birds or other
target marks. he said.
LORBEER'S GOOD CHARACTER.
John w. Lorbeer was born in Iowa
thirty eight years ago. He had lived
most of his life time In California. at
Pomona, Los Angeles county. where
his father and mother. Mr. and Mrs.
John Lorbeer, as well as a number of
brothers and sisters of the murdered
man now live. For several years Mr..
Lorbeer was city marsha of Pomo Il,
and he was member of Pomona Lodge
No. 246. L. q. o. r.
Two years ago In July he came to the
Islands. together with Capt. Walter
Kinder, an old intimate friend. IN the
schooner John ID. Spreckels. For a
time he was an assistant To Jams T.
Taylor. the civil engineer. who was one
of his oldest friends. a. Honolulu pan
tation. About eight months ago he
Went to work for the oahu Railway
Company as a conductor. and about
two months ago he was promoted 10 the
position of yardmaster.
According to the testimony of all that
knew him he was a sober. industrious
man. exceptionally we'll equipped mem
tally. and with much executive abb ity.
He had not an enemy In the word. so
far as was known. and had made
friends by the score during his resi-
dence In the Islands. His loss will be
keenly felt by the railway company.
as he had proven himself a valuable
man. His rapid promotion during his
short time OF employment on the road
gy. and he would undoubtedly have ris-
en- to a much higher position had he
lived.
The police say that the revolver
which Barney used is almost certainly
new. 1t gives every evidence of hav-
ing been shot off only few times and
the police theory is that 1t was bought
very recently. Barney Ia said to have
been drinking all Saturday and II Is
supposed that Lorbeer spoke to him OF
dischsrgng him early that day Bar
ney was not drunk when captured at
the scene Of the crime. but his breath
smelt of liquor. Some OF the railroad
men believe that mt being invited to
the luau which Lorbaer was managing.
Barney came about tn make trouble
Being discharged he seemingly had no
business I'm the yards.
on account of the tragedy the ex-