Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-01-11
THE OTHER SIDE.

- '14i1UOu sfWE1tGS dS lO1-
lows to the Grand Forks Herald:
I am surprised that SO reliable a paper
as the Herald should be SO badly taken
in as you have been by yonr report of
the Barry murder. Your report has
doubtless created some sympathy for
the murderer. where none is deserved.
r The first acquaintance the writer had
with Mr.. William Barry was in the falf
of 1887, when Barry opened saloon in
Milton. Barry is known as a man of
quick and uncomfortable temper. It
is we'll known that he frequently guar
relied with his hired man, Andrew Mel
lem. ~, 49,. -.r..5.,
Prior to the killing Mellem had told d
relative that Barry owed him some
money, and it is currently reported that
was indebted to his sister. Mary A.
Barry, to the amount of $500. Had
Mellema and Miss Barry married .'Bill"
would have lost his housekeeper and
would have had to pay what he owed
them both. This may or may: not have
been the primary cause of the murder.
Some believe it to have been the real
cause. According to the statement of
Barry he had planned for two days to
kill Mellem. Going to the barn in the
morning he caught Mellem in small
stall and overpowered him, bound him
with ropes, and then gave Mellem sfve
minutes to pray" and then deliberately
pushed knife blade into his throat and
watched him de-, Miss Barry, whom
your tragic reporter had running wild
and crazy over the prairies all the night
before, had up to this moment been in
her right mind, attending to her duties
in the house. >s
: Upon hearing the cries in the barn
she ran out and tried to get in. Bill
had locked the barn from the inside and
the bloody latch shows that he opened
it after cutting the throat of Mellen.
Miss Barry, seeing the man she loved
dead, and believing that she would be
the next victim, ran for neighbor,
closely followed by Barry. When caught
by the murderer her reason was gone.
| am credibly informed that Barry him
self has said that Mellem was in no way
responsible for the insanity of his sister.
That people here are in sympathy with
Barry is a contenlptible lie. If he were
to be brought to this town it is more
than probable that the rope with which
ne bound Mellem would find a better
use. n~
b Another item from the Herald says
Hugh Quigiey returned last evening
from Langdon, where he has been for
the past two days in conference with
William Barry. He has known Mr..
Barry over since the two we're boys and.
therefore has been very much interested
since the killing of Mellen last week.
He went to Langdon for the purpose Of
finding out whether or not Barry was
mentally unbalanced, and after spending
two days with him he said to a Herald
reporter upon his return: .s.S
There is not the slightest doubt as to-
Barry's being insane. He is not violent.
but realized the moment I saw him
that he was ''offf' very decidedly, and
after talking a great deal 4 became
former in my convictions that he was was
mentally unbalanced. III carrying on d
conversation he cannot stick to one sub.
ject for any length of time. His mind
seems to be wand dering incessantly
8..A .A wonderful change has come over
hernan since saw him about two
years ago. He IS not at all the same.
His eyes have ths stare off "a mad man.
This is not at all sur priisiing, rs there. ii
insanity ia the farnily bit, the present
time he has two annts in an asyl na Id
London, Ontario, and his brother Rich
ard, who is at Milton now was at one
time III the same instit ution. His sister
over whom the present trouble aresa.
was in Isonsaon institution a few
years ago