New-York tribune., 1907-11-15


his room at his home. at No 1O1 East 3sth street
and died from the effects of the wound about
four hours later. The bullet entered the upper
left side of the abdomen and, pursuing an up
ward course, lodged in the left shoulder just be-
low the neck
Representatives of the directors and depositors
Of the trust company hearing of his death
were unanimous in saying that there had been
found nothing irregular or Improper in his deal
ings with the company.
At midnight Mrs. Barney was reported as
still suffering severely from the nervous shock
caused by her husbands death. a physician
was in attendance.
Mrs. Barney and Mrs. Susan Abbot Mead n
friend of the family. were talking in room near
Mr.. Barney's yesterday morning Suddenly
they were startled by the sound Of single shot.
Mrs. Mead rushed ints Mr.. Barney's room She
saw him standing, swaying slightly, near the
centre of the room. Mrs. Barney. who had fol-
lowed Mrs. Mead closely. reached the doorway
in time to see her husband sway forward and
then fall full length upon the floor. With little
cry she rushed to him and. kneeling beside him.
put his head in her lap.
He was suffering fearful pain at that time
and was at first unable to speak Ashbel H.
Barney. his oldest son. who was on the first
floor when the shot was fired, upstairs.
reaching his fathers room after he had fallen
Don't try TO move. father he cried. until
get physician" He then called up DR.. George
A. Dixon. of No. 10 West 10Th street. who had
been the Barneys' physician for the last twenty
years.
DR.. Dixon came Immediately. and shortly after
his arrival Mr.. Barney still suffering intensely.
regained consciousness.
According to the coroner's statement. the doc
tor asked, as ne bent over the wounded man.
How did this happen?"
1T was an accident. nothing but an accident.
doctor" Mr.. Barney managed to say and these
were the last words he spoke.
The physician that Mr.. Barney was NOR
tally wounded. He had DR.. Levin A. Stimson
and DR.. Joseph A. Blake. of No. COL Madison
avenue. called. 1t was decided, after hurried
conference. that an operation was necessary. 1t
was performed by DR.. Blake about o'clock 1t
was unsuccessful. and Mr.. Barney died without
again regaining consciousness shortly after 2:3O
o'cloc'S
CONFLICTING OPINIONS.
Conflicting opinions are held to whether Mr..
Barney shot himself accidentally committed
suicide According to DR.. Dixon's sworn state
ment to Coroner Hamburger. Mr.. Barney in what
so far as known were his last words said this
was accidental" DR.. O'Hanlon, Coroner Har-
burgers assistant who afterward extracted tho
bullet holds the opinion that Mr.. Barney did
not kill himself Intentionally. Dr. OHanlon is
most positive in this. 1T seems to me practi-
caIly impossible he said. that a man should
kill himself in such way. Judging from Mr.
Barneys characteristics. his physique and his
determination. I cannot believe that he shot
himself in such way. He would have taken
better aim. This is not case of suicide
Mr. Manley, head of the homicide department
of the District Attorneys office. who was sent
for by George L. Nichols. of counsel for Mr..
Barney shortly after the shot was fired. held
the same view.
Coroner Julius Hamburger on the other hand.
states positively that il is a clear case of sui
eide. ''It could have been nothing else said
Mr- Hamburger. Mr. Barney shot himself and
there be no doubt about that believe he
shot himself because of the events of the last
few days. judging from al! the circumstances
surrounding the case"
A third view is held by A number of other per
sons. These say that Mr.. Barney was holding
the pistol in front Of him preparatory 10 raising
ii TO shoot. when il accidentally went off
II. S. Black president of the United States
Realty and Improvement Company and per-
sonal friend of Mr.. Barney. said last night that
Mr. Barneys friends had been working for
some time to rehabilitate him financially
Many Of his friends said Mr.. Black "were
endeavoring to arrange for different banks 10
knowing that by that time the large amount Of
his realty holdings would find a market at A
larger price than they would now. and in this
manner he would be able TO pay off his in
debtedness. This arrangement could have un-
doubtedy been made with the banks.'
George L. Nichols. of Mr.. Barney's counsel
said that the report that the friends of the dead
flnancier meeting to aid him at the time
he shot himself unfounded, and that he
needed no aid The report was that the meet
ing was TO consider the formation of a stock
company to take over Mr.. Barney's personal
business.
Messrs Masten & Nichols. the counsel OF Mr.
Barney. gave out the following statement at
his home last night:
While Mr.. Barney was financially embarrassed
his embarrassment only temporary His
property consisted largely OF real estate and
the stocks of bank and trust and realty com
panies. which could not be sold under existing
conditions except at enormous sacrifices All
of his creditors had teen seen and had signified
their entire Willingness TO extend the payment
of his obligations for a sufficient period to
enable his assets to be converted into cash. In
order TO accomplish this, plan had been pre-
pared involving the transfer of all OF his assets
to a corporation which should issue its obliga-
tions to the creditors. such obligations to be in
dorsed by Mr.. Barney. This plan had been ap-
proved by all OF the creditors to whom il had
been submitted. including. subject to the a2-
proval Of the court. the receivers OF the Knick-
erbocker Trust Company.
As a preliminary TO submitting such plan TO
the creditors examination of Mr. Barney's
books and affairs made BY an outside eX~
pert accountant. This examination was finally
completed on Monday last. and shows that. on
the basis of the present low market values
both of real estate and securities. the assets OF
Mr. Barney exceed all his liabilities of every
kind by the sum of S2.517,31 90: of these
assets 50. Isl 600 6S is represented by equities
i'm his real estate
DEBT TO KNICKERBOCKER
The total Indebtedness of every kind Of Mr..
Barney TO the Knickerbocker Trust Company Is