The Detroit times., 1909-07-13
WHERE WILL YOUR
DEPRAV|TY END?"
Mrs. Barrows' Mother Warned Her
That Liaison With Burkhart Might
Result In Murder.


What misfortune will IL yet bring?
Perhaps murder"
Thus wrote Mrs. Pauline Welsch to
her daughter. Mrs. Pauline Barrows
a few days before the latters lover.
Michael Burkhart, shot down her hus-
band, Robert Barrows. In the rear OF
No. las Lafayette boulevard. Burk-
bart Is now on trial in Judge Phelan's
court on a charge Of murder. with his
victims widow q witness against him.
The mothers letter was found among
big bundle OF letters the wronged
husband had written TO his wife.
urging her to come back to her home
and children; letters which the prose
cution produced Tuesday morning In
response to the demands OF the de-
tense, but which were ruled out by
the court except for those portions
containing threats against Burkhart.
The mothers letter. written In Ger
man. is a classic of its kind. remark
able appeal from a mother to her
daughter. Translated, 1t reads;
I hear that you are using my name
in the postoffice and j think you nav
no right TO do SO. Use your own name
which has already been brought INTO
notoriety. And don't connect mine WIN
Your badness. Where Will your ut-
Fprayity end? And what misfortune
win il yet bring? Perhaps murder
And who will oe the cause? Noboay
but you. And your innocent chliuieh
will hate you day and night. Then
your conscience will awaken. but II
Will be too late. The cur who has en-
ticed you from your home VIII soon
enough be tired OF you, Just as all pau
men do. And then, you Will have neith.
er home nor husband nor children, and
murder will be on your conscience.
And who knows how soon you Will De
called before Gods Judgment seat
should think you would have read
enough In the newspapers how mis- MS
fortune usually follows troubles IKE
yours, The disgrace which you nave
brought me and your sisters Is terrible.
Every woman who has seen your chill
dren say that you are craven mother:
Otherwise you could not have deserted
your poor innocent children. for even
an unintelligent beast shows love for
It's young ones.
But that is the depth to which one
falls In bad company women VINO
a home like you. "Pfui! Pfufr Such
disgrace! For you Will sink still deep
er. But as one lives so one will die
Can you have rest when your children
are given away and no one knows into
what bad hands they might fall or
whether they are dead or alive? We
and feel for the poor little ones: Go
home do your duty as 1t Is right and
Just. for honesty lasts the longest.
admonish you before II is too late.
long. God will surely punish. Move
-away" and -go-whefe- nobody knows
you and be good mother. And carry
your cross willingly like / also had to
do and God will assist you.
Your Admonishing Mother
Barrows' letters to his wife were
read to the court In the absence OF the
Jury, Some, of them were most pathe-
tic. In every one he pleaded with his
wife to return to him aud reiterated
his great love. In one he tells OF his
pre- parations to have the babies placed
in the hands of strangers and declares
that IL almost breaks his heart.
II know | chewed the rag quite
bit lately" he writes in his simple.
direct way, but do you realize what
made me act that way. Just think OF
me staying home with the children
and you out with that fellow. You
have given up home, soul and honor
for a mere nothing. | gave myself
lot Of trouble fretting about you, put
now | give II up as bad job. l did
feel so bad about II for two weeks
that was crazy enough TO do any
thing. Even last Monday was going
up to kill Mike. but l met a friend
who put sense In my head. | thank
God met her when ! did or | would
have been a murderer today, fleeing
from Justice"
At another time Barrows wrote In
desperation:
Come home quick. Ny God. can't
stand 1t. I've been driven to NOR
phine.'
Again:
Dear Pauline, how long is ne go
ing to use you for plaything? When
he gets tired Of you he'll get a new
one"
In another letter he resorted to "jol-
lying to bring her back TO him, say
ing:
Darling wife, won't you please
come home, Bill Bailey, and do my
cooking, honey? know I've done
wrong When l hear what you are
doing II makes my blood boil
He was very angry when he wrote:
81 don't know whether you sent that
red-headed carp around TO adopt the
children, but II I see her III throw
pail Of water on her"
Mrs. Barrows was on the witness
stand again Tuesday morning and her
examination had not been concluded
when court adjourned for the noon re-
cess.
On redirect examination by Assist
ant Prosecutor Aldrich, she Identified
the blood-covered clothes worn by her
husband and was not visibly affected.
The jury visited the scene of the
killing. Monday afternoon.
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