The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-14
WHERE WILLY0uR
DEPRAvITY END?'
Mrs. Barrows' Mother Warned Her
That Liaison With Burkhart Might
Result in Murder

What misfortune will 1t yet Dring7
! Perhaps murder"
Thus wrote Mrs. Pauline Welsch To
Ter daughter. Mrs. Pauline Barrows
Few days before the latter's lover,
Michael Burkhart, shot down her hus-
band, Robert Barrows. In tho rear or
No. li3 Lafayette boulevard. Burk-
hart Is now on trial In Judge Phelan's
court on Il charge Of murder. with his
victims widow a witness against him.
The mothers letter was found among
big bundle OF letters the wronged
husband had written TO his VIE.
urging her to come back TO her home
and children; letters which the prose
eHtion 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 mother to ner
daughter. Translated, 1t reads:
hear that you ere using my name
In the postoffce and / think you nave
no right 10 do so. Use your own name
which has already been brought lnto
notoriety: And don't connect mine WIN
pravtv end? And what misfortune
viii IT yet bring? Perhaps murdet
And who will ne the cause? Nopouy
but you. And your innocent children
will hate you day and night Th'n
your conscience VIII awaken but IL
will be too late. The cur who mas en-
tiCcd YOU from your home VIII soon
enough be tired of YOU, Just as ali pdd
men do. And then YOU VIII have nelth,
CIR home nor husband nor children ana
a murder viii be Oh your conscience.
And who knows how soon YOU VIII DE
called before Go4is 5ads afrttt seat
should think you would nave read
enough In the newspapers how 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 emil
dren say that YOU are a craven mother.
Otherwise you could not have deserted
your poor innocent children. FOR even
an unntclligcnt beast SHOWS rove LOT
its young ones.
But that is the depth to which one
falls in bad company. Women who
drink like you and who have conductta
disgrace For YOU viii sink still deep
er. But az 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
cannot help It, and | am sorry for II
and feel for the poor little ones. 60
home, do your duty as II Is right and
Just. for honesty lasts the LONGEST /
admonish you before II is too late.
The JOY is short and the remorse Is
long God will surely punish. Move
away, and 90 where nobody knows
you and be a good mother.-And carry
your CTUsS willingly rKc | also had 10
do and Cod viii assist you.
Your Admonlshing Mother,
Barrows letters TO his wife were
read 10 the court in the absence OF the
Jury. Some of them were most pathe'
tic. In every one ne pleaded with his
wife TO return to him and reiterated
his great love- lB 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.
Il know | chewed the rag qHite
bit lately" he writes In his simple.
direct way, but DO you realize what
made me act that way. Just think or
me staying home with the children
and you out with that fellow. You
have given up home, soul and honor
for mere nothing. | gave myself
lot of trouble fretting about you. DuI
now | give it up as Dad job. | ala
feel so bad about II for two weeks
that | Was-craZNe enough lode an -
thing. Even last Monday was going
up to kill Mike, but met friend
who put sense in my head. ! thank
God met her when | did or | would
have been a murderer To-Day, fleeing
from justice"
At another time Barrows wrote in
desperation:
Come home quick. My God. | can't
stand it. I've been driven TO NOR
phine."
Again:
Dear Pauline. how long Is ne GO
Ing to use you for a playthng? When
ne gets tired of you he'll get 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 / hear what you are
doing il makes my blood boil.
He was very angry when he wrote:
Il don't know whether you sent that
red headed carp around to adopt the
children, but il | see her I'll 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.
TheLiuE visited -the-seeae- OF The
killing. Monday afternoon.