Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-09
Dallas Woman Declares Barr
Wrongfully duplicates Her. in
Killing of Young Stenographer
Because She Rebuffed Him.
Police Puzzled by Man Who CooIIy
Maintains He Is Guilty, Assert
ing That Weapon for Deed Was
Given Him by Mrs. Lake.

DALLAS, TEXAS, Nov. S-Meade
Barr, coolly maintaining his story
that he, with the help of Mrs. Ellie
Lake, pretty widow, killed Florence
Brown, a girl stenographer, July %,
finds it hard to get anyone to believe
him Even the Grand Jury is dis
counting Bars story, and refuses to
lndict him.
This unusual situation in what is
one of the most perplexing murder
mysteries of Texas is the result of
Mrs. Lakes accusation that Barr ac-
cuses her as a means of retaliation
for the rebuffs she gave him when
he sought to make love to her. The
opinion exists everywhere that Barr
is charging himself and Mrs. Lake
with cruel murder merely as a
means Of revenge on the woman.
Makes Startling Charge.
Mrs. Lake, arrested upon the ac-
cusation of Barr, is seeking her free
dom on writ of habeas corpus. 1t
was in her suit for freedom that she
made the startling charge against her
accuser, and barred the story of a
most bizarre revenge.
And with 1t all, the mystery sur
rounding the death of Miss Brown
deepens The girl was found dead in
the real estate office in which she
was employed, her throat cut and her
head crushed as If by heavy blows.
Barr says he did it, He told the
Grand Jury, and he reitsrates frankly
TO interviewers, that he entered the
office where the girl was working
alone and struck her over the head
with pistol. The revolver he de-
clares, was given him by Mrs. Lake.
He CoolIy Tells Story.
Very nonchalantly, as if it were
the most natural thing in the world,
Barr tells a grewsome story. He
says he beat the girl to a kneeling
position, and she pleaded with him for
her life.
Il am too young to die" he says
she cried, land my life has been
filled with so much trouble"
But he struck her again and again,
according to his story, and when she
sank to the floor he cut her throat.
The sight of the blood on his arms
and her plaintive last words filled
him with remorse, he declares, until
he was impelled to tell Of the deed.
Some of the details of his story
have been verified by the police, lead
ing them to believe that he might
have been Miss Browns slayer. How
ever, there is nothing that points
definitely to that conclusion, and
nothing at all leading to a belief in
Mrs Lakes guilt.
Cites Unwelcome Attentions.
Mrs Lake, just rs years old, insists
that she has repealed Barr since she
has known him, and that she has been
forced to send him away from her
time and again. Even before her
husband died, she declares, she was
confronted with Bars unwelcome at
tentions.
Il was introduced to him about five
months ago." is her formal statement
on which she Is basing her habeas
corpus suit. "and afterward he
claimed he loved me. l resented his
professions, and warned him not to
enter my apartments unless my hus-
band was there. He said then he
would get even with me some day.
That is the only reason l can give
for his attempt to connect me with
the death of Miss Brown.
4 deny most emphatically that
ever gave him a pistol or weapon oil
any kind"
Charge Against Barr.
charge of having murdered MISS
Brown was filed against Barr several
Gays ago, before his arrival from the
Indiana reformatory, where he hrst
confessed. The charge against MRS
Lake was filed by Chief of Detectives
Tanner. Why Barr connected her
with the killing the officials would not
leveal. pending an investigation OF
his story by the Grand Jury. NOT
even in Bars alleged confession mas
any motive for Mrs. Lakes part IN
the crime been ascTtbed