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, girl stenographer, July %,
finds it hard to get anyone to believe
him. Even the Grand Jury Is dis
counting Bars story, and refuses to
indict 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 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 a cruel murder merely as a
means OF revenge on the woman.
Makes Startling Charge.
Mrs. Lake, arrested upon the ac-
cusation Of R=s--, is seeking her free
dom on a writ of habeas corpus. 1t
made the startling charge against her
accuser, and barred the story of
most bizarre revenge.
And with it 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 reiterates 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 CooIIy 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 kneeling
position, and she pleaded with him for
her life.
l am too young to die" he says
she cried, and my life has been
hiled 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
MIN with remorse, he declares, until
ne 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
nave 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 UnweIcome Attentions.
Mrs. Lake, just 20 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.
I 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, resented his
professions, and warned him not to
enter my apartments unless my hus-
hand was there. He said then he
would get even with me some day.
Ihat is the only reason / can give
Tor his attempt TO connect me with
me death of Miss Brown.
deny most emphatically that ]
ever gave him a pistol or weapon OF
any kind"
Charge Against Barr.
charge OF having murdered Miss
crown was filed against Barr several
nays ago, before his arrival from the
lnolana reformatory, where he first
confessed. The charge against Mrs.
Lake was filed by Chief of Detectives
amer. Why Barr connected her
Win the killing the officials would not
.eVeal, pending an investigation of
nus story by the Grand Jury. Not
ven in Bars alleged confession has
any motive for Mrs. Lakes part in
me crime been ascribad