The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-01-08
SUICIDES, LETTER
UPSETS :; ssy ]
OF POLICE
Tends 10 Prove Lewis is Innocent
of Grace Roberts Death
HAD PLANNED TO END HIS LIFE
Father OF Victim Insists Lewis Was
Not Slayer Of the
"onyx Girl"

Pittsburgh, Pa, Jan. IA letter
Barnard Wesley Lewis wrote to his
wife from New York, ON December IL
Ia regarded by his parents and friends
here as the final blow needed te
smash the theory of the Philadelphia
police that he killed Grace Roberts
In this letter, written several weeks
before the sensational Onyx girls
staying. Lewis threatened to end his
life, because Il have wrecked our
lives" The letter reads:
New York. Dec. IL, 1916.
Dear Laura:
IL have come to the place where
there Is no way out but one ana
before ! go. must tell you as my
last words-thas you are the one
woman | have really loved. | have
wrecked our lives and | suppose the
payment viii be pretty severe for
me-my head Is all befogged from
all our trouble. ! am trying to
make this letter intelligent to you.
when I left for Chicago, 1t was
10 get us on our feet again, but l
failed miserably and but for my
OttI7AHAkGlf W udfC 10 Al oh OhN
position again, wouldn't have tried
Il. can't explain what attempted
but failed and there Is no hope for
me now.
You will get our insurance and
for what we once were to each
other, take care of daddy and
mamma for the few days they have
left 10 live and tell little Betty that
her father was sick-and God knows
I am.
You have been wonderful wife,
Laura, and have wrecked your
whole existence but pray for me
and hold my memory now as 1t
used to be to you. Kiss Betty and
daddy and mamma for me. May
you get all the blessings you de-
serve. This Is goodbye, Laura, to
you. the truest and best woman God
ever allowed to live.
Bernard"
Before the burial this afternoon, a
hand was made by relatives. They as
sert these marks were not made by
teeth. His hands, they claim, had the
appearance of being mashed, as If in
a door, and they believe the marks
were caused in some such manner
just before his death.
The least of the influences that
have compelled the police to surrend-
or their position that Lewis was the
murderer is the statement today of
James NJ. Colbert, the aged father of
oh hA ,,,~IA xix-l
whose real name was Mazie Agnes
Colbert.
III they want to find the murderer
of my daughter" said the old man,
"let them, but they have not convict
ed this man Lewis. Such have been
the statements and the illogical de-
ductions of the police that | am con-
vinced that Lewis did not kill her. The
police have failed to produce the
slightest proof that Maize was killed
by this unfortunate man who killed
himself.
Il demand that the police continue
their search. The murderer must be
found and while | am not vindictive,
! shall insist that they locate the
right man or prove that Lewis is he.
! have nothing to say about my daugh
ter. That she Is judged too harshly,
every parent will concede But she
is dead and there is nothing more to
say.
at is quite possible Lewis became
deranged when his name was dragged
into the affair. He had already made
up his mind that he would kill him
self. His letter proves that. do not
accuse him and l see no reason why
the police should.
I'VE insist that the police continue
their work of investigation We insist
that they verify and run out every
clue they find. The death of my
daughter was fearful thing; you
cannot realize what 1t means to lose
a child as we lost Maize.
Mrs. Colbert is desperately i'll. We
have not told her about it. do not
want to discuss probabilities of the
guilt OF any other man. do not pre-
sumo to think that anyone is being
shielded. My one contention is that
do not believe that Lewis is the
murderer and the police should learn
who is. That Is their business.