Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-28
EX-CONV|CT TAKEN
IN MURDER CHASE
AFTER DEATHS OF 4
Accused Man Names An
other as Perpetrator of
Night of Terror.
JEALOUSY OVER WIFE
BLAMED FOR OUTBURST
Prisoner, Heavily Armed, Admits
Shooting One Found in
Mates Home.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
SACRAMENTO, Calf, August 28-
An orgy of murder that lasted severs
hours and left four men dead an;
another wounded, was aScribed by po'
lice here today TO the insane jealousy
OF former con2ict over the affections
of his estranged wife and the. CUSTODY
Of his little daughter.
The suspected slayer. Percy r. Barnes
35. a railroad employe, calmly surren-
dered and asserted his innocence wher
surrounded by a posse of officers al
Stockton, south of here, late last night
after they had followed the trail o.
murder for several hours.
Heavily Armed.
Heavily armed, Barnes, who was cap
tured at Stockton last night, wher
grilled this morning by officers, nance
E. l.. r. Coburn, 26. fellow employe iI
the Southern Pacific shops here. as re-
sponsible for the shooting Of three OF
the victims.
Police said that they attached little
credence to the confession" The two
men are said to be enemies and records
of the sheriff's Office show that Coburl'
called up the sheriff's Office at the time
of the murders and asked for protection
as Barnes was 'a-rampage.
Police believe that ennity between
Barnes and Coburn as we'll as jealousy
of Barnes towards Muncy, who was said
to have held the affections of Barnes
estranged wife, was responsible for the
La &c a1u k>el{auod faof MfhniI
Barnes was unable to find Coburn, he
saw a chance to even up by attempting
to place the blame for part of the MUIR
ders on him.
The victims of the murderous at
tack were:
Charles E. Curtis, brother-in-law of
Barnes.
Charles Klein, another brother-in-
law of Barnes.
Len Gearhart. Barnes cousin by
marriage.
Clarence Muncy. 35, visitor at the
home OF Mrs. Barnes.
The wounded man is NJ. II. Larkin,
president OF q transportation company,
who apparently was an innocent by
Stander Mrs Barnes Is separated
from the ex-convict by an inter-
locutory decree of divorce.
The Sacramento police force was
thrown into confusion as. one by one,
the reports of the murders came into
headquarters. After the shooting of
Muncy had been reported, police threw
guard around Mrs. Barnes home.
They previously had been notified of
alleged threats on the part of the for
ner convict against Mrs. Barnes and
her relatives.
Admits Shooting One.
Barnes. according to the officer,
claimed Coburn joined him at local
eating house where they decided TO 60
TO the home of Barnes wife. The
visit was made and Muncy was said to
have been there. In the argument
which followed. Barnes said Muncy or
dered him to leave, afterward striking
him. Il then shot him." Barnes said
Upon leaving the house, Barnes con-
tinued, Coburn said, Well we're In bad
now. Let's get few MORE
We then drove TO Charles Curtis
home and / shot Curtis" said Barnes.
Then we went to Len Gearharts and
Charles Klein's houses and both men
were invited out and shot by Coburn.
Coburn shot M. II. Larkin when he at
tempted TO aid Klein, who approached
his car, badly wounded, and asked for
help"
The police. who by this time were
searching everywhere for the former
convict, traced him to a point near the
State fair grounds. where Gearhart was
found with a bullet through his head.
Before Gearhart's body was In the
morgue Klein was found fatally wound
ed on o highway leading toward Stock
ton. Larkin, who was passing In an
automobile, had seen Klein and another
man arguing IN the road Suddenly the
other man drew pistol and shot Klein
twice. Klein, sighting Larkin's automo-
bile. begged to be taken to hospital,
but was cut short by his assailant, who.
with an oath, turned his gun upon the
motorlst, who managed to make a get
away with the dying man. In spite of
having received two bullets In the
shoulder. He was compelled to stop at
roadhouse, where Klein died. His
story put the officers on guard In Stock
ton, where other relatives of Mrs. Klein
fearing for their lives, were guarded by
the police.