Evening star., 1938-01-16
EX-M|[[|0NA|RESS
D|SAV0WS KILLING
Alleged Confession in Death
of Mother of D. c. Man
Is Recanted.
/Dfcfnroe ~, D00>
Pictures on Page A-6.)
By the Associated Press.

6y inc AS6OClAteo fIeSS.
DETROIT, Jan. l5.-Prosecutor
Duncan c. McCrea said that Mrs.
Julia M. Barker, 45-year -old real es-
tate dealer. tonight repudiated an
alleged confession that she shot and
killed her friend and business asso-
ciate, Mrs. Edith Mae Cummings, 40.
Mrs. Barker surrendered this aft
ernoon three hours after Mrs. Cum
ming's body was found in q snow
filled rural ravine, and the prosecutor
said she confessed she had shot in
self-defense. Both women were De-
troit real estate dealers.
A later statement, which Prosecutor
McCrea said the woman made to him
and State Police Capt. Donald s..
Leonard, related that Mrs. Cummings
caught me by the foot and I fell
Then she drew 4 gun. She told me
I'm going to kill you and commit
suicide. We're in so deep in these
land deals that We will never get out I"
Doesn't Remember Shooting.
Mr.. McCrea said Mrs. Barker con-
tinued:
Then I saw the pistol. I screamed
and fought to get the gun, but can't
remember having 1t or shooting it.
do remember a struggle"
After questioning at the prosecutors s
Office. Mrs Barker was held without
charge and placed in the Wayne
County Jail. Matrons were instructed
to keep q close watch over her, and
another prisoner was lodged in the
same cell.
DR.. Paul A. Klebbs, county medical
examiner. reported after an autopsy
that Mrs. Cummings died from shock
and hemorrhage from q gunshot
wound in the upper left leg. He said
that was the only wound in her body.
Earlier reports were that Mrs. Cum
mings had been shot in the head also
Abrasions Cover Body.
Mrs. Cummings face. head and
body were covered with bruises, deep
abrasions and scratches, DR.. Klebbs
said. This, he added, indicated she
had been in . struggle.
Mrs. Barker had abrasions on her
knees and elbows and scratches on the
right arm, the medical examiner said.
Both women were reputed million
aires during Detroit's pre-depression
real estate boom. They also were CO.
defendants on an indictment returned
recently in Fayette County, KY,
charging conspiracy in connection
with a $4,000 transaction involving
land that was going to be bought
by Henry Ford"
Charles H. Priebe, q friend of both
women, said Mrs. Barker blamed Mrs.
Cummings for involving her in the
land deal.
Prosecutor McCrea said Mrs. Bar.
ker told him earlier Mrs. Cummings
lured her to the ravine near suburban
Belleville by asking her to inspect some
land.
Gun Went on in Struggle.
Edith whipped out q pistol" said
the statement attributed to Mrs. Bar
ker by the prosecutor. II pleaded
with her not to shoot me. I struggled
with her and the gun was discharged"
Mrs. James Fosha, wife of q farmer.
told Of hearing five shots, then Of
seeing one woman beating another
woman, who lay on the ground. Mrs.
Fosha said the woman she believed
was the assailant fed across the ice
Of the Huron River, discarding her
coat and q travelling bag. Contents
of the bag directed suspicion. to Mrs
Barker.
Mrs. Barker appeared Unexpectedly
at the prosecutors odice this aft
ernoon and announced: I'm In
terrible trouble. I want to surren-
der
Shot Twice.
In the statement that followed,
according to Prosecutor McCree, Mrs.
Barker told Of returning from Chicago
with Mrs. Cummings, Of stopping last
night at Ypsilanti (A6ich.) hotel, Of
Mrs. Cumming request that she
inspect some property that lay across
the ravine, and Of the fatal shooting.
The pistol from which the bullets
were fired disappeared Wednesday
from Mr.. Priebes ONCE after both
women had been there.
Mira. Barker entered the real estate
business In 1917 to supplement the
income Of her husband, . factory
worker. Last December her real
estate brokers license was revoked
after she had been acquitted Of .