New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-26
NEW ORLEANS, WEDNESDAY,
A Mna With Too Much Record.

! Mn1 With Too Much Record.
New Orleans has recently been honoret
| by short visit from notorious confidence
| man, who signs himself, when ne intends t.
| Use his own name, as John +. Barrett, Jr
| 1t is not his first visit. of course. as severa
prominent and respectable citizens can tes
tify to their sorrow.- During his recent
brief sojourn he succeeded in figuring as the
| victim of two or three public castigations,
besides private snubbiags innumerabIe.
The ball was opened by Major '. A. Ryan,
who met Barrett on the corner Of Canal
and Royal streets and vigorously busted
his coat with cane. as in part compensa'
tion for having signed the ajor's name to
photographic dispatch ordering certain
bank box, with valuable papers, to be dis
posed of IN a manner which was not to the
liking of the owner OF the box aud contents.
In noticing this affair, the New Orleans
Bulletin gave a short chapter of the man 8
history. which. though truthful enough,
did not please the subject Of the notice.
Barrett. therefore. armed himself and called
on the editor for satisfaction. Fortunately
for the ends of Justice, the lighting editor
happened to be in, ami ne conveyed a very
appropriate apology to the clustering Bar
rett u the shape OF a well slapped face.
Having retired from the Bulletin office with
what lie deserved, if not what he came for,
the next we hear of the hero of this sketch
lie was figuring as badly defeated party
n controversy with a hack driver.
Finally, friend came to his assistance
and advised him to Leave town. which he
has done. He left las: Saturday for fresh
fields and pastures new, where he will
doubtless endeavor TO start a new business
on the old basis.
Barrett generally introduces himself into
a strange place as 2 newspaper man, and is
always ready to back up his claims to that
distinction by the production of numerous
letters. A careful examination of his Gre
dentials, however, will excite suspicion in
the mind of the most amiaDle and charita-
bic. There is striking similarity in the
styles OF cbirography and some confusion
of the names Of the writer's and the Offices
to which they purport to belong. But he
has succeeded in deceiving many people by
these spurious papers, and gained credit
which he knows we'll how to turn to good
little cautious of taking such liberties. The
last instance of the kind we can now recall
occurred in Washington two years ago,
when he caused to be published paragraph
stating that 81. f. Barrett, Jr., editor of
the New Orleans Picayune, is lying danger
Picay'u,e was then under the editorial
charge of Colonel X. B. Rhett and Captain
L. b. Dill. Barrett never had any connec-
ton with that or any other New Orleans
paper, if we except the little engagement
he had a week or two ago with the editor of
the Bulletin.
Ii not member of the press, however,
the reporters of nearly all the papers
throughout tho country have been busy
with his fame. as the subjoned extracts
will show:
From the New Orleans Times
John f. Barrett, Jr., has received another |
hrashing, the third. We believe, since his |
arrival The last intlictor of condign pun
shneDt is said to be cabman, whom he !
occurred for repeated trips to the Lake with |
! female accomplice. and to whom he was
indebted $50.
The fact that he has walked these streets
hree weeks without being apprehended,
We regard as the most scathing reflection |
ipon our police management that has |
in years, and his pretense of in
luence with the Republican party is a
larsher criticism upon Republican party
managers. personally and otherwise. than
heir worst enemies have ever made.
John +. Barrett, Jr., came to New Orleans
II 1873, claiming to be the agent of the
Associated Press. Mr.. SimontOn, the gen
raj manager of that institution, pro
ounced that assertion a fabrication, stat
ng in letter to Mr.. Mcdaniel, the agent
ere. that no such person had been CON |
eeted with the service during his admins
ration, which. at that time, had continued
even years.
Fsom the Albany New York, York, Express, November
In Albany Barrett is pretty well known,
nd those whom he has swindled and lied
bout-and they are numerous here-would
Ike to have hIm put in an appearance in |
.lbany for a short time.
Let us give leaf from his history. He
rst came to Albany in the campaign of
36S in the capacity Of stump orator for
le Democratic ticket, representing that he {
ad been colonel or lieutenant colonel of | ;
n Iowa cavalry regiment during the war.
hat representation was undoubtedly lie.
aving plenty of brass and cheek he sue /
eeded in ingratiating himself with some of ,
le most prominent Democratic politicians :
the city, and was finally given d po-
ton as copying clerk in the Office of
10 superintendent of public instruction. f
rom that position ne was subsequently | \
.k,~ h. IL
lperintendent, for theft. Meanwhile he
Id procured money and other valuable
ings from various of our citizens under | g
lse pretenses, and for some time after his | h
scharge, before his character became
lily known. he preyed upon our citizens
I'd also upon Those of other localities. '
Their incidents in his career in this city g
g pass over for the time being because. if s.
ey were mentioned, they might bring :,
anne to other parties. He was thorough y
ing confidence man, representing himself o
times as lawyer accumulating large e
,rary in order to obtain credit for books 4
hich he afterward sold at auction; at =.
her times as one of the editors of the II
ryuS: again as confidential purchasing &
ent of the State department of public I
and yet again as gentleman :.
leisure and means, owning large and y
luable landed estate in Iowa. OF course a
these statements were lies-but he made
oney by circulating them.
Albany finally became too hot for "Gen-
al Barrett, and he went to New York,
lere he continued to practice his little I
mes, and tried to get something to do
der Tammany. Not succeeding as well
he anticipated, he became a violent Rad e
i, and finally brought up in New Or
ms. where he was used, in small wsy,
Governor Kellogg, His pretentious.
nchback to the United States Senate is
surd.