The New York herald., 1879-07-28
TILE DEAD CoNvICTs WAKE.
SAD SCENE AT THE HOME OF JOHN BARRETr's
PARRNTs-A MorHER's WOE AND STRANGERS

SAD SCENE AT THE HOME OF JOHN BARRETrs
PARRNTs-A MorHER's WOE AND STRANGERS
CURIOSITY.
No. $50 East Thirty street live the parents of
John Barrett. the young convict who was shot down
at Sing Sing Friday. The room was dimly
lighted yesterday evening by the waxen corpse
lights. which stood in the brass branches on the
bureau at the head OF dark object which. covered
with q pail. rested trestles under the windows.
score Of shsdowy figures sat with bowed heans on
chairs ranged along the other sides Of the room.
The clock. in compliance with an old tradition
stopped. and all the lookngglasses veiled.
Tho door stood wide open. and through 1t csme and
went with noiseless steps creaking boots those
who wanted to SEQ the dead convict. At tho head
OF his conn and bending 1t with clasped hands
a small middle-a aged woman. who unconscious
of AL about her. talked In agonixing undertones to
the inanimste form whose face hidden rom
view by q white napkin. This was the dead boys
mother. She had taken mp that position Sasur-
day, when the undertaken ..layed out" tho remains
and had never left it up to the time Of this writing
,.s nsn word OF ns1shSarv ne saS
been uttered in her needless ears. True. hun
dreds came and went. but those were only
curious people who had never known the family. or
simple boon companions OF him who now lay stark
before them. The mother alone in her sorrow.
quaintanccs. who dared violate the sanctuary OF
her grief by the utterance Of commonplace words OF
condolenoe. The father was asleep in one Of the
back rooms, completely worn out by excitement and
Watching; the younger boy sat on the steps Of the
lower hallway crying softly for '.his brother
Johnny. unnoticed by the throngs OF chattering
girls and loud young men who came and went to
and from "the wake" INCREASINGLY
BREAKING HEART.
As young and old entered the chamber Of death.
and tiptoed toward the bier they Invariably halted
behind the broken hearted mother overswed by her
dfnat 10xv.v Ocada ff,h Aaah and
to Heaven for one word from him. No
tured interrupt the outpouring Of those prayers
until lady in black. named Magee entered with
her daughters about nine o'clock and approaching
Mrs. Barrett gently wound her arm about her neck,
O. maxim yersel' sick an brakin' yer heart pur
body. Come! come. guild wte sit ye doom . wee.
an pet yer troost in the Amchty.'
These words, spoken IN the genuine accents and
we'll known tones OF an old friend. found their way
the sorrowful heart and broke the iron spell tnat
anguish had fettered her WITH and Mrs. Barrett
sraig ghtened herself up. turned. and with hysteri
cal shrek flung herself the kindly bosom of her
friend and allowed herself to be taken to char.
To Mrs. MaKees soothing expressions Mrs. Bar
rett at length replied in heartrending words.
Where was tho good God when that man raised
did he not stop hims lid NOT tho good Father
know that his death would break my heart. Ohl my
proud, my noble boy! Little thought when last
saw you that you would be brought home a corpse
to me tonight! o. Mrs. Magee! Mrs. Magee! 1t
his high spirit that killed him. They drove
him too hard and his daring temper could not
stand it,"
In tho midst Of this scene her other son. who is
employed ut the race track on Coney Island came in
and then followed another outburst OF grief
that moved many spectators to tears. While
mother and son stood speaking and weeping
together in the lobby. young men and
girls gayly dressed in Sunday garb went
up to the bier aud looked curiously 1T the pale.
handsome boyish taco OF the dead. Those wnom
morbid curiosity had brought thither showed they
were strangers by such expressions rs. 'wasn't he
youngY' "Why. he real handsome!' HE
doesn't look like burglar" Others. young men,
who had been his chums in former days before
crime aud the law had fastened upon him. gazed in
mute humility and nameless fear upon who.
though young they. had furnished criminal
sensation and died in felon's garb. Those who en-
tered with light hearts and thoughtess minds went
away detected and reflective.
Through the hot day and weary evening visitors
poured III and out aud when midnight chimed few
who did not care to come before entered and stole
u hasty glance at Barrett's face and hurried away
into the dark deserted streets. Still the shadowy
watchers remained seated with bowed heads on the
chairs, and as the weary hours wore told their
beads and said the rosary for the repose OF the
soul OF the youth who was cut off without mo
ment's warning. or, as his mother said, without .
chance to ask God to have mercy his soul"