davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17

to ask them. 1t was learned after they
were under arrest, charged with mur-
der, that they made living by s'hoId-
ing up" people at the point of their re-
volvers, and burg lariZing houses. In
fact, there are several indictments
against them for those offenses now, but
from all appearances the boys will
never be tried on them.
AFTER TUE SHOOTING
of Thomas TOliefSon Peter Barrett
went back to Omaha, while Tim went
to Northfield, where he was once ar
rested for some minor OffenSe. He then
returned to Minneapolis, and engaged
in highway robbery and burglary as a
business. The scene of all his Operat-
ing was near Minnehaha Falls, which
LongfellOw has immortalized in his
Hiawatha." One night during this
period of his checkered career he went
to the railway station at the falls with
the Intention of burglariZing it. The
station agent, mere boy, was there at
time. and finally Tin became impatient
because he did not leave. Going to the
window near where the boy sat he fired
two shots at him, both bullets coming
very near the agents head. Tim then
fed, and the next day visited his
brother "':Reddy," who was in jail for
Reddy" what he had done,
and during the conversation re-
marked: ''That little s. of a b.
of a station agent must think I am
poor shot, but tonight will show him
that am good shot" That night Tim
went back to the station fully prepared
to kill the agent. For some reason the
boy had gone home earlier than usual,
and the place was in darkness when
Tim arrived. He then broke in and
rifled the cash drawer, securing some SIS
or Sc in silver. After leaving the sta
tion he broke into residence near by
and secured a few articles of value.
Two or three days after this the fiend
''HELD UP" TWO LADIES =
and little girl near the falls at the.
point of his revolver. From the little
girl he took a gold ring, tearing it from
her finger, and from one of the ladies
he secured 21 cents, nearly all in PEN
MES. 1t was for this robbery that he
was arrested, and while he was in the
First precinct police station on the
charge Of highway robbery, his brother
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
THE MURDERED MAN.
Thomas Tollefson's Simple Life
Married But Two Weeks.

Thomas Tollefson, for whose murder
Timothy and Peter Barrett will soon
hang, was driver on the Cedar avenue
street car line. and resided with his
wife at the time he was shot down, on
Riverside avenue, in South Minneapo-
lis. He was twenty-eight years of age,
a handsome fellow, and as brave and
generous as a man can be. Two
weeks previous to his death he
married the young woman who
to housekeeping at the residence
he had furnished in anticipation of the
event. This residence was his own,
paid for in installments with money
which he had saved from his small
wages. He was man of first-class
character in all respects, and was gen.
eral favorite among the men with whom
he was daily brought in contact. They
all knew him as ''Tom," and when it
was learned that he had been shot down
in cold blood by cowardly murderers,
their indignation and sorrow were as
great as though he had been a brother
instead of a fellow-workman. 1t was
cruel blow to his wife, and for some
weeks she was in critical condition.
Her appearance in the court room dur
ing the trial created much sympathy for
her
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
THE EXECUTION.
The Room and Arrangements
Made for the Spectators.
.ments

Sheriff Eye, to whom is allotted the
unpleasant duty of carrying out the
law. has been Dnsy during the week
making the preparations for the hang
ing. The responsibility is much greater
than one would appreciate, unless placed
in similar position. The slightest de-
tail must be carefully looked after, as
any hitch might occasion delay or a
confusion, which would result not
merely in mbarraSSment, but absolute
cruelty to the condemned. An execu-
tion is terrible affair at the best, and
at such an hour everything must move
smoothly or something will occur which
would CRATE harShly upon SensibilitieS
that are raised to the highest pitch.
The Barretts at present are confined
in the upper tier of the three-hoored
cage in the main part of the jail. They
can consequently hear but little, and
see nothing of the preparations for
their execution, which are being made
in the east wing of the building.
This portion of the building was for
merly used for the confinement of the
city prisoners before the workhouse
was established. The room IS a large
one, about 50x25 feet in its dimensions,
and is nearly thirty feet in height. At
either end is an iron cage for the con-
at the farther extremity of the room, to
the left, as you enter the narrow door,
the scaffold is being built.
Sheriff Ege will do his best to accom-
modate those whoreally have claim to
admission as witnesses to the execution.
The jurors and attorneys connected
with the case and the Sheriffs of the
fifty-eight counties, the press represent
atives, some police officials and a few
physicians are to included all who
will be present.with but few exceptions.
Even then the number of spectators will
reach IT'S, and possibly 200, as an i'm
mense pressure will be brought by the
morbidly curious. The sheriff will en-
% deavor to accommodate the public to the
extent OF his ability, and recognizes
that the press will be largely the
medium of information on the
subject. The newspapers, how
ever, are to be cut down to
but two representatives for the dailies
of the Twin Cities, and other papers
will be allowed but one representative
each. Telegraphic instruments will be
placed in the cells at the opposite end
of the room from the gallows, and tele-
phone connection will also be made.
The spectators will stand on platforms,
which are built after the style of
broad stairway, graduating from the
floor to a considerable height, even
with the scaffold. Even the tops of the
cells and the cells themselves will be
utilized for spectators. A railing will
keep the crowd respectful distance
from the scaffold, and inside the
railing only few physicians will be al
lowed for the purpose of noting the pull
sations after the men take the fatal
drop.
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17


through a fendish murder, devil
ish confession, two trials and double
conviction, to scaffold, will be ter
minated with a graveyard again and
the universal Mother Earth will curtain
the remains of Tim and Pete Barrett
and their victim, Thomas Tollefson.
The sun rises this morning on the last
week of life for the doomed brothers.
Unless Gov. Merriam can be prevailed
upon to interfere, Tim and Pete will to-
day hear for the last time the
chimes of the Sabbath bells, and
will on Friday next rend the curtain
that hangs. between the now and the
hereafter. On that day will come the
closing act of this most thrilling,
dramatic, diabolical and utterly incom-
prehensible murder case known to the
criminal annals of Minnesota. The
Yantonness of the homicide: the terri
Bile confession of the elder brother; the
thrilling testimony when that brother
faced the family in court; the elaborate
network of the eprosecution and desperate
energy of the defense; the night scenes
of the conviction and the unremltting
effort to secure a mitigation of the SEN
tence-each sufficiently dramatic in
itself-unite to form the most pictur-
rescue panorama of crime the
GLOBE has ever been called upon to
chronicle. The curtain will fall on
Friday next, on the closing act of the
tragedy-an act that in dramatic inten-
sity will outriyaI and eclipse all that
has preceded it.
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
REVEALED BY REDDY.
Dramatic Circumstances Sur
rounding the Terrible Confes-
sion of Henry

rounding the Terrible Confes-
sion of Henry.
During the latter part of September
or the first of October Henry Barrett,
brother of Tim and Pete Barrett, was
convicted in the district court of selling
liquor without license at his place on
Fort avenue, and sentenced to impris.
onment in the county jail for thirty
days, and to pay fine of $50 and costs.
In default of payment of this money he
was to remain in jail sixty days longer.
He refused to pay the fine, claiming that
he could not raise the money. He had
served all but some fifteen or twenty
days of the additional sixty, when one
day he called to Otto johnson, then one
Of the JailerS, and sent word through
him to the assistant county attorney,
Robert Jamison, that he knew of some
important facts concerning the murder
OF TollefSon. He further stated that he
would tell all that he knew about it if
Mr.. JamiSon would come to the jail. A
few days after this Tim was arrested
for the highway robbery at Minnehaha
Falls, and the same day Henry raised
the money to pay the fine of $50 and
costs for illegal liquor selling, and was
set at liberty. Before he left the iail
he again notified Mr.. Jamison, through
johnson, tnat ne was ready to tell what
he knew about the murder. Mr.. Jamison
went to the Jail, but found that ''Reddy''
had gone. Securing a hack, Mr.. Jami-
son got Jailor Johnson and drove to
South Minneapolis to find 'Reddy'' and
get his statement. He drove around
until almost midnight looking for
Henry's house, and as last resort
went to Mrs. Coleman's, Barrett's sister.
and got her husband to get into the
hack and direct him to where Henry
lived. When the place was reached
Henry and his wife had gone to bed.
and were all alone in the house. On
learning who his callers were, 'Reddy''
let them in and showed them into the
front room, where he was Informed by
Mr.. Jamison that he was ready to hear
what he had to say. freddy" replied
that he had some
INFORMATION OF GREAT VALUE,
but would prefer not to give it until the
following day. Mr.. Jamison accord
ingly made arrangements to meet him
at the court house at 10 o'clock the
morning following. When that hour
arrived ''Reddy" was promptly on hand,
and he and Mr.. Jamison went into the
room new occupied by Judge Hicks as
a private office. Here Mr.. Jamison
again told 'Reddy'' he was prepared to
hear his statement. "Reddy'' made no
Ieply, and for FIVE minutes or more sat
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17

box belonging to the car, containing
some $50 in money and car checks, was
gone, showing that the unfortunate
man had been murdered for the money
he he had ee charge of. At the inquest moth
ing was developed which threw any
light on the awful tragedy, except that
he was shot down by three men While
trying to defend his cash box.
The police went to work on the case,
but it proved complete mystery, so
far as discovering the guilty men was
concerned. Indignation ran high. and
finally a reward of s2,7O0 was offered
for the arrest of the murderers. This
failed to bring out anything pertaining
to the crime. and the police were on the
point of giving up the case when
"Reddy" Barrett made his confession
to Assistant County Attorney Robert
Jamison. Clue after clue had been fol-
the confession was made Mr.. Jamison
took hold of the case and worked it up
almost single-harded and without aid.
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17

driver of another car on the same line
McKinnon had been out to the end of
the line at Lake street and had had his
car thrown off of the track by planks,
which had been laid across the rails by
some one. He drove rapidly toward the
city, without stopping, to get his car on
the track again. Some distance from
the turntable he met Tollefson,
Sdriving out. He called to him
: to look out for his car, as it was
likely he would be attacked. McKinnon
did not see Tollefson again until he saw
his dead body on the front platform of
the car. Some ten or twelve minutes
after McKinnon had passed Tollefscn
he heard two or three shots. These
shots were also heard by others. A few
moments later the mules attached to the
car came running back as hard as they
could go, and lying on the platform of
the car was Tollefs0n, with bullet
hole in his chest and one in his right
thigh. He was stone dead, and an
autopsy showed that death must have
been almost instantaneous. The cash
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
PETE'S ARREST.
lie Went to Omaha and Was
Easily Arrested.

AS soon as Henry had finished his
horrible confession Mr.. Jamison went
directly to police headquarters, where
he informed Chief of Police Jacob Helm
and Chief Inspector James Hankinson
of what he had learned. Detective
Luke Kinney was sent at once to
Omaha to find Pete, arrest him, and
keep him until requisition papers could
be sent. AS soon as Kinney had gone
Mr.. Jamison got out the necessary pa
pers and sent Assistant Superintend-
ent of Police John M. Hoy to
Omaha with them. Before he reached
that city Kinney had arrested Pete.
Mrs. Barrett had sued out writ of ha-
beas corpus and was making desperate
efforts to get her boy out of the tolls.
All her labor was in vain, and three
days after the officers left Minneapolis
they returned with the youthful desper-
ado and lodged him at the North Min
neapolis police station. where an at
tempt to get confession from him was
made. This was partially successful,
as Pete half-admitted that he knew all
about the murder.
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17

mother and two brothers. Frank and
Peter. lived, and where his mother had
considerable property. Tins father
and brother Henry and sister Mary
(Mrs. Coleman) resided here, a break
having occurred in the family. Tim
remained at Omaha a few weeks, and
then, in company with Pete, started for
Minneapolis. overland, driving horse
and buggy. They reached here about
the 1st of June, and went at once to
Henry (Reddy), who was conducting a
"blind pig' at 1880 Fort avenue. Old
man Barrett was then living with Mrs.
Coleman, opposite the glass works.
After coming to Minneapolis neither
Tim mol Pete did any honest
work, but spent their time in
loafing around Henry's saloon and Mrs.
Coleman's house. How they made a
living no one knew, and from the gen.
eral reputation which the boys bore it
is not at all probably that many cared
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17

nearly $4,000 in all. In looking up
corroborative evidence Mr.. Jamison
came across one piece which was not
brought on the trial. After Henry had
made his confession, but before Tim
knew OF it, he was placed in cell with
him to see what he would do. Two re-
liable men were stationed outside the
cell, where they could hear all that
passed. Soon Tim and Freddy" Bar
rett began talking of the murder and
OF the events of that night. Finally
Tim said;
well, Henry, if l had not fired that
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
THE GALLOWS.
Description of the Death Traps
and Their Appurtenances.

The greatest care is being taken that
the scaffold shall be properly and Sc
curely constructed. The strain on the
rope and from the rope on the beam will
be something like 1900 pounds. 1t is
estimated that mans weight should
be counted for every foot of the fall,
and as they will drop seven feet. and
each weighs about $50 pounds. the strain
will be 1000 pounds each. The rope,
which is Italian hemp cord. is nine-six-
teenths of an inch thick, and is capa-
BILE of sustaining great weight. The
scaffold, measuring from the beam to the
floor, will be fifteen feet high, which
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17

Mrs. Barrett. Frank, the oldest, Henry,
Timothy, Peter and one girl, now Mrs.
Mary Coleman. Henry, Timothy and
Peter all had criminal records before
this murder, and, in fact. both Henry
and Timothy had "done time" In
March. 1887. Tim was released
from the Iowa penitentiary at
Fort Madison, where he had served
two terms for larceny. After
being released from that institution he
went to Omaha, as related, where his
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
THE TRIALS.
Tim Was Convicted First and
Pete Met Similar Fate. {

On the 9th day of December, 1887, the
Hennepin county grand jury, of which
j. A. Wolverton was foreman, indicted
Tim and Pete Barrett for murder in the
first degree, after examining as witnesses
before it Detective James Howard,
Chief Inspector Rankinson and Deputy
Coroner Willis P. Spring. On Dec. 9
Fin Barrett was arraigned in court
and given until Dec. 1y to
plead. On that date he was again
brought into court and pleaded not
guilty. Dec. 10, Pete and Tim were ar
raigned in court once more, when Pete
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
THE ToLLEFsoN TRAGEDY.
Story of the Terrible Eyent-Three
Brothers in Crime.

About 10 o'clock on the night of July
26, 1887, the Big Boston clothing store,
OH the corner of Second avenue south
and Washington, caught fire, and for
several hours burned fiercely. 1t was
what the fremen called a "bad fire."
and drew an immense crowd. The
streets were blocked for along time and
all the street cars running down Wash
ington avenue were delayed until late
hour. Among the cars which were
delayed was Car No. 132, on the Cedar
avenue line, driven by Thomas Toilet
son. 1t was after 12 o'clock when he
took his car down Washington avenue,
and this was the last time he was seen
alive by any one except the men who
murdered him, and John McKinnon, the
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
AWAITING EXPIATION.
How Henry Barrett Was Kent
as q Witness.

After Henry Barrett had told his
story. the question arose in Mr.. Jami-
sons mind as to how Freddy" was to
be detained as witness. That he must
be on hand when wanted was an abso-
Lutte certainty, as he was the main wit
ness. and without him the prosecution
would be entirely at sea. "Reddy'' said
that he was perfectly willing to
remain here, but he feared yiO-
lence when it should become
known that he had confessed.
1t was finally decided to place
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
Veil, Henry, if 1 had not fired that

last shot Tollefson would have been
alive to-day. But he brought it on him
self by refusing to give up the cash
box: Anyhow, he is dead now, and /
don't believe they scan prove anything
on uSo
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
TIM ALREADY ARRESTED.

He Was Locked Up for Highway
Robbery When Reddy Con-
fessed.
The Barrett family has always been
peculiar one, and consisted Of MI. and
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17

a Last Appeal Has Been Made to Gov. Merriam, and
Now Comes the Final Death
watch.
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
To-Day They Will Hear the
Last of the Sunday
Chimes.
Their Brief but Wicked Ca
reer Narrowing to Its
Close.
Graphic Sketch of the Cold-Booded Murder for the
Pitful Sum of Less Than Twenty
Dollars.
DRAMATIC CONFESSION OF REDDY, AS CA
ApduouS and Untiring Skill
and Energy Of the De-
fenSe.
How the Network of Evidence
Was Wrought by the
State.

The Boys Now Stand in the Shadow the Scaod Facing
the Grave That Yawns Before
Them.
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17

. HE TRAGEDY of the
T street car is about to be
M expiated. The train of
W events which began with
~, oxo,-o,d ooI lad mn
St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-17
MORNING, MARCH II, 1eS9-SIXTEEN PAGES.

Henry made the confess
sion which will hang
Tim and Peter Friday
next. When the boys
were tried for numbering
Tollefson. Tim wa s
twenty-three years Of
age and Pete eighteen.
Henry, the brother who
swore their lives away.
was just twenty-five.
After Henry Barrett
had made his confession
Tim was removed from
the central police sta
ton, where he lay
charged with highway
robbery. to the North
Minneapolis S t a t i o d,
The Lamar register., 1889-07-20
SHDR1rFoS SALE.

By Virtue of an execution upon forecios-
,r,. OF amechanics lien, issued out OF the
CLERKS Office OF the County Court OF frowSrs
rountv and State OF Colorado, ana TO me 1l-
rected whereby am commanded 20 mhkS
INC suin OF seventy-One and % 100 dolihis anu
ssi 80 costs OF suit the amount OF eerthIh
fndvnent recently obtained against Mfs, u.
X Stokes in favor of Joseph p. Everett cut
~ the lands and tenements OF the sstlu -;
n stokes which by the decree OF sara
rounty court am ordered to sell TO satisfy
Soid iiidn1ncnt the following described real
cstatp situate in the county OF Frowers STATE
~ Colorado to wit: Begin nc II point twenty
ave fcet west of the south east corner OF Lot
N thirteen tI3l run north one hundred rect
thence west tifty feet, thence south one nun,
dred feet the east fifty feet 70 the place 9i
heginning being a part OF Lots llS anu ~
tbirtccn and fourteen, in BLOCK (25) twenty
three in the town Lamar, state OF Colo-
ra1o. L.. q. .s,yd command
7 sbaIi expose for sale, at public nution, ali
me right title and interest OF the hpoNe
naIneI Mrs d. E. stokes in and to tine aDoVe
dSscribed property, on the 30 day oil Augustss
issa nj 10 o'clock II. m, Mt the front steps oi
mo Deming Hotel, situate upon sald reai rear, es
tate in Lamar. state of Colorado. DRteu Ut
Lamar Colo, this 9th DAY ot 1ulS' ioo''
IL. \. BII4LOM,
Sheriff of Prowcrs county.
L.F. BLoDGETT, A.,
Atty for Plaintiu. 4'''
The Lamar register., 1889-07-20
FOR RENT.

The Stock Exchange Saloon and
Restaurant, with fixtures just as it is,
ready to continue business, or the sa'
loon with or without fixtures or both
the saloon and restaurant with or
without fixtures, for rent, possession
given at any time. Terms reasona-
BILE, apply to Robert Sweetman,
Lamar, Colorado. u
The Lamar register., 1889-07-20
CoLoRADo-LANAR.
Land Contests Decided.

The names of the successful par.
ties are printed IN capital letters
SADIE ID. RATEKIN VS.. James
LAWN.
JOHN B. BRADLEY ys. Edward
III. Buckham.
MARTIN G. BLEEKER VS.. Will
lam o. b. Hall.
ABRAHAM RHODES VS.. Peter
]. Kuhn.
MARTIN C. BLEEKER VS.. Oil.
yer +. Far.
Jerry r. Anderson VS.. WILLIAM
Z. ALFRED.
Angeline Neville VS.. JOHN D. F.
JENNINGS.
The Lamar register., 1889-07-20


The following is a list of names
having patents on lands in this land
district received at the Lamar U. s.
Land Office from the General Land
Office at Washington Tuesday July
10th:
MIcklolans S,edem, d. A. Hutch.
iuson, b. z. Koch, ]. A. Robinson,
c. d. Barker, c. L. McVay, Ann
Nicholson, John Lee, c. W. Leonard,
A. F. Swigert, John Byrne, Bernard
Fink, l. o'Conner, Theodore Stanley,
Z. f. Israel, w. c. Burton, L. w.
Collins, c. Z. Oldfeld, |. Rose, John
c. Wells, j. II. Pullam, Robt.
Sweetman,J J. u. Lantz, Walter Harris,
b. II. Campbell, J. II. Jay, Laura V.
McQuary, J. W. Sullivan, I. Sullivan,
A. IL. Rogers, J. b. Brown, Mary l..
Hunter, w Miller aud Il. p. Boyd
In letter TO the Denver Field and
Farm correspondent pronounces
the J. E Godding farm Just west OF
Rocky Ford among the very best in
the state.
Some Kansas parties are down in
Baca county with a threshing ma
chine, and will stay IN the eastern
part of the state Is long as there is
work TO do.
Thirty eight head of cattle were
drown Just above the river bridge
Wednesday while crossing the big
herd, the cowboys had hard work to
save their horses.
The W. C. T. U. will meet at Mrs.
VI. a Graham At the Deming House
next Thursday at . p. m. Full meet
ing Is requested
May T. Graham, Rec. See.
The county commissioners have
agreed on a settlement with Bent
county, and went up there yesterday
TO sign the papers We will publish
the terms Of settlement next week.
We heard Thursday that there was
no less than three hundred head Of
dead ca,tlel IN the Henry ditch. There
has been no water n the ditch this
week and the cattle mired In cross
ing.
There will be 4 meeting this after
noon at E. NJ. Slater's Office OF the
land holders under the proposed south
side Henry ditch, to determine on
the amount of water that will be
taken.
C. S. Hunter from near Villas was
in town last Saturday with a supply
of extra fine butter, his herd is Of the
Jersey breed aud he says he can
make as fine butter as anybody, he
will come to Lamar with batter put
up in gallon jars once a month,
Sunday evening as Mr.. and Mrs.
d. E. Cooper and little son Frank
was returning from the country, just
as they came in town their buoy
broke down throwing them all out
on the ground, Mr.. Cooper and
Frank escaped injury, but Mrs.
Cooper was bruised and slightly
lamed.
A letter to Mr.. Lubers of Las Ami
mas from I. c. Henry, published In
the Leader of that place, states that
Mr.. Henry will furnish seed wheat
to the farmers of Bent county under
his ditch at actual cost for cash. If
any of our farmers desire seed wheat
they might obtain it on the same
terms by making application to II.
L. Lubers.