St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-14
The Kind Of Confession Made
by the Doomed Barrett
Boys.
Mrs. Moak Says They Have
Made a Confession Of
Christ,
And the Tribune Makes Them
Say They Did Not Kill
TOIlefSon.
The Boys Assert Furthermore
That They Repudiate Mrs.
Moak's Religion.

The accuracy which has characterized
the Minneapolis Tribune in its statisti-
cal records, broke loose yesterday MORN
ing in curious way. Mrs. Mary A.
Moak. residing at 2S17 Park Place, who
is superintendent of the Hennepin
County Gospel union, has been taking a
deep interest in the Barrett boys during
her visits to the jail. Their awful
situation has evidently impressed itself
deeply upon her, and awakened her
sympathy. She has approached the
boys upon the subject of religion, and
has prayed with them, or rather for
them, and apparently, they have given
her respectful hearing. They have
asserted their innocence, and she has
evidently believed them, and has writ
ten the governor that it is her conviction
that they
DID NOT MURDER
Thomas TolefsOn. Thinking to enlist
the aid of that powerful exponent of
the cultured masses of Minneapolis, the
lady took the elevator in the Hartman
block and assembled to the topmost story
of that uncOmpleted building, where
the editorial sanctum of the paper is
AOSotNNs VI IdCHS1 SSdltClCu
she met a young man who has not
yet cut his wisdom teeth. and to whom
the world is still fresh and uEtried.
Into his ear she poured her story. She
believed the BarrettS were innocent:
that it was their brother Henry vino
was the arch conspirator, etc. She also
said they had confessed. She meant
by this, confessed Christ, as the ex-
preston goes at prayer meetings.
After she had gone the embryonic
Journalist brushed back the long hair
from his pale brow and went to work,
and III the course of few hours man
aged to build column article, which
was well calculated to create a sensa-
ton. He took Mrs. Moak literally at
her word, or rather he misconstrued the
meaning of
"CoFFssED."
as meaning that they had revealed
their connection with the murder. in
stead of experiencing religion, He
took her theories for facts. and her sup
positions he twisted into actual state
mentS. Then he threw in a few fan
cies of his own, and, adding some
meager details to give the proper color
ing, managed to fix up a full-f1edged
confession. The only wonder is that he
did not substitute the Barretts for
Mrs. Moak, and have them confess to
him in person before he got through
with it. The result of his labors adorned
the first page of the Tribune yesterday.
and to the extent of creating what is
called sensation, was successful in its
mission. The Barretts denied having
made any confession, and Mrs. Moak
denied having said they did. The even
ing papers got around and had the Trib-
une in the journalistic consomme before
Ill I, Il Il
THE ROLLER TOP
of his desk and began to receive visitors
demanding retractions. When a GLOBE
reporter called at the Jail yesterday af-
ternOOn, the converted Tim sat in a
chair just outside his cell door, while a
darby barber was engaged in shaving
him.
mot d-n thing in it," he answered.
II told the woman that knew nothing
more about the murder than | have
testified. Neither Pete nor L has con-
feSSed."
Pete was in his cell at the time, but
few minutes latter was allowed to come
out for shave when he was next.
I'VE don't believe in Mrs. Moak's re-
lgion," he said. ave are Catholics
and were raised in that faith, and we'll
die Catholics. Neither of us made a
confesSion.''
MRS. MOAK,
with Rev. R. A. Torrey, however, Wis
tied the boys again in the afternoon,
and prayed with them. According to
her they again confessed-that is re-
ligiOn. This, too. seems surprising. as
the boys have been receiving instruction
from Rev. Father Corbett, to prepare
them for death in accordance with the
Catholic belief, and Rev. Father James
McGolrick visited them in the capac-
ity of a spiritual adviser later
in the afternoon. So it is probable
that the BarrettS in "confessing' have
not, in reality, changed their faith. 1t
is likely, however, that this clash will
have the effect of their specifying which
church they desire to have administer
to them.and that representatives of other
churches will be hereafter excluded, as
is usual with condemned prisoners.
Mrs. Barrett also visited the boys yes
terday. and was very much affected at
the meeting, kissing their hands
fl1a l,or