St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-21
Tim and Pete Barrett Will Be
Hemped Into the Here
after.
Gov. Merriam IntimateS That
He Will Not Interfere in
the Matter.
Nina Van Zandt No. 2, Nee
Addie Boyd, Fails to See
Merriam.

Poor Egel He wanted to be sheriff of
Hennepin county, and never calculated
the cost He was elected, and is now
paying the penalty. Unable longer to
withstand the opportunities of a clamOr-
ing crowd, yesterday the Jail doors were
opened: and, at the rate of twenty-five
persons at once, allowed two minutes
TO view the scaffold, at least 1900 NOR
bid creatures gained access to the
northern corridor of the Jail.
Such a crowdl Of all colors, ages
and sizes. Many were females, some
we'll dressed and of fashionable appear
ance, others creatures of lower social
life: some even from the ranks of the
demi-monde. A few carriages con-
veyed these curious creatures to the
Jail entrance. but the great majority
walked, scrambled for a place in line.
and when once inside gloated over the
instrument of destruction with hunger
ing eyes. Accommodating and polite
deputies handled the crowd with ease,
but not without hard words. The ma
Jority who were permitted to view
the scaffold insisted upon see
Ing the condemned prisoners. This
could not be permitted without
special order from the sheriff. But so
frequent were these requests that
Sheriff Ege ''disappaared" down town
early in the afternoon, and his office
was well filled by persons who awaited
his return to beg for permits of various
kinds. But they didn't get them. The
quota of admission cards to the eXecu-
tion has already been exhausted, and
the general public must be content with
a glance at the Instrument that will
cause the death of two men unless the
governor interferes before 10 O'clock to-
morrow morning, and he has intlmated
that he will not.
There's nothing in the appearance of
the solid, substantial frame standing in
the north wing of the Hennepin county
Jail suggesting death. But glance at
the solid timbers, the double trap doors
heavily weighted. and the thin, light
line that once severed hurls two human
lives into eternity, is wonderfully sug
gestivS of human ingenuity. Every
hinge, each joint, crossbar and stanch-
ion has been constructed by the use of
the lighteSt material combined with alb
solute strength. The traps have
been thoroughly tested and weighted,
=. so that the fall of each of
the condemned will be as abrupt
and sudden as possible. The ropes
nave ocoH tuOIOuSuIN tcSleu, anu every
visitor at the Jail yesterday asked the
deputy in charge to show the manner in
which the traps worked. In several in
stances, at least, the request was COM
piled with, and the perfection of the
machinery was easily observed. Viewed
from purely mechanical standpoint,
the scaffold is fine Bit of work. The
desired results might have been accom-
plished with rough timbers, but Sheriff
Eye has had only the best of seasoned
and polished sticks used in the struc-
ture. 1t is nearly as large, and quite as
elaborate in construction, as the last
platform on which the Chicago anarch-
lists stood. The traps have already been
tested, but not the ropes, sand bags
weighing IT'S pounds being used as
weights. 1t is uncertain by whom, or
in what portion of the building the fatal
stroke will be given the rope that stands
between
TIM AND PETE AND ETERNITY.
Probably but one person beside the
sheriff will ever Enow-and that the ex-
ecutioner. Even rough men take small
pride in taking the lives of fellow men,
and it is doubtful if any one ever saw
the true name of any public eXecutioner
In print. The principle is much like
that pursued in time OF war when de-
Serter or spy is shot. Eleven guns are
loaded with ball, the twelfth containing
blank cartridge. The weapons are
selected at random, and no single indi-
vidual can be charged with having fired
the fatal shot. 1t is certain that Sheriff
Matson did not cut the rope that broke
the neck of anarchy in Chicago, and it
is equally certain that he will never
divulge the name of the deputy that
performed the hateful task. 1t may be
equally assured that the real execu-
toner in this case will not reach public
ears except by merest accident.
Tim and Pete Barrett, it is said, have
received absolution from Father McGol-
rick. If this be true, full confession
of the crime has been made, else abso-
luton could not have been given. 1t
must also be true that "Reddy'S" story
IS confirmed, and Tim and Pete are
guilty as indicted. But conf lecture might
pass beyond the pale of rumor and lead
one to question the truth of ''Reddy'sn
story; the counter-storY told by Pete to
implicate "Reddy" ard Tim, and the
tales told by Tim and his mother to i'm
plicate the other brothers. One thing is
certain: Whatever of confession has
been made to the priest, the public will
forever remain in Ignorance. So long
as the condemned preserve silence, just
that length of time will the public be-
Iieve in "Reddy." and that the law was
justified in extreme measures.
Poor old ladyI She's a woman and
mother, even though rough and unedu-
Gated. Not far beneath the queerly-
dressed exterior is warm motherly
heart that goes out to her boys now al
most hopelessly at the ropes end. "My
boy, my boy!" was Mrs, Barrett's pa
thetic wall as she threw her arms
about Pete's neck yesterday, to which
that young man replied by a repellant
gesture. Neither of the prisoners ap-
pear to relish the visits of their mother.
and their Indifference to her evident
suffering is more than painful. One
feels that the
SOONER THFY ARE DISPOSED OF
the greater comfort will come to their
mother. Mrs. Barrett will see her way
ward boys for the last time to-day. If
either OF them show the least spark
of sympathy at that final parting the
deputies and others who have witnessed
scenes between mother and sons NAV
be able to partially forgive their past
conduct toward their best friend ON
earth.
While that portion of the Jail set
apart for the execution was open to
visitors, the lookup proper was closely
guarded, and admit ;-EGE," on yell
low slip of paper was necessary to pass
the guardian of the grated door. Only
the mother and Father McGolrick were
permitted to disturb the Barrett boys
during the afternoon, while scrupul0us