Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-03-27
ON ONE SCAFFOLD.
Double Execution at Minnespoiis-Hang
ing of the Barrett Boys.

ing of the Barrett Boys.
MINNEAPOLIS, M1nn., March o.
Timothy and Peter Barrett, the murder
ers of Street Car Driver Tollefesen, ex-
plated their crime upon the scafold
this morning. Almost at dawn knots OF
men began to gather about the Jail, and
1t soon became necessary to bar the way
to the rear entrance with great wooden
timbers. The boys rose early, and at 7:30
partook of light breakfast. Fathers
McGolrick and Corbett, the spiritual
advisers of the condemned men, soon
entered their cells. remaining with them
to the last. About 10 O'Clock Mrs. Bar
rett went to the sheriff's Office and
created scene. She was taken away in
a cab. At IL o'clock there were 5000
people about the building.
gan. Father McGolrick led the way.
the priests. cried: "Lord have mercy
on my SOUL" The boys walked up to
the scaffold stairs unassisted. Father
Henry McGolrick stood by the side of
Pete, and Father Corbett with
Tim. while Father James Nc
Golrick repeated the litany. The
arms and legs of the boys were
securely strapped while the words of
the priests filed the room. The black
cap was drawn over Tins face first, and
Sheriff Eye adjusted the moose. The
sheriff then went over to Pete. He
placed the moose over his head, but re-
moved it to readjust it. Then it was
replaced, and the cap drawn down.
both were pale and ghastly-eyed
The N r0pS foil of I Id Tho hn6u IF
Tim fell like log. There was a notice
able twitching about Pete's body, but it
was only momentarv. Sheriff Eye him
self touched the lever that moved the
fatal drop. The necks of the boys were
broken. The silent forms were lett
swaying to and fro, and the crowd filed
slowly into the free air outside.
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, March 22.-On
the night OF July 26, 1887, there was an
extensive fire in the business portion of
Minneapolis. The street cars on sever
al lines were delayed in consequence.
At 1890 A. M. the last car on the Cedar
Avenue line reached the turntable in
the suburbs, and started on the
"bob-tail," in charge of Driver Thomas
Tollefesen. When the car got opposite
Layman's Cemetery three men stepped
out from the darkness, halted the car,
and demanded that the cash box be
handed over to..them. Tollefesen. true
to his trust, refused to give up the box.
One ofthe men then fired at Iollefesen,
the ball striking him in the leg. oti he
chung to his cash box. Another shot,
and the driver fell dead. The murder
ers seized the cash box, which con-
tanned paltry $2O, and fled.
On the 10th of November Henry,
alias ''Reddy" Barrett, who had been
serving out sentence in the county Jail
About ten days before that he had said
to the jailer that he believed he knew
who committed the Tollefesen murder,
and if the jailer would speak to Assist
ant County Attorney Jameson about
the matter he would tell what he knew.
The next day freddy" made a
confession. He said that he, with
his brothers Tim and Pete, agreed
to rob the street car. Pete fired
the first shot and then ran,
followed by Henry. In a moment they
heard second shot. They were soon
rejoined by Tim, who had the cash-box
under his arm. Tim told his brothers
that he had killed Tollefesen. Through
chain of evidence was secured. Pete
was arrested in Omaha. Tim was al
ready under arrest on charge of high
way robbery. The two boys were in
dicted by the grand jury, and on Mon.
day, December 6, the trial of
Tim began. The principal witness
for the prosecution was Freddy"
Barrett, who swore that Tim fired the
shot which killed Tollefesen. The trial
of Tim lasted fifteen days, and was one
of the hardest contested cases ever tried
in Minnesota. Tim was convicted, and
the county attorney offered to accept a
plea of guilty of manslaughter in the
second degree from Pete Barrett, but
to be sacrificed to save his brother, Tim.
If Pete could be acquitted a
new trial could be secured for
Tim. That was the plan of the
de ense. The trial of Pete Barrett be-
gan January 80 and lasted until Febru
airy Is. The case was fought with des-
perate eloquence and daring strategy,
but in vain. He was found guilty. Tim
and Pete Barrett were sentenced to be
hanged. The governor fixed July Ii as
the date of the execution. The supreme
court granted stay of proceedings un
til last fall. The battle that had been
fought and lost on the question of fact
was now renewed on questions of law.
prepared, but the supreme court ended
by affirming the decision of the lower
court, and the governor fixed March ~
for the date of the execution. Every
foot of ground from the beginning was
contested with the most desperate ener
gy, but slowly and surely the letters of
the law began to tighten around the
doomed men. There was desperate
attempt to break Jail. That, too. failed.
Then petitions were circulated, but
again to no purpose. Various ladies in
terested themselves in behalf of
Pete, the youngest brother. The
governors life was threatened
in case he refused to commute the sem
tence of Pete, who was only Is years of
age. The mother of the boys is pos
sessed of considerable property. Her
efforts were. however, put forth entire
ly in behalf of Pete. ''Reddy," who
swore his brothers lives away, is living
in obscurity in Chicago. of this once
prosperous family, a son, Frank Bar
rett, daug hter, Mary Coleman, and the
mother, of whom Henry Barrett said,
''she is the cause OF all the trouble that
hoe oop,o - +bo boyS ~ aro eli %bo% NO