Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-03-30

"~ w $1,000 'Ns 'N@h thAAiiNliAASlls
The drop fell at 1i:i3. Tim fell like a
log, but there was q noticeable t~witching
about Peters body. Death ensued for
both.
HISTORY OF THE RIM
The crime which was expiated by the Bar
rett brothers upon the gallows was one OF the
most diabolical in the history Of the north
west, while the circumstance which led up
to the detection Of the murderers, the trial
unparalleled In the state Of Minnesota for
It's lengtL-the numerous and futile appeals
TO the governor for mercy, the In fatuation Of
d Young girl for the younger prisoner and her
efforts In lis behalf, all combine to make the
story one Of absorbing II not thrilling inter
est. And yet the victim, whose ruth
vengeance as though he had been
the mayor CT the most highly respected citi,
Zen OF Minneapolis, was only a poor street
car driver. Thomas TUliefson was his name,
25 his age, a handsome, frank and generous
young fellow, SO sober and good Of habit that
out OF hs frugal savings he had purchased
and furnished a humble home into which
himself and his bride Of two weeks had
moved but a few days prior to that
upon which the tragedy occurred.
On the night OF July 70, 1857, the big
Boston clothing store al the corner VI Second
avenue and Washington took fire and for
several hours burned furionsly. All the
street cars were blocked and 1T was after u
O'Clock when car 1872 on the Cedar avenue
line driven by Thomas Tollefson went down
Washington avenue. A great crowd had
turned out to see tie fire, and tie rough eie-
mer. was Ia It's glory. Ga bis way down the
unfortunate man was warned by the con
\ 1s,A4 - - n M. y-- 500 - 49, .-- - -
out for himself, as he was liable 10 be at
tackled Tor purposes Of robbery. This
was the last seen Of him alive.
Ten minutes later shots we're heard
down the road, ana the pedestrians who hur-
Iied in the direction were met lay the mules,
running WIN all their might. Lying on the
platform OF the car, with his hands tightly
g~rasplug the rtinS, WAS the driver. He was
stone dead, a ballet hole In his chest and an.
other In his thigh. By his side was an empty
cash box, which had been rifed Of q paltSy
$50 and some car tickets. This proved con
clusively that the unfortunate mau had been
killed whiie defending the receipts OF his en-
ployers. The police went TO work uYon the
case without delay, but IL proved a complete
mystery. Public indignation ran high, and
finally Il suoscri ptioE reward OF 81 ,TO0 was
offered FOR lhe arrest of the murderers. Even
this, however, was noD-productive OF results
ana the case had about been given up when
NtFtlOpIlPV Us caN.t from Ill uNPI ppetcu
source. During the latter part Of September
Of the same year, Henry Barrett, a brother OF
Tim and Pete, was convicted OF selling LIQUOR
without o license a. hts place On Fort avenue
end sentenced TO imprisonment in he county
Jail for thirty days with a fine Of $50 and
costs. In default Of payment he was 10
remain In jail an additional sixty DAYS. He
refused 10 pay the line claiming that he could
not raise the money, and had served he
greater portion OF the additional term when
he one day sent word 20 Assistant County At
torney Jamison that he could give him i'm
portant information concerning the murder.
There was sotoe delay in the message reach
Ing its destination, and In the meantime
Henry had raised the money and Sc
cured his liberty. He Was found, how
ever, the next night and after a terrible scene
made a full confession, which developed the
fact that the murderers were himsclf and his
two brothers, oil three having attacked the
unfortunate man, who made a brave resist
ance, while Tim fred the fatal shots. BE
also said that the stolen tickets, tin box and
checks had been hidden in the cellar Of their
house, aud a search by the police resulted ia
the discovery OF theae important links in the
chain OF evidence. Steps were st once taken
TO spprehend the murdcrers. Tim Barrett,
who had served two terms In the Fort Mad.
fson, To-, penitentiary for larceny, was ar
rested on the very day that the confession
was made on the charge Of highway robbery,
he having held up" TWO ladies aud a little
girl In the suburbs on the evening pre- vious,
while Peter was captured at Omaha, where
he was stopping with his mother, a woman CT
considerable means. She made a desperat re
effort to get the boy out OF the tolls, but ia
vain, and be WIS brought back 20 the city.
The trial OF Tin began In December aud
lasted sixteen days. A formidable array OF
counsel headed ny w. W. Iiwio, the noted
orator, appeared for the defense. The ease
wss one OF the most dramatic ever tried in
the United States, and during the
sixteen days that 1t lasted the
court was crowded to suffocation.
The prisoners aged parents, bowed with grief
were present every Day. Henry, better
known "a Freddy" Barrett, was the principal
witness against hts brother, and the agony
which he underwent while giving his testi-
mony was apparent 10 the spectators. HIS
oldest brother Frank several times created a
SCI NJ by telling him that be lied and was
trying to avenge himself for aorne fancied
wrong. Tin was promptly convicted and Peter,
who was next Tut on trial, met with a similar
fate. His case was even more hotly contested
on account OF his youth and the feeling az
sympathy with him, and Mrs. Barrett, who
looked upou him rs her baby, boldly declared
that her son Henry Was trying Ia put biz
brothers out OF the way in order that there
might ne noholy between himself aud her
property. Motions for new trials we're de.
MED, the supreme court affirmed the coDyic-
ttons and sentences, and on February 81
Gov. Merriam, to whom a final ap-
. the condemned men and appointed