Omaha daily bee., 1891-11-12
MURDERED AN AGED AGENT.
Lincoln Book Peddler dubbed to Death
by R. L. Blrrett.
WANTED TO DELIVER AN ADVENTIST WORK,
Barrett Refused TO Accept It, Blow
Followed md the old Man Died
While tho Murderer
Went to Jail.

Athl u A"A AiASA NoSN ~ y ~NN~f
who lives about five miles southeast OF this
city was arrested this morning on the charge
of murder. His alleged victim was a book
agent named Hayes, an old man of 90 years,
whose skull was crushed by a heavy cane In
the hands Of Barrett. The assault occurred
at IL am. yesterday aud the old man died
about 8 o'clock this morning. The only wit
nesses of the murderous assault were Barrett
and his wife. They say that shortly before
noon yesterday Hayes called to de-
liver a book on the Adventist
faith subscribed for by Mrs. Bar.
retts brother. That gentleman was alb
sent at tho time and the agent insisted on
Barrett taking the book for his brother-in-
law.
Barrett refused and In hot words which
followed Hayes lifted his cane to strike Bar
rett. The farmer jerked the cane out Of the
agents hand and struck him Il terrific blow
on the left temple which knocked him sense
less. Hayes failed to regain CONSCIOUSNESS
ana Barrett in alarm sent for n physician.
He told the doctor that Hayes had fallen out
of q wagon and had so received his Injuries.
The old man did not recover consciousness
before his death. Barrett came to the city last
night to give himself up but diun't do so.
This morning he was found by Deputy Sheriff
Hoagland in DR.. Rhodes office and was placed
under arrest.
Barrett didn't know until he was a pris-
oner that his victim was dead. He became
greatly agitated on learning this terrible
fact. The officers doubt some parts Of Bar
rett's story.
The version OF the affair given by Drs.
Rhodes and Lopez, who Will be the main
prosecuting witnesses, puts Barrett in q
mora fnyOraDla EUht. Tho story as told
jointly by these two gentlemen is as follows:
About noon yesterday DR.. Lopez received
q telephone message from j.. Mumford, a
brother-in-law of Barrett, that a man had
been seriously hurt near the Mumford farm
by falling off n wagon. When Lopez wentto
the place he met Barrett, who told him what
he claimed were the full facts in the case.
Barrett said that the book agent, whose full
name Is A. ). Hayes, grew very insolent be-
cause he would not accept the book and pay
for it, and the language was such that it
made Barrett very angry. The young farmer
replied in kind, and Hayes, who carried a
stout hickory cane, lifted 1T and
struck at Barrett. The latter lodged, and
then springing forward jerked the cane from
the book agents hands. Grasping 1t with
both hands he dealt the agent n blow on the
right side of the head. The old man dropped
in his tracks. Barrett became alarmed, as
the blow was intended merely to hurt and
not to Kill. A moment or two after falling
Hayes recovered consciousness, and aided by
Nlr. ana MIS-. barrett, ne Wdlbcu lulO Jue
house. They led him to a bed, where he
commenced vomiting almost as soon as he
was prostrate. In four or five minutes he
became unconscious. Barrett went into the
other part of the house, in which his brother
in-law lived. and sent him for a physician.
When Dir. Lopez arrived Barrett assured
him that he did not intend to murder the
man.
The physician saw that Hayes condition
was serious and in the evening he returned
with DR.. Rhodes. The two physicians made
a careful examination but could iiud no evil
dences of a fracture of the skull. Four men
were left to look after the injured man and
Mr.. and Mrs. Barrett came to the city.
At noon today the coroner went out to the
Mumford farm and viewed the remains.
Later the body was turned over to Under
taker Roberts ana the corpse now rcposes in
the morgue. 1t shows a man who in life was
stoutly built, about five feet ten in height,
and had a full beard sprinBled with gray.
An inquest will be held at l p. m. tomorrow,
REWARD FOR MURDERER NEAL.
This afternoon Hon. Winfield S. Strawn OF
Omaha presented to Governor Thayer the
claim of Officer NJ. j. Carey of Kansas City
for the rewards offered for the capture of
the murderer or murderers of Allen ana
Dorothy Jones of South Omaha. The gov
eruor had offered $500 for the arrest of the
murderer of each victim and consequently
MIR. Strawn claimed that S40O was due Ofi-
Ger Carey. The governor was convinced
that Strawn was right and issued a warrant
for the full amount.
MI. Strawn's happiness over the matter
was of short duration, as a few minutes later
he came out of the auditors Office looking
very angry. He said that Mr.. Benton aud
all his deputies and even Clerk Towpey had
deserted the Office to go off on a hunt.
A BEE reporter went into the auditors Of
flee and found that Mr.. Strawn's statements
were true.
BIG DAMAGES FOR A SPOILED FACE.
Judge Hall and a jury are engaged today in
trying the case OF Stephen Mass against
Liesveldt & Trompen, an action to recover
$40, 900 for damages alleged TO have been
sustained in an accident ut hickman. Mass
is a farmer. and about two years ago drove
into an elevator of the defendants' with II load
of corn. just as he had finished unloading,
his team became frightened by tho breaking
of tho dump, which was poorly constructed
and in n dangerous condition, and ran away,
threw him oLt and injured him for life. Tho
defense is tnat the horses were out Of tho
elevator before they became frightened and
ran away, aud that it was a collision with n
curbstone that broke the plaintiffs jaw and
check bone,
BLAZE AT HYATT's BARN,
Some incendiary set fire to Hyatt's livery
stable last night but the flames were subdueu
before the building was materially damaged.
Three stalls were badly burned and the
horses IN them scorcned so badly that the an
finals were shot today to put them out OF
their misery. While Fireman Frank Chat
lt5, u SbGDoOH VI SOlplCl tNbSbpu, Nuo AZ
tempting TO keep the flames from the upper
story of the livery barn he fell and broke one
of the bones of MS arm. He will be unable
TO resume his duties until the bone knits.
DDS AND ENDS.
The High School and State University
football teams contested for tho champion
shlp of the state. The High school lads won
by a score of IL to ~.
II. ii. McGahey sues c.. NJ. Barnes in
county court for S3S9.25 due on q guaranty
that the orange business in Citrus county,
Fla, would be a satisfactory and paying one.
Tho plaintiff claims that the defendants
representations were lllusive aud unsatis-
factory.
Last evening the Turner society of this
city celebrated with appropriate exercises
the second anniversary OF that organization.
The South Omaha grading bonds of Dis
tricts |, =, 3 and 4 have been FLED for regis
tration. They amount to $4,000. Railroad
bonds for Ktnnebec precinct, Dawson county,
amounting to $500, have also boen filed for
registration.
John KniLtle is under arrest for selling o
horse worth $50 TO j. j. Mitchell and re-
ceiying money for the same when the steed
belonged TO another man.