Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1895-11-22
LED A DOUBLE LIFE.
4 CAREER AS STRANGE AS THAT or
JIM THE PENMAN.

william Barretrs wife Lived In Luxury
In the Metropolis while lie Robbed
People at the Hub-she Thought lie
Was Honest.
NEW YoRK, Nov. t5.-sA romantic Sc
quel to the conviction ai@sontenco to life
imprisonment in 1894 of william Barrett
for the murder of James Farrar in Wes-
ton, Mass, is reported. While Barrett led
the life of n criminal in Boston his wife,
II is said was ignorant that he was a
burglar and, suppusing him to be engag-
ed in business there, lived In this city,
with luxurious surroundings. For nearly
three years she lived in the second story
of the apartment building Mt 1853 West
Fifty eighth street. 1t was the most ex-
ponsively furnished fiat in the house and
from the sea-, pom which Mrs. Barrett
lived II was ~ that she had no fear of
the source Of her income failing.
Mrs. Barrett was fine horsewoman
and kept two thoroughbreds for riding
purposes at Durlaud's Riding academy.
Each day groom brought one of them to
the house I'm Fifty eighth street, and Mrs.
Barrett, in perfect fitting riding costume,
was accustomed to canter through the
park. Like herself, her only SON. who liv-
ed with her, was always dressed in the
height of fashion.
IL was rarely that Barrett himself was
seen, and in reply to inquiries his wife is
reputed TO have said that he was In busi-
ness in Boston. Checks for the rent, sign
ed by the husband were punctually for
warded to the landlord Of the apartment,
and consequently not the slightest whis-
per of doubt as to the integrity OF Barrett
or his wife was ever heard. 1t Is asserted
that Mrs. Barrett had not an inking Of
the roal facts that her husband was one of
the most remarkable burglars at large,
and one who had succeeded in hoodwink-
ing the police for upward Of 20 years. 1t
was not until after Barrett's arrest for
Mr.. Farrar's murder that her eyes were
opened to tho truth. A man named james
s. Chaffey, whom Barrett has accused of
being an accompice OF his, is the rcputcd
medium through which her dream was
shattered
ChafTey after an interview with Bar.
rest in Waltham prison, came to New
York, saw Mrs. Barrett and exposed her
husbands true character. Barrett for
nearly 90 years had lived alone In rooms
at 22 Eliot street, Boston. During these
years, it is alleged he stole about $500, 600
worth of valuables and goods and always
managed TO conceal the dual nature of
his life from his wife's knowledge
Visits Her Husband In Jail.
Visiting her husband in Waltham Jail,
Mrs. Barrett heard his confession, and
then, womanlike, determined to holp him
in his plight to the extent of her power.
She sold her horses, furniture and jewel
~ and applied the proceeds to Barrett's
A. shn tDI ha hps
pitalty of Chaffey's family ana lived
with them for time; then, it is asserted,
Chaifey availed himself Of the opportunity
TO rob the woman Of all she possessed and
to appropriate for himself the valuable
plumber which her husband had gathered
together and stored away. BY means of
the combination, which he learned from
Mrs. Barrett. Chaffey is alleged to have
looted the burglars safe before the police
found Barrett's hiding place In Boston,
and then, by specious devices, obtained
from the woman warehouse receipts for
goods stored by her husband in this city.
In this way he is reported to have obtain
ed possession of a valuable collection of
stolen property stored in the Lincoln safe
deposit vaults at 3S East Forty second
street and at O'Reilly S storage warehouse
at 1873 East Forty second street,
Mrs. Barrett supposed that all these
things had been stored in the regular
routine of her husbands business. The
receipts were given to her to take care of
merely, and she says she was ignorant of
the value of the goods. The value of the
property Chaffey thus acquired might
never have become known but for the rea-
son that whilo endeavoring to dispose OF
some rare stamps to Mr.. Trifet at 3f
Broomfleld street. Boston, they were rec
oRnized as stolen property, and he was
then arrested. Chaffey, in reply to ques-
tiOning, said they were given to him by
Barrett. Afterward trunks were discover
ed in Chaffey's possession filed with jew
elry and other costly things to the va nc
of about $50, 900. They AR taken to the
police station, and in the last few days
many prominent residents of Boston have
identified some of the articles as having
been stolen from their houses.
Chaffey was formally charged on Mon
day last with burglary and receiving sto-
len property. Barrett, when seen in prison
yesterday by reporter accused Chaffey
OF having stolen most of the things found
by the police, but added that Chaffey had
also used underhand methods to obtain
things which belonged to him (Barrett)
without having given penny to his wife
for her support.
Mira. Barrett is now reported to he In
this city, trying to earn her living and
taking good care to keep her identity hid
den.