The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-25
NOTAMURDERER
Burglar Barrett's Declarations In o
Letter to a Newspaper.
cHAFFEY GIVEN A BAD NAME.
Story OF Buried Treasure De-
clared a Bluff.

Boston, Nov. 25..-The Post this morn
ing prints letter from Burglar Barrett,
II being the first time that he has broken
silence.
The letter states thnt he has written q
letter to the governor in relation to the
whole matter in which he besought q
new trial In order TO show his innocence,
but he has not heard from him.
He states that IL Is desire TO clear his
name from all the odium that has been
thrown upon IL by Chaffey and his friends,
coupled with wish 10 clear his wife from
any knowledge OF his life In Boston, and
TO vindicatc her in the eyes OF the public,
that influences him TO make this confes-
sion.
The letter goes on to'say:;'I am an Eng.
lishman and was born in the county OF
Staffordshlrc. About 90 years ago I emil
grated TO this country and came TO Boston,
whore lived until my arrest and i'm
prisonmcnt / was altogether In the
hands of sny solicitor during the trial.
II was never in court where jury sat
before / was utterly ignorant OF tn
forms OF law. did not know that l had
the right TO address the jury on my own
behalf without being cross-examined. My
attorneys told me that 10 speak would be
against their wishes and, advice. l did not
speak. Now, find that my silence has
been construed rs evidence against me. IL
was an admission that was guilty OF hav-
Ing killed. Farrar, as his brothers main
tained had killed him, with premedita-
ton aud malice.
81 never wished to admit anything Of
tho sort and 10 this day maintain that
did not shoot James Farrar, either by ac-
cidclt or design He WAS shot in the
struggle, but not by me. We were locked
together on the ground. when heard the
revolver shot, aud Immediately knew that
Farrar was hit, and hit fatally
Barrett than reviews tho testimony
given at his trial, aud claims that it was
changed for the express purpose of con-
vcting him. He concludes his argument
by stating that ''every effort was made to
keep me from getting even the scnblance
of "A fair trial, and as result am where
you sec me today.
His Dealings with Chafrsy.
II would like to speak in reference TO
Chaffey in his attempt to throw on me all
the blame for his crimes He Is an Eng.
lishman like myself and was born In Lon
don, and that r the only bond OF unity
that ever existed between us. My brother?
No. The same mother never bore US.
regard Chaffey as a man cruel yindictive
and treacherous. 1t is he who threw all
the odium on me after my arrest. During
all my trial he pretended to be my friend,
but was not.
"But l will got even with him yet l
will do all in my power TO aid the police
in bringing him to justice. know him
as q burglar and a fence, and will prove
my statements In court. Once IL WAS
he burglarized the houses and obtained
the stuff. never did.
II am confined in prison, firmly be-
lieve, rs the result Of a conspiracy on the
part Of Chnffey and others, who believe
they can force me to yield the treasure
which they imagine have buried. once
conveyed 10 Chaffey the impression that
could find Si00, 900 within 10 miles of Bos-
ton. On that hc has worked, and on that
statement he has pullitied my defense,
undermined my efforts to regain my
liberty and debauched my advisers.
"All that want is chance TO address
a right aud fair-minded jury on my own
behalf and show how my lawyers so des-
perately slipped up on my case. II can
only secure the chance 1 crave may sue
ceed in establishing my innocence before
the eyes of the world and once more be q
free man."
A Post reporter took the above confes-
sion TO Charles street Jail, wrote a message,
telling Chaffey OF Barrett's statement
and Offering to show It to him and said
that il deeply concerned himself. Chat
fey's answer was: "Acting on the advice
OF my solicitor, i have nothing to say at
present in regard TO the matter"