Connecticut western news., 1895-11-21
LED A DOUBLE LIFE.
A CAREER AS STRANGE AS THAT OF
 JIM THE PENMAN.
William Barrett's Wife Lived In Luxury In the Metropolis While He Robbed People nt the Hub-she Thought He Was Honest.

In the Metropolis While He Robbed
 People at the Hub-she Thought He
 Was Honest.
 NEW YORK, Nov. 15.--A romantic se- quel to the conviction anu sentence 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 a criminal in Boston his wife, 1t Is said, was ignorant that he was a burglar, and, supposing him to be engag- ed in business there, lived In this city, with luxurious surroundings. For nearly three years she lived in tso second story of the apartment building Tt 353 West Fifty eighth street. It was the most ex- pensively furnished fiat in the house and from the scale upon which Mrs. Barrett lived it was plain that she had no fear of the source of her income failing.
 Mrs Barrett was a inc horsewoman and kept two thoroughbreds for riding purposes at Durlands Riding academy. Each day a groom brought one of them to the house in 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.
 It was rarely that Barrett himself was seen, and in reply to inquiries his wife Is roputed to have said that he was In busl- ness in Boston. Checks for the rent sign cd by the husband, were punotually 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 inkling of the real facts that her husband was one of the most remarkable burglars at large, and one who had succeeded In hoodwink- ing tho police for upward of go years. It was not until after Barrett's arrest for Mir. Farrar's murder that her eyes were opened to the truth. A man named James s. Chaffey, whom Barrett has accused of being an aooomplice of his, is the reputed medium through which her dream was shattered.
 Chaffey, after an interview with Bar rett in Waltham prison, oamo to New York. saw Mrs Barrett and exposed her husbands true character. Barrett for nearly 20 years had lived alone in rooms at 22 Eliot street. Boston. During tbeso years, 1t Is alleged, he stole about $500, 900 worth of valuabes and goods and always managed to conceal the dual nature of his life from his wife's knowledge
 Waits Her Husband Tn Jail.
 Visiting her husband in Waltham jail, Mrs Barrett heard his confession, and then, womanlike, determined to help him in his plight to the extent of her power. She sold her horses, furniture and jewel ry and applied the proceeds to Barrett's defense. Meanwhile she accepted the hos pitality of Chaffey's family and lived with them for Q time; then. 1t Is asserted. Chaffey availed himself of the opportunity to rob the woman of all she possessed and to appropriate for himself the valuable plunder 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 footed the burglars safe before the police found Barrett's hiding place in Boston, and then. by spacious 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 cd possession of 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 123 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 oaro 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 req son that while endeavoring to dispose of some rare stamps to MT Trifet at 36 Broomfield street. Boston, they were reo- ognized as stolen property, and be was then arrested. Chaffey, in reply to ques- tioning, said they were given to him by Barrett. Afterward trunks were discover cd in Chaffey's possession filled with jew |. elry and other costly things to the value of about $50, 900. They were 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 a penny to his wife for her support
 Mrs. Barrett is now reported to be in this city, trying to earn her living and taking good care to keep her identity hid den.