Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-11-16
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SATURDAY EVENING. NOV. 16. 1875
a ROMANCE OF CRIME.

A romance of crime seldom equaled
in history or fiction, has come to light
in New York city in the past few days.
For nearly three years Mrs. VIM. Bar
rett lived in thesecopd. story apartment
of the building at S53 west Fifty. eighth
street.
Mr.. Barrett was seldom seen. Neigh
bors knew nothing of him or his bust
ness. He provided literally for his
wife and son. Mrs. Barrett was fine
horsewoman and kept two thorough
breds. She said her husband was in
business in Boston. She did not know
the truth that he was one of the most
remarkable criminals of the day, o
burglar who had deied the police for
nearly twenty years.
When, on May 20, 1894, the papers
announced that William Barrett had
been arrested in Weston, Mass, for the
murder of James Farrsr while attempt
ing to avoid arrest for burglary, nobody
dreamed that there was the slightest
connection between the rich New York
Mrs. Barrett aud the desperate Massa-
chusetts criminal.
There had been many burglaries in
the vicinity of Boston just before Bar
rett was caught. Scores of houses had
been entered and thousands and thous-
ands Of dollars worth of property
stolen.
Gradually the truth came out, and
Barrett was tried and sentenced to I'M
prisonment for life, Notwithstanding
the efforts of his friend, James S. Chat
fey. Mrs Barrett spent all the money
she possessed in defending her hus-
band, whom, after the arrest, she be-
lieved to be in business in Boston.
a safe in Barrett's room, in Boston,
was broken open by the Boston police,
but only few bonds belonging to the
woman from whom the rooms were
rented were found. The police were
certain large amount of plumber must
have been secreted by Barrett, but
they were unable to find it. They had
not connected visit made by Chafey
to Barrett few days before his arrest
with the disappearance of the stolen
goods. The interview was very brief,
but it was long enough for Bar
rett to whisper to Chafey the combine
ton of the safe. By moving quickly
Chafey had the goods removed before
the police found Barrett's rooms.
Chafey also secured large amount OF
booty secreted by Barrett in New York.
In the lot at Boston was collection
of rare stamps, valued at $1,000, stolen
from the residence of Mr.. Kidder, OF
the banking house of Kidder, Peabody
& Co., in 1891. One day last week a
man walked into the store OF Mr.. Trifet,
No. So Bloomfield street, Boston, and
offered some of these stamps for sale.
Mr.. Trifet had mounted them and re-
cognized them at once. He arranged
with the stranger to call again, and
when he did so he was arrested. The
stranger proved to be Chafey. After
his arrest Chaffey turned over to the
police three big trunks and two boxes
full of valuable bric-a-brac and silver
ware, valued at about $4,000. In ad.
dition, Chaffey surrendered stocks and
bonds of the face value of 5000, 900.
These goods are now being displayed at
police headquarters in Boston and
many articles have been identified by
the owners whose houses were robbed
as long as ten years ago. Chafey claims
he did not know the gooGs were stolen,
br5 he was held in $4,000 bail to an
swer the charge of receiving stolen
goods.