The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-04-22
TO
KILL OFFICERS
WHO CAUGHT HIM

which he had threatened to shoot his |
parents and which he had boasted he |
would defend himself with in ease of |
an effort to arrest him.
Taking possession of the guns, the |
officers started back for Newfane, al |
though they had not abandoned the |
thought of capturing the flown bird. |
Barber likewise had not entertained |
the idea of departing without means
of defense in ease of a chase, so after |
a reasonable time had elapsed he skulk- |
ed back to the premises, found an axe
and crept up to the house.
He said later that he expected to
find at least one officer in the house
and that he intended to lay him low
if necessary to avoid capture. Be
coming satisfied that the coast was
clear. Barber went into the house and
looked for his guns, cursing roundly
when he found that they were with
the officers. He gathered mp some
clothing, got some money and told his
aunt, Mrs. F.. D. Nash. formerly of
Townshend, that he was going TO Brat
tleboro and then to Montreal. With
that he disappeared in the darkness
On arriving back at Newfane Sheriff
Mann and Deputy Davis called Depu-
foreements and started by automobile
for the Barber house. They were told
that the young desperate had returned
armed with an axe, that he had
threatened to kill anybody who under
took to apprehend him and that he
had started for Montreal by way of
Brattleboro.
Not knowing whether he would 90
by road or follow the track Sheriff
Mann decided to have both road and
track guarded and the party started
in their machine for Brattleboro. At
the pumping station Deputies Wellman
and Mcdonald alighted and stationed
themselves at good points of vantage
and began virgil. The two other of
| tcers continued to the West River
! bridge, at the three bridges north of
the village, where they left their ear
| and started up the West River track
| They had proceeded about a mile
| when they saw the outline of man 5
| form coming toward them. Feeling Ger
! tain that they were not seen, Deputy
! Davis started back down the track and
/ Sheriff Mann stepped into some bushes
and waited for Barber to pass. the
plan being to ambush the fugitive
| The PLAN worked to perfection and
| when Barber was safely past Sheriff
Mann stepped out with his gun while
Deputy Davis came back to assist.
Barber saw that the jig was up and
submitted peacably to arrest. He said
later that he heard the officer 90 into
/ the bushes, but thought he was deer.
Being of a braggadocio type. Barber
was very talkative and gave away
some information that he did not need
to divulge. He began talking about
breaking into a cottage on West river
owned by Edwin +. Lindsay, who lives
on Western avenue and is a substitute
letter carrier. He admitted that he
broke into that cottage April 10 and
said he supposed that was what he was
arrested for. He said he took can
of soup, some crackers and a pack OF
cards from the cottage.
This confession suggested to the of
ficers that possibly they could learn
something about the breaks in cottages
on the banks of the Connecticut river
owned by Brattleboro people, and they
began questioning Barber about them
He made some statements which vii
cause the officers to make further in
vestigation.
On Oct. 4, 1912, the owners of II
cottages advertised a reward of S1OC
| for information leading to the arrest
and conviction of the parties or part,
who broke into the cottages Of NJ
Austin and Fred I. Howe, situated on
the New Hampshire side of the river
. Barber formerly worked for th
Estey Organ company and for tn
T. Central Vermont Railroad company a
hostler at the round house here an,
later as fireman. Recently he has bee
\ doing farm work. His father said tn
young man had habit of entering IN
= occupied houses, but never knew o
his breaking into an occupied house.