Allen - Barrett Tragedy

The following incidents took place across the Nebraka/Colorado border just west of Dundy County.

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Printed in the Benkelman, NE Post, January 1908

Allen-Barrett Tragedy

(Researcher note: Not sure of some of the words, guessed at some.)

Christmas presented Yuma county, Colorado, with another murder case, when about 4 o’clock Wednesday evening Lafe Allen shot and instantly killed a man named Barrett at Laird, Colo. Authentic information concerning the affair is almost impossible. It seems that those connected with the affair or witnesses to the same absolutely refuse to talk, and even the Denver papers are before the public this morning without one line concerning the tragedy. So far as we are able to learn, the facts are about as follows: The Allen and Barrett families, between which exists a slight relationship by marriage, had gathered at [word missing] country for dinner. During the course of the day a difference arose and trouble ensued. That, however, was quieted down, and no further trouble was anticipated until in the evening when they all met at the [word missing] in Laird and someone threw a stone [word missing] striking Lafe Allen in the face and breaking his jaw. Thereupon, a free-for-all fight ensued and everyone who was old enough to throw a rock took part. At the close most of the [word missing] were more or less injured and Barrett was dead.

Several arrests were made and the coroner’s inquest was begun yesterday [word missing] at Wray and is still in session at this time.

(Text was very hard to read and some words are missing indicated by "[word missing] ")

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Printed in the Benkelman, NE Post, July 1908

TRAGEDY AT LAIRD

A Family Fight Leaves Old Man Barrett Dead and Others Injured.,

The Allen-Barrett affair seems to have created but little interest in our sister county of Yuma, and people seem to treat it with more or less contempt, and so far as possible ignore the entire disgraceful affair. At he coroner's inquest the verdict of the jury was to the effec that "Lafe Allen killed Barrett with felonious intent," and Allen was held for trial under the charge. He pleads self-defense. All others in connetion with the affair were turned loose and now preparations are being made for a long, drawn-out murder case in the district court.

The following account of the tragedy, as taken from last week's issue of the Wray Rattler, is about as good a general report of the affair as we have been able to procure and reproduce the same:

"Christmas day at Laird was full of excitement for the inhabitants of that little village, and in the windup one man lost his life and others are injured more or less, all the result of family trouble.

The trouble originally is of long standing, but the recent trouble began at Ora Allen's who lives on the Ramsey place south of Laird. The Allen and Barrett families were to have a Christmas dinner at Ora's place and had repaired thither, when Ora Allen and Jim Barrett got into a difficulty, which resulted in Jim and Grandfather Barrett leaving and coming to Laird. But before coming to town, it is said Barrett stood off the Allen boys—George, Ora, and their father Lafe, known as "Hickory Allen—with a large knife.

After the dinner at Ora's was over, what was left of the party went to Laird, Mrs. Barrett being with the Allens, as was also two of her children now married, one the wife of Ora Allen and the other Mrs. Sewall Nunn. Upon their arrival in town Jim and John Barrett and their father sought to renew hostilities and met the wagon as it drove up and here the trouble began anew. While the boys were fighting around the wagon the team started on of its own accord with some of the little ones still in it, and some of the women folks started after the wagon is to keep the children from getting hurt. In the meantime Lafe Allen had secured his revolver, a 38 caliber, and had approached the crowd when John Barrett and his father started toward him. Here is where the stories conflict. Some say that Mr. Barrett had a large dirk knife in his hand and was striking at Allen; others say he had nothing in his hand, and that his hands were up; while one report is that he attempted to draw, or did draw, something from his belt, and that at this time the shot was fired by Lafe Allen. At almost the same time some one threw a missile, striking Lafe Allen on the side of the face. Both men fell to the ground almost simultaneously. The elder Barrett sank down and died almost without a struggle, while Allen soon regained consciousness and was removed to the house.

Word was sent to Wray for the officers to come and take charge of the matter. which sheriff Johnson and his deputies did as soon as they could get to the scene. They arrested Jim Barrett, Sewall Nunn, Ora, George and Lafe Allen and brought them to Wray, where they have been kept under surveillance over since, awaiting the decision of the coroner's jury, which is now in session.

Lafe Allen had the cheek bone broken when hit in the face and is now under the doctor's care.

The bullet, which struck Barrett in the lower left chest, ranged downward somewhat, something like two inches, and cut a large artery just below the heart and lodged in the spinal column, where it was found at the autopsy last night.

The funeral of J. H. Barrett will be held from Wray tomorrow.

The coroner's jury has adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow, when they will continue their investigations.

The above is gathered mainly from hearsay reports, but were the most reliable to find and we think are mainly correct.

This is a sad affair and as the families are so closely related it is hard to figure out the reason for so much ill feeling.”

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