Documenting and Analyzing the History of Federal Executions
Charles Barrett
On December 3, 1902, Charles Barrett robbed and killed John Hennessey, in Calvin, Indian Territory. Hennessey was an older, reclusive man who was known to have a lot of money.
Investigation of the killing led to circumstantial evidence implicating Barrett. Continuing investigation then led to a note from Barrett’s wife implicating Barrett and, subsequently, a confession from Barrett.
Oklahoma State Capitol, December 20, 1902
At trial in federal court in McAlester, Barrett was convicted of murder on June 3, 1903, and sentenced to death. Charles Barrett was hanged on July 17, 1903.
I am a sociologist and death penalty scholar at the State University of New York at Geneseo. I am also a Pittsburgh native. My present research focuses on the history of the death penalty in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), Pa.
This website is dedicated to collecting, analyzing, and sharing information about all Allegheny County cases in which a death sentence was imposed.
Please share any questions or comments, errors or omissions, or other matters of interest related to these cases or to the broader history of the death penalty in Allegheny County.
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The Federal Death Penalty Project 