Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Thursday, May 6, 1886
Age: 24
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 3 months
Badge Number: 557
Cause of Death: Bomb
Date of Incident: May 4, 1886
Weapon Used: Explosives; Bomb
Suspect Info: Four executed
Patrolman John Barrett succumbed to wounds sustained in a bomb blast two days earlier.
Patrolman Barrett was one of the many officer assigned to disperse a protest meeting near Haymarket Square on May 4th, 1886. A deadly bomb explosion, followed by an intense gun battle, ensued. Patrolman Barrett sustained serious injuries. He died two days later from the injuries he received.
Eight men were arrested and charged with the officers murders. Seven were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The other one was sentenced to 15 years. On November 11, 1887, four of them were executed by hanging. The day before one of the suspects killed himself in his cell with a smuggled dynamite cap which he detonated in his mouth. The other three were pardoned by Governor Altgeld in 1893.
Patrolman Barrett served with the Chicago Police Department for 15 months and was assigned to the 3rd Precinct. He was survived by his wife, mother, brother and three sisters.