The evening world., 1892-05-05
WAS YOUNG FALEs INSANE?
Probable Defense of Newark's Cool
Boy Murderer,
Denial that Any Other Persons Are
Implicated in His Confession.
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NEWARK, May 5.-rhe inquest into the
cause OF death OF old Thomas Hayden, the
cashier OF the Potter straw hat factory, has
been postponed till tomorrow Afternoon at
the COurt-HouSe Coroner Emanuel
SchwarL's investigation will be a formal one
however, now that Robert Alden Fales, the
fif;een-ycar-old, selr.confesscd criminal has
admitted that 1t was he who struck the fatal
blows and then chlorOformcd and robbed his
victim.
There is considerable speculation here to-
day as to whether young Fales Will ever be
hanged FOR the crime His mother has not
yet engaged any counsel for him. 1t is be-
leved, however, that when the youths trial
comes up, the defense will be emotional IN
sanity.
While young Faless appearance does not
indicate any great degree Of intelligence, ne
is far from being an imbeCile. HIS face Is
hatchet-shaped, and there is a recedlng o.:
the chin that denotes a weakness to with
stand temptation.
There IS no bravado about him. and the
cool, quiet way in which he tells OF his care
fuily planned scheme to rob the old cashier
shocks the people and astonishcs the police
beyond measure
The boy is to-day beginning to appreciate
somewhat the full meaning OF the terrible
charge against him, and he Is unceasing in
his assertions that he did not mean 10 Kill
Hayden, but only to disable him so that he
could get the money that he knew was In the
cashiers possession.
supporters OF the insanity theory base
their argument on heredity, citing the fact
that only three months ago the young mur-
Gcrers father, who was machiaIst In the
Clark Thread Works, committed suicide in
Joseph Holiness saloon. on BeIleville avenue,
by taking dose OF poison in glass Of beer.
There are many who think that the elder
Fules was insane, and that his son may have
a hereditary tGint OF insanity IN his makeup
This theory, however, Is secuted by the po-
lice who believe that young Fales is perfectly
sane, and that contact with professional
crooks has bred an unusual criminal shrewd-
ness in the boy.
FaleS's mother Is an eStimabe woman, but
she has been unfortunate in having two
brothers, AloDZO and spencer Egbert, who
are both professional burglars and are now
serving flre-year sentences in Trenton State
Prison. Her husbands suicide added TO her
troubles, and her boys murderous exploit IS
the last drop IN her cup OF bitterness. said
CAIet OF Police Hopper this morning:
when her brothers were convicted Mrs.
Fales expressed her satisfaction AT the result,
because 1t would remove them from personal
contact with her son, over whom she feared
they had evil influence.
I've harmed then that this boy was rap
IDLY becoming an adept IN crime. While 1t
r,NY l.t,pN ha Tot
pated In buIglaries with his uncles we were
morally certain that he aided them In dlspOS-
ing OF their plunder ana used frequently to
make trips TO New York for that purpose.
at IS not true that FGles has implicated
others IN this crime He was alone and un-
aided. The case Is perfectly clear against
him, and there is little doubt in my mind that
he will hang for the murder"
The last time a boy under twenty was
hanged in New Jersey was IN 1927, in Hun
teGdoI county. The youth was James Guild,
colored boy OF twelve years and four
months, VINO killed Catherine BiaKcs, an aged
woman, at IiupewelL
Like Fales. Guild confessed the crime. but
declared lhat he did not mean to Kill the wo-
man.
Whether Fales intended TO Kill Hayden or
not, the TACT that he did kill him and awaited
his coming with a deadly weapon, is against
lin. The statute is mandatory and reads:
Al! murder which shall be perpetrated by
means UI poison hy lying IN wait, or by any
other Kind nt wi!iGl, deliberate and prcmodItStei
killing sta! be deemed mud IN the
hrst degree,
IN LIS confession TO superintendent Of Police
Brown, Fa,"S admitted not only that he had
been planning to way!ay and rob liaydon Tor
two weeks, but also that he had postponed
the deed until last saturday because he
knew that on tDat day he would have more
money than on the saturday previous"
Chief Hopper had another talk with Falcs
this morning, but denied that he had clicited
any new information.
EX-Convict Joker" Long, George Hall, his
pal, and George Halle, who were arrested on
suspicion OF being connected with Haydon's
Ii urder, have been discharged.