The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-05
1T WENT TO HIS HEART
THOMAS IL. HANNA ACCIDENTALLY
SLABS y KILLS ANOTHER BOY.
SON Of Ex-Lieutenant Governor Han
ma and Frederick FaIk Were Strug-
CLING PIayfuIIy for a Knife.

Thomas III. Hanna. the sixteen-year-old
son of e~x-Lieutenant Governor Thomas
Hanna. accidentally stabbed and killed
Frederick Morris Falk, the thirteen-year-
old son of DIR. Frederick Falk. yesterday
at noon. The affair occurred at the Falk
residence. III Fletcher avenue. The two
boys were good friends. as were the mem
bers of the two families. The affair was q
deplorable ore and DIR. Falk and
family see that it was the re-
suit of a sheer accident. Young Hanna
became acquainted with the Falk family
at st. Paul's Church, where he and Mary,
the laughter of DIR. Falk, sang in the
choir together. From acquaintance, the
two young people became close friends and
it became the custom for young Hanna to
call at the house quite often, accompanying
Miss Mary Falk to choir practice. He
called often and the two went over their
music together at the young lady's home.
Besides DR.. and Mrs. Falk, Frederick
and Mary, there is one other daughter,
Emma, a young lady nineteen years old.
Mrs. Falk has a millinery store on South
Illinois street and is away from home dur
ing the day. DIR. Falk is also away at his
professional business and the house is left
to the care of the girls. Yesterday at noon
Emma was preparing a lunch to send to
her mother at the store. Her sister was
upstairs and when Hanna came in he
stopped in the kitchen and talked to Emma.
Presently young Falk came i'm from school
and he and young Hanna began Scuf-
fling over the possession of a knife. 1t re-
suited in the fatal stab TO Falk.
not look around when her brother came
in from school. She heard the boys scuf-
fling behind her. but thought nothing of
1t. They were within a few feet of her.
except the usual greeting when her broth
er came in. Presently her attention was
attracted by her brothers voice crying:
Tom, you've cut me-
Hanna replied: "Oh, no, 1 didn't, Dick.
Did II"
She turned about and saw that her BROTH
er had turned suddenly pale and seemed
about to fall. Hanna assisted her in help
ing the boy to the lounge, and then ran
out and called DR.. j. K. Hoover. of IS
Fletcher avenue. anu telephoned for DR..
Falk.
As soon as the physicians arrived young
Hanna went to his home, 432 North Penn
Sylvania street. ate his dinner and then
went to school at the academy at the cor
ner of Pennsylvania and Pratt streets. He
seemed greatly distressed and ate little. He
said nothing about the stabbing of young
Falk. however. and ii was not until the
boys death that his father learned of the
affair.
DIED IN FIFTY MINUTES.
Young Falk died in fifty minutes from the
time he received the wound. His father
and DIR. Hoover saw upon examination that
no aid could be given. 1t was uncertain
whether or not the knife had penetrated
the heart. A post morteTn examination sub
sequently made by Drs. j. H.. Oliver and
j. r. Hoover showed that the knife had
entered the body an inch and a half to
the right of the left nipple and had pene-
trated into the right ventricle of the heart.
Young Ham was greatly distressed
when he learned that the boy had died. He
then informed his father and the two went
at once to the ~coroner's office and then TO
the office of Attorney Albert j. Beveridge.
The. coroner had in the meantime visited
the scene of the tragedy and had examined
Emma Falk. Young Hanna was taken to
the police station, where the police were
given their first Information concerning the
happening. superintendent Colbert informed
the party that he would have to hold
young Hanna until a thorough investiga-
ton could be made of the affair. Coroner
Brayton, however, was ready to render a
Hanna and to prevent his detention at the
police station, he prepared the following
verdict:
Mr.. Thomas F. Colbert. superintendent
of Police-This is to certify that / have
officially examined Thomas H.. Hanna, of
1872 North enn ylvania street. a lad of six
teen and a half years old. son of Thomas
Hanna, who. at 1906 o'clock p. m. Jan.
\, to-day In a friendly Scur1e with Freder-
lex Morris Falk. 12 Fletcher avenue. for
a pocketknife open in the hand of said
Hanna. accidentally stuck the knife into
the lobe of the heart, at least in the chest
i'm the region of the heart. ana that said
boy Falk died as the result of the injury
within an hour. The facts above stated are
given by Emma Il. Falk. sister of the de-
ceased. and by said Thomas II. Hanna. L
find that the death was purely accidental
and eXonerate said Hanna from all inten-
tional blame. and believe that he is not
criminally liable for the death of said
Falk."
Young Hanna tells the same story of the
affair as that told the coroner by Emma
Falk. He says that when Fred Falk came
into the kitchen the two BOYS began strug-
Cling playfully for a knife: that Fred
seemed TO stumble and fall upon the knife.
Even after the wound had been made
Hanna did not seem to know that he had
made il and was greatly surprised when
Fred exclaimed hat he had been cut. He
threw the knife away, when he ran for
the doctor.
DIR. Falk and family have nved i'm this
city but a short time. They came from CO.
lumbus, Ind. The funeral OF the dead boy
will be held this afternoon. at = O'Clock. at
St. Pauls Church and the body will be
shipped at 1925 to olum for burial.
Flanner Il Buchanan ave charge of the
funeral.