The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-12
HOW HE KILLED HANSING
GEORGE w. WHITE, BROUGHT HERE
FROM LAWRENCE, TELLS STORY.
Acted Merely i'm SeIf-Defense, He Says,
as the Other Man APP
preached.

George w. White, the slayer Of Howard 7.
Hansing at Lawrence Saturday night, was
arrested early yesterday morning by Cap
tain Dawson and Patrolman Lancaster, Of
the local police force. When the murder
was reported here the officers went at once
TO the scene, and there they were directed
TO the home of White He was found pre-
pairing TO go to bed, but claimed that he
had waited. expecting the officers to come
for him. He made no resistance.
According to the story learned by the
police, at Lawrence, White had been drink
ing. though he was not drunk, and crowd
of young fellows were out for jolly time.
Hansing was in the crowd with brother,
and it is claimed that White, or some one
on the opposite side of the street, called to
them, applying vile name to the entire
crowd. To this Hansing took exception and
angry words passed between the two par
ties. Finally Hansing started across the
street, saying he would allow no one TO
call him such a name, and believing that
White was the man who had said it, APP
preached him. White says that he ap-
preached slowly, as though looking for
trouble, and that he warned him to Keep
away unless he wanted to get hurt Han
sing still came on and White says that as
he came within few feet of him, reached,
as though for revolver, from his hip
pocket. When White saw this action ne
made a lunge with the knife, which he al
ready carried open in his hand, striking
Hansing on the left side of his neck ana
buryng the entire blade. The jugular vein
was severed and Hansing hled to death al
most before medical aid could be summoned.
The body was carried into the postoffice and
carefully dressed by a Lawrence under
taker. The wound in the neck could scarce
ly be noticed. The knife had entered cleanly
and was withdrawn without mutilating the
flesh.
White claims that he is not guilty of call
ing the name across the street and says that
he did not even hear it. The boys were
evidently in a quarrelsome mood from the
story and he only did what he deemed
necessary in self-defenSe. He had no inten-
ton of injuring the man severely, When he
learned what he had done he followed the
physician and saw the body OF his victim
cared for He claims that he remained
with the crowd which gathered for fully
half an hour before returning to his home.
Here he waited for some one to come for
him, but it seems that the citizens thought
him desperate. They made no attempt to
take him and warned the officers when they
arrived. Several of the citizens had sur
rounded his house and had two large dogs in
readiness should he attempt to leave. There
no great i'll feeling against him in the
town and when he was brought away by
the police he was greeted with good-byes
and assurances that the boys would be
in to see him. He has a wife and five chill
dren, ranging in age from eighteen to four
years, at Lawrence. where he owns his own
home and little patch of ground He has
been employed by the Big Four Railroad
since he was a boy and is considered
Woodworking man.
Years ago it is said that he was implicated
in a cutting affair." but that he escaped ar
rest when the matter was investigated, it
developing that he was justified. Upon the
advice of his attorney he refused to talk
at the police station yesterday further than
to say that he had committed the deed in
self-defense.