The record-union., 1899-09-21

CHICAGO, Sept. 2U.-Frederlck q.
Filbert, the aged cashier of the Paia-
tine Bank, at Palatine, ILL.,, tWenty-slx
miles north of Chicago, is lying close
to death as the result of an attack
made upon him to-day by young man
who gives the name Of Walter LaWton.
The latter, who is unknown TO any
body at Palatine, and apparently OF
good education, is in the County JAN
suffering from a bullet wound in the
abdomen, which will probably prove
fatal Henry Plagge, 70 years OF age,
a farmer, whose intervention at a crit
ical moment prevented the outright
murder of the cashier, is at his nome
west of the village, cut and bruised ana
disabled as a result of his struggle With
Lawton, whose motive for the assault,
according to his repeated statements,
was not robbery.
The attack upon F'ilbert was made
with a tack hammer, and the cashier
was struck at least a dozen times be-
fore Plagge interfered.
The attack occurred at o'clock In
the afternoon Cashier Filbert was
alone in the bank when LaWton, whom
he recognized as a visitor Of last Fri
OdN, WHO Ildu SOuSIL q 1Och VA q SNP
posed farm, entered. Lawton called
Filbert into the outer office TO consult
a map which hung on the wall, ana
started a quarrel. Filbert is small and
feeble, and could offer little resistance
to Lawton, who pounded him savageiy
on the head with a small tack hammer.
Repeated blows from the sharp ham
mer sent the old man to the uoor but
his cries attracted Farmer Plagge. AS
the latter entered he was met by Law
ton who said:
"Filbert is in the back room, and !
guess there is something the matter
with him.
Plagge pushed open the door, and az
he stopped over the PROSTATE cashier
Lawton struck him three times on the
back Of the head with the hammer Ihe
old farmer turned on his knees and
grasped his assailant about the legs.
Both fell to the foor and struggled for
possession of the hammer. Each IN
turn received blows with it, until Law
ton drew his revolver. The men fought
for the weapon and III the scuffte Tor 1t
it was discharged, the bullet entering
Lawtons abdomen.
The wound weakened Lawton so
much that, although he still fought,
Plagge had little trouble in throwing
him to the floor and holding him until
assistance arrived.
The crowd which gathered rapidly af-
ter the pistol shot separated the two
men and took the supposed robber to
the village lookup. he was 100 Sc
verely wounded to offer any resistance,
oil hot him
from violence at the hands of the ex-
cited crowd that followed him to Jail.
Lawton was brought to Chicago on n
late train tonight ana placed in the
County Jail. Although it was manifest
that the name of I.awron was assum-
ed, he having taken The precaution to
cut all initials from lis linen before
the attack, for the best avoidance of
Identification. He insisted that he had
given his actual name.
He denied that he had entered the
bank for the purpose OF robbery, and
claimed that the alienation of his
wife's affections by Filbert took place
five years ago at the Fifth Avenue Ho-
tel in New York City. Filbert de-
clared that he has not been in New
York for twenty years.
Late tonight it was announced that
both F'ilbert and Lawton will die. The
formers skull is fractured in two places
and the latter cannot survive the wound
in his abdomen.
The police have no doubt that the
looting of the bank was Lawtons de-
sign. The cash balance Of the institu-
ton was 100000, all of which was IN
the vaults at the time the assault took
place.