The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-21
YOUNG MANS REVENGE
MAKES A MURDEROUs ATTACK On
AN AGED BANK CASHIER.
Seriously Wounds n Farmer Who
self Sho I'm the Abdomen.

CHICAGO, Sept. N.-Frederick ]. Filbert,
| the aged cashier of the Palatine Bank in
Palatine, ILL.,, twenty-six miles north Of Chi
cago, is lying close to death as the result
Of an attack made on him to-day by a
young man who gives the name of Walter
Lawton. The latter, who is unknown to
anybody In Palatine, and apparently of good
education. is in the county jail suffering
from a bullet wound in the abdomen, which
will probably prove fatal. Henry Plaggo.
| seventy years, a farmer. whose interven-
ton at a critical moment prevented the
outright murder of the cashier, Is at his
home, west of the village, cut and bruised
and disabled as a result of his struggle with
Lawton, whose motive for the assault, ac-
| cording to his repeated statements, was not
robbery. The attack on Hilbert was made
with a tack hammer, and the aged cashier
was struck at least n dozen times before
Plaggo interfered.
The attack occurred at 3 o'clock in the
afternoon. At this hour many Of the resi-
dents of the community were thrown into
a tumult by hearing the report of a revolt
Yer and the noise of a struggle in the bank
rooms. William CAIRNS, a farmer, was
among the first to reach the bank rooms.
AS he entered he almost stumbled over the
form of Cashier Filbert, who, with torn
| clothing and bleeding head, was feebly en-
deavoring to crawl through the open door.
CAIRNS turned and ran into the street, shout
ing Murder and then returned to the
bank. Sounds of struggling still came from
the rear room, and CAIRNS hurried to that
apartment. AS he pushed open the glass
door he found the old German farmer.
Plaggo, bleeding from a number of wounds.
but fighting vigorously with a stalwart
young man, who lay on the floor with Plag-
go on top of him. A bloody tack hammer
and a revolver with a broken butt lay
on either side of the struggling men. The
young mans clothing was taine with
blood in the region of the abdomen
The crowd which had gathered rapidly
after the alarm had been given separated
the two men and took the supposed robber
to the village lookup. He was too severely
wounded to offer any resistance and this
fact was all that saved him from violence at
the hands Of the excited crowd that followed
him to Jail.
Cashier Filbert was alone in the bank
when Lawton. whom he recognized as a Wis
itor of last Friday who had sought a loan
on a supposed farm, entered. Lawton called
Filbert into the outer office to consult a map
which hung on the wall and started a quar-
rel. Fibert Is small and feeble and could
offer little resistance to Lawton, who pound
ed him savagely on the head with a small
tack hammer. Repeated blows from the
sharp hammer sent the old man to the floor,
but his cries attracted farmer Plaggo. AS
the latter entered he was met by Lawton,
who said: Hilbert is in the back room and
I guess there is something the matter with
him."
Plaggo pushed open the door and as he
stopped over the PROSTATE cashier Lawton
struck him three times on the back of the
head with the hammer. The old farmer
turned on his knees and grasped his assail-
ant about the legs. Both fell to the floor
and struggled for possession of the hammer
Each In turn received blows with 1t until
Lawton drew his revolver. The men then
fought for the weapon and in the scufle
it was discharged, the ball striking Lawton
In the abdomen. Plaggo said he had no idea
of how the revolver was discharged. The
wound weakened Lawton so much that al
though he still fought, rPlaggo had little
trouble throwing him to the floor and hold
ing him until assistance arrived.
Lawton was brought to Chicago on a late
train tonight and placed in the county
jail. Although it was manifest that the
name Of Lawton was assumed, he having
taken the precaution to cut all initials from
his linen before attacking Filbert, to avoid
Identification, he insisted thai he had given
his actual name. He denied that he had en-
tered the bank for the purpose of robbery
and claimed that the alienation of his wlfe's
affections by Filbert took place five years
ago at the Fifth-avenle Hotel, in New York
city. Filbert declares he has not been in
New York for twenty years.
Late tonight 1t was announced that both
Filbert and Lawton Will die. The formers
skull is fractured IN two places and the
latter cannot survive the WOUND In his alb
domen. Lawton's confessed motive for the
| assault was revenge on Filbert. who. he al
| leges. alienated the affections of his wife.
His story is not believed by the police. how
| ever. They have no doubt the footing Of
the bank was his ultimate design. The rob-
Der says he tracked Filbert for five years,
and that he discovered only recently where
the object OF his pursuit lived. He went
to the bank. he asserts, to demand 81, 500
in satisfaction Of the old injury. The cash
balance OF the institution was 800 900. all
OF which was In the vaults at the time the
assault took place.