The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-09
F. |. HANCOCK
 TOOK POISON Slayer of Troutman Commits Suicide, HAD JUST BEEN REcAPTURED Brought Back from Kansas City by
 Sheriff Raley. Leave. Note in which He Say. He wa. Going to Place Where He
 Would Receive
 Just Trial.
HAD JUST BEEN REcAPTURED

---S-
 Brewton. July s.-(special )--Fred Leslie Hancock, slayer of Prof. Jesse Troutman. and who figured in sensa ffonal trial for the crime at the last term of Circuit Court, committed sui- eide in his cell in the Escambia Coun- ty jail tonight by taking an ounce of carbolic acid
 Hancock made his escape from jatl May and had just been recaptured In Kansas City, Mo, Sheriff Raley return ing here with him last Friday. He left note in which he said he was go- ing where he would receive a just trial. where only the truth was told and not where hc would be tried by the preju- dice of the people.
 Crime Stirred Escambin.
 The crime committed by Hancock on New Years day. 1905, stirred Escambia County as it had not been stirred in recent years. Hancock who was g prosperous horse dealer of Brewton. accompanied by his brother-in-la Bo- land Weaver went to canoe Station twenty-three miles south of here on that New Year morning, which was Sunday. They overlook Professor Troutmsn who was a paralytic school teacher, weighing less than seventy pounds. and Hancock shot him to death.
 The tragedy was witnessed by a number of persons who saw Hancock run after shooting the teacher. Ha escaped into the swamp but Weaver was caught and held at the station in Canoe where threats of lynching were made.
 Weaver was taken to Brewton Jail and the following. day Hancock sur rendered to Sheriff Raley. On prelim- mary trial Weaver was released from custody and Hancock was held with out ball. He was indicted for murder in the first degree by the grand Jary and when his case came on for trial ne pleaded insanity. At this term of the court his case was continued ow.ns to the absence of witnesses.
 owing to the prominence : of ths Troutman, Han .ock and Weaver farni- lies the trial of Hancock. the first week in April of this year. attracted q throng of people to the court house ii Brewfon The trial continued two days The jury was out four days al the end of which time Judge s. E Brewer, who tried ths case. entered an order of mistriaI. It was understood that the jury stood eleven for life i'm prisonment and one for acquittal.
 Solicitor Bricken in his appeal to the fury declared that the murder of the afflIcted school teacher was the most heartless the most cruel and with less Justification than any murder that was ever committed in Alabama. Three brothers of Professor Troutman, big, sfronr-limbed farmers, wept like chill dren as they listened to the story of the tragedy which snuffed out the life of their brother.
 Professor Troutman, 1t was shown by the evidence, was in love with Miss Winnie Weaver, the young sister or Mrs Hancock. Miss Weaver made ner home in Brewton with the Hancocks. Her parents, estimable people of Cas- tIeberry, were much opposed to the at tention of the paraiytic teacher to their young daughter. The State said that Hancock shot Troutman because ne persisted in these attentions. The de- fense contended that Hancock was iusttfied because Troutman had cast doubt upon the legitimate birth of Hancock, in a letter written to the
 Throughout the trial Hancock had his wife and his two beautiful baby boys in the court room with hlm He was debonnair and frequently express ed ehe belief that there could not De Sorbt that the jury would find him not guilty. With the mistrial. he went hack to the little Brewton jail heavy heartad. On the night of May 9th ne made his escape. It is believed that he came to Montgomery the following night. At any rate Sherin haley spent several days in Montgomery ano vicinity watching for Hancock
 several weeks ago Mrs. Hancock and her two children left Brewton on a northbound train. Sheriff Raley, un- known to the wife of the escaped prls- oner, was on the train with her. But the woman was shrewd. She left the train before it entered the union rail -kok fsa ShRrlfL Raley could not find her in Montgom- cry and he did not see her again un- i'll she was found with her husband Tn Kansas City.
 In Kansas City. Hancock was engas' ed in horse trading. One day he was arrested because he answered the de- scription of a horse thief He was not A horse thief, but his arrest was his undoIng. It is said that when the off, cer laid hands on him. he said in sub stance: "Yes, I am Leslie Hancock. know what you want me for l do not deny it. shot and killed man in Escambia county, Alabama"
 Then the Missouri officers recalled that they had circular advising them of the escape of Hancock from the Brewton jail. Sheriff Raley was no- titled and he went to Kansas City He returned to Brewton Friday after. noon with Hancock, whose wife and children accOHlpahlSc tHeIl. A HuIiipei of Brewton people were at the depot to see Hancock. They expressed sur prise at his changed cT1dition. He had most successfully sguised him. self by having had hrs mltstache shaw cd and by ether methods
 Professor Troutman, the victim ot Hancock. was popular In this county There was mucn feeling here against the prisoner. lie had often said that fl would be impossible for him to get 2 fair trial in Brewton.
 It is probable that the body of Han cock will be buried fin the Brewton cemetery tomorrow.
 Roland Weaver, who was with Han cock when he shot Professor Trout man, is now a resident of Montgomery He Is a motorman for the Montgomery Traction Company and was married here about three months ago