The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-03-25
A Son Who Refused to AVenge
the Murder Of His Father.

attempted murders and plots OF as
assassination which have marked th,
progress OF she San Francisco Graf
Prosecution. The story Is sold fl
connection with q well Known affai
OF Francis Heney's when he killed &
man In Arizona, and is as follows:
CDR. Handy. local physician for th,
Southern Pacific Company in Tuscon
was violent and dangerous man
He had abused and deserted bis wife
and she was suing him for divorce
Handy declared shat he would Kill
any lawyer who took her case
Heney did take 1t 4 will shoot hin
with his own gun,' said Handy
When the case was won Handy, a
man much larger than Heney, met
the young attorney, backed him up
against wall, drew Heney's gun
from its holster, and started to make
good the threat Heney, fighting
desperately, managed to turn she
revolver against Handy, and to
shoot him dead. Heney, at his own
request, went through preliminary
examination, and was discharged.
Subsequently the grand jury, during
Heney's absence In another county,
heard the evidence Of q dozen or more
eye witnesses and refused to indict.
"Mrs. Handy died six months al.
terward, leaving five children. The
eldest, a boy, was brought up by DR..
Handy's sister, a woman who had
, something OF her brothers temper
and persistence, and who has always
denounced Heney as a murderer.
Twenty years later that oldest
boy, fine, outstanding young fellow
wlthsomething OF hisiather' mighty
courage, was In San Francisco run
ming an automobile for a city depart.
ment. Abe Ruei, whom Heney was
prosecuting, heard OF him, sent for
him, took him TO luncheon and so
his Office.
81 want you to 90 down TO
Arizona and get thai Heney in.
dicsed for the murder OF youriather,'
said Ruef, I'll send you down there.
We will take care of you and prepare
the way AS matter OF Tact, How.
ard harron, an assistant city and
county attorney, who had been ap-
pointed 80 office once through Ruei's
Influence, had already spent weeks
In Arizona seeing what could be done
50 procure the indictments OF Heney
Since no bail is given on murder
charge, this Indictment would have
put Henay out OF she way for
monthg At this sine the super.
visors had not yet confessed, and
Rnei was facing only the French
Restaurant extortion charges.
Handy heard him through and
asked Tor time TO consider.
"And the same day a voice over
the telephone said TO Heney: 4 am
the son OF Handy, Of Arizona, whom
you may remember. ] want to see
you on particular business.
when, in the West, the son OF a
man whom you have killed sends
word that he wants TO see you, 1t Is
a time for shi'sing the gun, Heney
did shift is; but he met Handy alone.
And the young man, sitting down
peaceably, told quite simply the
story OF his offer from Ruef.
81 shank you" said Heney when
he had done. But why do you tell
this-to me?'
"'Mr. Heney,' replied Handy, Il
was brought up to believe it was my |
duty to kill you-thst l was no man
unless | did. But after l grew up, |
went down to Arizona. | talked |
with old friends OF my father and old
friends OF yours, and finally looked
over the testimony at the prelimi-
nary examination. And l concluded
not only that you were justified but
that l owed you gratitude for what
you did for my mother. said then
that II l ever saw q chance to help
you out, would do It. Here Is
where l make good. Shall 90 down
TO Arizona and find out what they
are.doing?"
cheney thanked him, but declined
10 accept such a sacrifice. Later,
when an opposition newspaper got q
statement out OF the aunt calling
Heney a murderer, young Handy