The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-11-16
KILLS BANK CASHIER,
WOUNDS PRESIDENT
Youth Who Holds Up Indiana In
stitutiOn Saved From Lynching.
TRIES 70 ESCAPE IN sMFF
enters Building by Rear Door With
Two Pistols, Orders All EN-
ployes into the Vault and Begins
Shooting.

New Albany, Ind.--Jn an attempt
at bank robbery a seventeen-year7old
boy, Thomas Jefferson Hall, of Louis
vile, Ky, entered the Merchants
National Bank here shortly before
noon and killed J. Hungary Fawcett,
cashier Of the bank; seriously wound
ed John r. woodward, president OF
the bank, and wounded James R.
Tucker, a negro chauffeur, fatally.
According to William J. Hall, the
boys father, who has a furniture
store at No 500 South Preston street,
Louisville, young Hall has been "a
household tyrant" He denies that
the lad is insane.
He is simply mean, y said the faith
er. The family is formerly of Knox
Vile, Tenn.
Among young Halls effects was
found strongly made cabinet, lined
and QUILTED like a room. 1t is be-
lieved that the boy expected to escape
with his loot, crawling into the box,
which was consigned to "R. T. Smith,
Knoxville, Tenn" and escape as
freight.
Hall came to New Albany in an au-
tomobile, the property of Mrs. Walter
Escott, a resident of one of the most
fashionable districts of Louisville.
The chauffeur, James r. Tucker,
negro, told the police that the youth
took possession of the automobile in
front Of Mrs Escott's home and
forced him, at the muzzle of a revol-
yer, to drive him to New Albany
Hall entered the bank by rear
door, revolver in each hand. He
gave the command, Hands up,
everybody; get into the vault"
President Woodward advanced to-
ward the robber and attempted to
talk to him. Halls response to Mr.
Woodward's question as to what was
wanted was two shots, which struck
the official in the arm and the stom-l
ach infiicting dangerous wounds.
Fawcett then rushed forward, but
before he could reach the fallen presi-
dent was shot in the neck and breast,
dying short time afterward
Hall, still without speaking word,
walked out the front door, dropping
one of his revolvers just outside the
building. Turning the corner to where
the automobile stood, he jumped into
the rear seat, with the command to
the negro, "Get out of this as fast as
you cam But the automobile stood
still, the negro, thoroughly fright
ened, being unable to move. Hall
Jumped to the ground, drew q revol-
yer and sent bullet into the negroes
back.
An instant later the assassin was
running at top speed down the bank
to the Ohio, where he jumped into
skiff.
He had pulled out some distance
into the stream before the astonished
citizens of the town and the river
bank knew what had happened. One
old sailor on dredge, seeing the
youth rowing for the Kentucky shore,
gave the alarm through megaphone.
Owners of river craft then engaged
In race for the desperate. The po-
lice, however, in a motor boat, dis
tanced all followers, and in short
time had Hall at bay on an island
just south of the big bridge connect-
ing New Albany with West Louisville.
They covered him with revolvers and
the arrest was made without fight
The prisoner was taken to New AL
bany. There the police were sur
prised to find 200 men who wanted
to take the prisoner Only by piece
of strategy was the latter's life saved,
as a chorus of Hang him! Lynch
him! He killed Fawcett!" greeted
the police.
Woodward. the wounded president,
is fifty years old, and is son of j.
K. Woodward, wealthy merchant,
who died few years ago. He has
been president Of the bank for fifteen
years.
Fawcett, the dead cashier, was
forty-one years old, and leaves
widow, formerly Miss Elsie McDon-
aid, society girl Of Louisville, KY,
to whom he was married two years
ago. He also leaves son, Charles
Fawcett, by a former marriage. He
was a son of Charles H. Fawcett, a
retired business man and director in
the Merchants National Bank.