The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-13
BACK TO EXPLAIN
BROOKLYN MURDERS
Gordon Fawcett Handy the
"Right Man" This Time,
Detectives Assert.
NOT A CHEAP ROY TYLER
Prisoner Said to Have De-
plored Necessity Of Working
With Bunglesome Crooks.

A young chap, twenty-six years Of age.
whose face bore the thoughtful. pene-
trating look OF student. sat in District
Attorney Lewis's ONCE In Brooklyn yes
terday afternoon. Indifferent to the at
tention he attracted, he chatted in low
tone with the detective to whom he was
handcuffed. Occasionally he stretched
his long legs and pulled at black cigar.
There was nothing in Gordon Faw-
eett Hamby's appearance that was ur-
usual Yet detectives declare him to
be one Of the most remarkable criminals
in the United States. He was brought
all the way from Tacoma. Wash. to
Brooklyn, In handouts to answer the
charge of having been the murderous
tall man" at the East Brooklyn Saw
ings Bank holdup December IS. 1918.
All doubt that he Is the man has been
dispelled, for he has practically con-
fessed.
1--WE have the right man." said Dis
trict Attorney Lewis, emphatically.
81 \am absolutely certain from admis-
sions made by him that he Is the man
that robbed the East Brooklyn Savings
Bank and killed two men there in De-
cember."
Like Page From q Book.
The story Of the career of crime pur-
sued by Gordon Fawcett Handy. alias ].
b. Allen. alias Boyd Browning. is an
extraordinary one. A Canadian by birth
and a radical In thought, he has wan
dered all over earth, taking by force that
which he desired. And when the Job
was done he quietly slipped back to
rhip-he was a sailor at times--or sub
merged himself in the perfect conceal
ment OF everyday II
Detectives say that the spoils plucked
from the worlds cash drawers by Handy
must equal several hundred thousands Of
dollars As seaman he visited japan
and other Oriental countries. He has
been in South Ameuica-at least in
Nicaragua: of that the authorities are
sure-in Canada and throughout the
United States. He says he was in France
when the armistice was signed, having
been seaman on a transport Wher-
ever he committed crime 1t was the
bold, ruthless holdup OF a past day, n
command of stand and deliver" at the
point of a menacing gun"
But Gordon Fawcett Handy never
stood In the road. He was no "piker"
such as stick up man. His con-
tempt for them was strong. His revolt
yer was thrust across the rails OF banks
and railroad offices. For eight years
at least. he piled his trade. The re-
markable fact is that he was never ar
rested. never wore handouts before. He
hates the police.
What brought Gordon Fawcett Handy
TO Brooklyn last December has not yet
been unearthed by District Attorney
Lewis There Is a theory that his part
ner, the short man. whom the police
ignored in the search for the leader.
may have been familiar with Brooklyn
territory and called the others atten-
ton TO It's possibilities. He, incidentally.
according to Handy. is now I'm Alaska"
Handy admits that he hurt" two mon
at the bank on the day $4,000 was
stolen but, he added, II was not wanton
murder. He made reference to one Of
the officials killed, identified as De Witt
c. Peal the paying teller.
Th"t stupid sense OF Duty.
what dive think of a fellow who
reaches for a burglar alarm when YOU
tell him to put up his hands," said
Handy.
According to the story told. Handy
and his partner separated after the
holdup. Handy STAYED in BROOKLYN for
two weeks, while the search was being
made throughout the East and then de-
cided TO 40 West. He decided that to
travel alone would be risky. His fertile
mind hit upon a scheme that worked
He made the acquaintance Of a cir,
ana without revealing his identity pro-
posed 10 her tnat she go west with him.
ne hAo lots OF money and spent 1t and
so she ripped along with him. on the
ua'h no toio others that ne and his
WE were honeymooning. Many were
ene Jokes ana eioes huns at them. The
couple iausheo ana went ther way.
Inc story Is not SO clear from this
point on The police say that Handy
stopped on at minneapolis. MIMI and
oid a little )ob there Somewhere on
the trip across the girl happened to see
gun protruding from Hamby's
pocket. This. coupled with chance re-
marks frightened her. She said she
was going back East Handy, ever
courty anc gentlemanly-he never
s~eArs-BnNe nor faro and went on
alone.
At Tacoma, Wash, he stopped at the
home OF Robert Davis. a shipyard
worker on strike. Handy and Davis
were interested In revolver target prac-
tice. And they argued about the merits
nj shooting from the holster as compared
with shooting from the pocket. Handy
Favored the former. Davis the latter.
Handy sho. and killed Davis on March
last and was sentenced to lifs i'm
3risnnInent at Tacoma
The Ghost on His Pillow.