The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-25
HANDY GUILTY.;
TODIE IN CHAIR
Brooklyn Bank R0bber Con-
victed of Murder in Rec
ord Time.
ACCEPTS FATE CALMLY
Prefers Death to Prison Term
will Be Sentenced
Tomorrow.
Gordon Fawcett Handy" culture,

Noiuoh ra"cett riampy, cullurec
J lhandit. worse than Jmse James n the
opinion o. l&cett; wsS y6ll(
victed Of murder in the first degree by
jury in the Supreme Court, Brook
fyn. yesterday afternoon. He shot and
killed De Witt c. Peal. paying teller
and Henry w. Coons, assistant treas
urer Of the East Brooklyn Savings
Bank on December 13, 1918.
He knows that he will be sentenced
to death in the electric chair to-
morrow morning. Yet he walked In
handouts back to the Raymond street
jail as calmly and as TRANQUILITY as II
strolling for pleasure. And that with
mob Of 500 crowding on his heels.
The case was conducted under re-
markable circumstances and was des-
patched with a swiftness never ap-
preached in Brooklyn, and probably
never in New York State Unprece-
dented was the action of the blase
young defendant in insisting that his
lawyer. Frank X. McCaffry. abstain
from cross-examining witnesses. He
wished to be convicted. He wished to
die.
He would rather be killed than lie
in jail for years at Tacoma. as he
most certainly would II released here
He killed Robert Davis, a friend, at
Tacoma, and was just about to be
sentenced to life Imprisonment there
Schedule Shows Speed.
The celebrity with which the case
against him was completed yesterday is
indicated by the following schedule:
10 40 A. M.-District Attorney
Lewis opened his case to the jury and
denounced the smiling prisoner.
10 :50-First witness, Mrs De
Witt c. Peal, widow, took the stand
against him.
IL :30-Peter Bollinger, last OF fif-
teen witnesses. left the stand.
:0S-Assistant District Attorney
Conway finished reading Hamby's
confession to the Jurors.
1:l5-District Attorney announces
people rest.
1:1s-Mr. McCaffry announces de-
fence rests.
2:2O-Court opens after recess.
District Attorney sums UP for the
people.
2:50-Justice Fawcett charges the
jury.
3:0S-Jurors leave for jury room.
3:54-Jury finds Handy guilty of
murder in the first degree.
"I know echo the sentiment Of all
decent minded people in Brooklyn" said
Justice Fawcett TO the jury. "in express
ing to you sincere thanks for your YER
dict In this case. Any other determine
ton would have been a miscarriage OF
Justice.
you have by your verdict convicted
the worst man that has come before me
In my thirteen years on the bench. dur
ing which time there have been more
than 5000 criminal convictions before
me. The criminal record Of Jesse James
and all the other notorious bandits can
recall to mind pale into inslgnificance by
comparison with that OF this defendant"
Amid a breathless silence in the
crowded court room Handy walked to
the rail and gave his pedigree to Clerk
Rooney. He was smiling. He said In a
low, clear tone that he was jay B.
Allan" 26, born In Alberta, Canada. He
had mo definite residence-the world"
Occupation7 "Sailor-that'll do" He
was single and had a general education.
a little bit OF everything" Religion7
mo particular one. may have re-
ceived some religious instruction as a
child My parents are dead"
He was then handcuffed to Deputy
Sheriff James Shortell and taken through
Willoughby street to the Raymond street
jail about a third OF a mile. Auto
mobiles slowed down and cars slackened
speed as the bandit walked through the
street. chatting with the deputy sheriffs
and the policemen accompanying him. a
cigarette in his mouth. The word was
flashed about Five hundred persons
followed him to the jail doors thou
sand more peered from windows and
doors.
At the ONCE of Sheriff Griffin II was
explained that II was thought best to
take the desperate convict at once to
the jall through the street rather than
wait for the prison van to reach the
court house. II was an unusual expert
ence to Handy and to Brooklynites in
general.
Remarkable Career Nears End.
The conviction of Gordon Fawcett
Handy closes the career OF a man gen.
orally conceded to be one OF the most
remarkable and singular criminals ever
brought before a court. For eight years
he has drifted. care free, over the world,
living a luxurious life on the toll ex-
Continued on Saith PaoeJ