New Britain herald., 1919-07-19
VEIL OF MYSTERY
 IS DRAWN ASIDE
Murderer Hamby Found to Be
 Soldiers Son

Chicago, July 19.-The veil of mys- tery behind which Gordon Fawcett
 Hamby, New YOrk's uniuue con-
 demned murderer, has hidden his life
 history since he was convicted a few
 weeks ago of the killing of two of-
 1icials of the East Brooklyn Savings
 bank, was lifted yesterday by the
 aged widow of "Blind John" Condon, one time race track king of Chicago ! and the middle West
 Mrs. Condon, after a long struggle
 with her memory, identified Hamby
 as in all probability the shiftless son
 of Busy Jim" Hamby, race track en-
 ploye of her sightless husband. Ham by shook the turf dust from his heels when Canada began sending troops across the ocean, and despite his 56 years, gave his life as soldier, all
 though he died of disease before get ting in action against the Germans.
 If the "Hamb" of Sing Sings
 death house is the son of Busy Jim"
 Hamby, he comes of a substantial and
 highly respected family of Winnipeg, Canada. Reports from that city last night tended to confirm Mrs. Condon's s Identification of the son of her hus- bands late race track runner" Finally Breaks Silence.
 In the death house of Sing Sing Thursday the bank slayer, apparently annoyed over the persistence with
 which officials pursued their efforts
 to penetrate his alias, gave way fin ally and told them they would learn who he really is if they asked the information of John Condon, 2623 Michigan avenue this city No John
 Condon could be found there, but
 Mrs. John Condon was found, and
 she readily identified herself as the
 widow of Blind John' Condon, of
 racing prominence.
 With considerable difficulty the
 aged woman eventually recalled also
 the association of her husband with
 Busy Jim" Hanby and then police
 and other investigators agreed that "Hanby's" sole effort to shield his
 identity consisted in changing a single
 letter of his name.
 Tracing the history of "Busy Jim"
 Hanby revealed that he came origin
 ally from Canada and that Gordon
 Fawcett Hanby apparently had inn
 bibed some of his fathers rowing
 traits. Inquiry in Winnipeg estab-
 lished the fact that Busy Jim" Han by had lived there and that after he had left to satisfy his desire to l follow the racing game" his chil- 1 dren were cared for by the family of 1 George Hanby, an uncle of Gordon. ] George Hanby is a health inspector l for the City of Winnipeg.
 He told reporters there that the 1 family came originally from York 1 shire, but had lived in Winnipeg for | twenty-eig years. Gordon's parents
 made comfortable living conducting
 a laundry, but Gordon's uncle, George l sold the laundry business some years ago. GOrdon'S mother died when he was quite young and the uncle took ] over the care of Gordon, his brother and sister. Busy Jim" Hanby in the meantime had moved on to the Chicago and other tracks. Jackson Hanby, a brother of George and John. also helped in caring for the three children. Jackson Hanby now is living in Victoria, B. C., and is in ill health.
 What became of Gordon Fawcett Hanby's sister, if this identification of the bank murderer is correct, is not
 made entirely clear, but friends of the family in Winnipeg said that Gordon got into so many tight places and so frequently brought the fam fly name into disrepute that she gave up her place as a graduate nurse in Winnipeg hospital and now is living in an obscure town in Saskatchewan. Went to College in Winnipeg. Hamby's uncle said also that Cor don had received a good education and was sent through high school ] From high school, his uncle said, Gordon was sent to St. Johns college 1 in Winnipeg, but seemed not over enthusiastic about a college course. It l was at this time that he went to join l his father in Chicago and from then 1 the exact date of his migration was ] not made clear-little has been heard of him except from time to time, l when, in trouble or out of funds, he ! played upon the heartstrings of his
 relatives for money or other means
 to get him out of trouble. George
 Hanby said that although he and
 other relatives frequently gave money to their rowing nephew, he never took i the trouble to repay them
 1. There the story of Gordon Fawcett