The New York herald., 1920-01-30

her back East.
From Seattle, Handy went to the Ia
coma home of George p Davis, friend
of many years standing. He invested in l
an automobile and entertained Davis and
his wife in princely style, with theatre l
visits. cabarets and automobile trips into |
the Rockies. Early in March occurred the
event that proved fatal for Handy. He
was a Socialist and during party at the
Davis home a hot discussion arose on So
cialism and Bolshevism. Handy said
Davis called him a vile name. whereupon
Handy quietly went to his room, got his
revolver returned and killed Davis.
Gave Himself Up. i
Handy left in the automobile and got
lost in the mountains. His next move
was typical of the daring psychology of
this strange criminal. He deliberately |
drove to a general store owned by one |
time Klondike gambler and told him that
he had killed his best friend and that
he was able to kill himself. Redeau, the |
storekeeper succeeded in disarming him
and summoned the sheriff, who placed |
Handy under arrest He was tried and
convicted of the murder of Davis and was
sent to the Tacoma County Jail to await
sentence.
Word reached Brooklyn authorities that
Handy had been caught. District Attor- |
ney Harry E. Lewis Immediately sent
Assistant District Attorney Albert {.
Conway with Albert Freeman, an en-
ploye Of the bank, and Mccullough. the
chauffeur, who had driven Handy and
Wing away from the bank. They identi-
fled Handy as the East Brooklyn Bank
robber. He waived extradition and ar
rived in Brooklyn in June. where he made
n complete confession to District Attor-
ney Lewis. lie told Lewis he had COM
mtted hold-ups in every country on the
e 4. IL fva.,
and South America, and that he had real
lied approximately $500 900 in seven or
eight years of crime. lie said he never
tackled job unless there was Five fig
ures i'm it,"
Handy was placed on trial June % and
was convicted three days later. Tie offered
no defence and declared repeatedly that he
wanted TO get il over with as quickly as
possible" He was cool and collected then
and he remained so to the moment of his
death. His only request was that his
name be changed in the indictment to JAY
B. Allen instead of Gordon Fawcett Ham,
by He declared Allen was his right name
and became so averse TO the Handy sur
name that he refused in Sing Sing to sign
Il on an order which would have released
funds belonging TO him. Judge Fawcettl
refused to change the name unless Handy
offered proof that Allen was his real
name
SO far as District Attorney Lewis was
able to learn Handy was born in 1893 I'M
Alberta Canada. and that when he was
eight years old his mother and father
separated lie went to live with an aunt.
but went forth on ION his own hook when
fourteen. lie told the Dhtrict Attorney
he had been educated in an Eastern COL
lege. whether in Canada or this country
he would not say.
Lacked idea of seIf-Prescrvntion.
The most prominent Of Hamby's eccen-
trcties was his absolute lack OF the fore
most instinct Of every normal man-that
Of self-preservation. Where other prison.
ers IN his plight frantically would have
availed themselves OF every means to OBJ
tain an extension Of life. he calmly awaited
death. announcing that he would welcome
IT, He was against all efforts to save his
life. and told the prison officers he had
gone TO Sing Sing to commit legal sui
eide"
Hamby's view of his own life was that
Re had "flunked' He would have none
Of the clergyman at Sing Sing. but spent
his time playing with n ouja board
ut Is nothing for me T.. die because
am coming back" Handy declared 1T
may take few years and it, may take
several thousand years. but time does not
count Being brought into this world Is
ike being placed I'm class Of small chill
drcn. with each trying to compete with tho
other. Some of MS are successful, some
net As for myself. 1 have 'flunlSed'"
Alienists examined Handy on more than
enc occasion and they all agreed that he
was sane.
one Of his traits that forced admiration
Of a sort was his steady refusal to "squeal'
on his rails lie was always wary Of
giving any information that would impli-
cate those who had been working with
him. When Handy went to Sirg Sing
somo ono asked him what his remaining
lntert ST In life was lIe said that Il ould
be to "spend tire time from now until
go to the electric chair IN smoking read
ing and making myself comfortable" And \
he adhered TO this philosophy to the end
Judge Fawcctt aid that Handy was the Il
worst" criminal OF six thousand who had /
come before him during his career on the l
bench
4