Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-07

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OVER DEBT DISPUTE
! A L. Bancroft, a butcher, fifty
years old. of 1877 Mcmillan street,
is dead. and w. w. Fenley. q car
penter, seventy-two years old,
Of IS Curran street. is dying at the
Grady hospital. as the result of a
pitched pistol battle early Tuesday
afternoon on the front porch of the
Fenley home.
According to Will Murdoch, Of so
Curran street, who was on the porch
with Mr.. Fenley and his aged wife
at the time of the shooting, Ban
the payment of bill said to be due
him by Mr.. Fenley. Murdoch said
Bancroft drew his pistol and began
firing almost the minute he entered
the Veranda.
Mr.. Fenley called Mr.. Bancroft
on the porch as he passed the house.,
Mr.. Murdoch told the police, land
when he came on the porch he told
me to move out of the way or he
would kin me. AS I backed off of
the porch, Mr.. Bancroft began empty
ing his pistol and Mr.. Renley rush
ed into the house for his pistol. Mr..
Bancroft followed and met Mr.. Fen
ley in the doorway, coming out, with
his pistol in his hand. Mr.. Bancroft
shot flew times and then drew his
knife and continued to advance on
Mr.. Fenley. Mr.. Fenley shot three
times, all of the bullets taking eff
feet. Both men fell simultaneously
into pools Of blood, and Mr.. Bancroft
was dead before anybody could get
to him.
Mrs. Fenley, who remained on the
porch throughout the desperate en-
counter, collapsed and had to be
rushed to the home of a neighbor
for first aid, Mr.. Murdoch said.
At the Grady hospital. physicians
held out little hope for Mr.. Fenley's
recovery. They said his body was
punctured with bullets and that there
were several knife gashes about his
face and body.
The fusillade of bullets cuased
scores of persons in the vicinity of
Curran street to rush to the scene of
the shooting. By the time the
crowd had assembled, an ambulance
Mr.. Fenley was rushed to the hos
pitaI in an effort to save his life,
while Mr.. Bancroft's body was sent
to the undertaking establishment of
AWtrey & LowndeS.
After being revived in the home
of a neighbour, the aged wife Of Mr..
Fenley described the pistol struggle
to officers. Her story was virtual
ly the same as that recited by Mr..
Murdoch.
Mrs. Fenley declared her husband
called to Mr.. Bancroft to come in
and discuss the liquidation of small
account that had been outstanding
for a few weeks. She said Der hus-
band did not anticipate trouble when
he invited Mr.. Bancroft into the
porch, but that the latter entered
looking for fight, Immediately draw
ing his gun, and without any pre-
liminaries, opening fire.
At this point in her story, the
heart-broken woman broke down and
was unable to continue. The police
then communicated with members Of
Mr.. Bancroft's FRANKLY to advise
them of his death.
Mr.. Murdock's nerves were I'M
strung as he sat in the police station
and told of the encounter between
the two aged men. He declared it
was miraculous that he and Mrs.
Fenley escaped untouched, with a
veritable barrage of bullets whizzing
past them for several minutes.
Fen1ey Makes Statement
On his bed in the hospital, his
body riddled with bullets and knife
gashes and weak from the loss Of
shooting to a Journal reporter.
Il guess I'm done for, but I will
die knowing it was not my fault"
he said. For more than year l
had trouble with Bancroft, and sew
eral times it came near to causing
The feelings began when I was
forced to enter suit against him
about year ago. Since then he
has made trouble for me every
chance he got. AS witnesses know.
| did not even have my pistol when
Bancroft began firing, but had to
rush in the house for it, I had a
tack"
The aged mans left eye was
closed by pistol bullet, there were
other wounds on his body, and the
knife of his assailant had cut deep
cash in his throat.
Will Jeffries, of Homer street,
told the police he passed the Fenley
home as the last shot was fired and
was one of the first to reach the two
men. He told the officers this story
Of the affair:
81 heard the shooting as l came
down the street, but I wasn't partic-
ularly anxious to go into the house
until 1t was over. I ran into Mr..
Fenley's room and found both men
on their feet, each WITH a pistol.
tore the pistols from each mans
hand and Mr.. Bancroft almost i'm
mediately sank to the floor. Both
men were bleeding freely and Mr..
Bancroft had knife in his hand as
we'll as a pistol. 1 could see that Mr.
Fenley had beencut as we'll as shot.
Mr.. Bancroft sank to the floor and
l helped Mr.. Fenley to a bed. L had
heard Mr.. Murdoch calling for the
police, and there was nothing further
that I could do"
According to Detective o. r. Jones
there have been several alterca tions
between Fenley and Bancroft in the
past, arising out of dispute over
a house, formerly owned by Ban
croft and later purchased by Fenley.
He said that some months ago
Bancroft shot Fenley in the arm,
without serious results.
Expansion Planned by
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