Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 284, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1913 — FAWLEY ON RAMPAGE; EIGHTS DESPERATELY [ARTICLE]

FAWLEY ON RAMPAGE; EIGHTS DESPERATELY

Fair Oaks “Bad Man” Breaks Loose from Sheriff and Deputy and is Caught in Country.

REAL FOOTBALL HEROES. Sheriff Unable to Keep Pace With Fleeing Wild Man Deputizes Football Players and They Race Fawley to the Country and Capture Him—Fun Starts When Fawley Fights Entire Posse and Continues to Kick and Strike Until Beaten into Submission Alter Arrival at the Jail—Several Are Injured and Fawley Frightfully Beaten. Bd Fawley, the Fair Oaks “bad man” or maniac, whichever name seems most appropriate and neither seems to do him complete justice, went on a rampage Wednesday afternoon and it took Sheriff Hoover, Deputy Oglesby and the football squad to recapture him after he escaped and Constable Parks and a number of volunteers to subdue him after he was brought to the jail. Fawley is the greatest problem of the time. Discharged from the asylum as sane and refused at the penitentiary because he is insane he is now a further charge upon Jasper countykand its officials. The incident Wednesday followed tlie placing of Fawley under bond to keep the peace, his divorced wife having it done as a means of protection. Fawley had' been at Fair Oaks for several days and had kept a vigil day and night over the movements' of his wife, frightening her almost to the point of desperation. He prayed in public places and all times of the night his wails could be heard as he implored aid to reconcile his divorced wife to him. Wednesday Mrs. Fawley came to Rensselaer and the surety of the peace proceedings followed. Fawley is cunnig and demanded the right to procure an attorney and, accompanied by Sheriff Hoover and Deputy Ben Oglesby went to the court house and then down .on the street. He was looking for Attorney Dunlap, he said. Just as the three reached the postoffice corner Fawley slipped off his overcoat, and ran north on Front street. The officers saw that they could not overtake him and they secured assist ance and went down Van Rensselaer street. At the sehoolhouse the football team was engaged in practice and Sheriff Hoover deputized the entire squad to aid in the chase. Fawley in £he meantime was beating it to the northwest part of town and.when the football players set out in pursuit he had a good lead. Sam Duvall, half back, and Will Eigelsbach, quarterback of the' team, were the first to get close to him. Ross Ramey, who delivers meat for Eigelsbach, had been following Fawley and at one time overtook him just as Fawley crossed a fence. He held to Fawley’s coat and retarded him for a short time, but Fawley hit him in the breast and kicked him until Ross thought the seat of his trousers was between his shoulders. He had just freed himself from Ramey when Duvall and Eigelsbach came up and Eigelsbach threw a brick bat in front of him and he stopped. He thought the boys wero after him but Duvall assured him they were just out practicing wind for their Thursday football game. He

edged closer to Fawley uhtil he was near enough to make a flying tackle and he brought Fawley to earth; Eigelsbach sailed in at the same time and for a little time Fawley seemed to give up, but when they started to carry him toward town he rebelled. The other football players arrived and assisted in carrying Fawley down the road for some distance. This was well out on the county farm road. Sheriff Hoover and his deputy, who had been unable to keep up the pace set by the football players, were met near the residence of J. F. Bruner and Fawley said he would go with the sheriff without trouble. The sheriff ordered the boys to release him and he at once made a vicious swing at Hoover, but the latter escaped by dodging. Fawley lunged in all directions, kicking and striking and it was some time before he was overpowered and John Morgan hit him a hard bat in the eye during the proceeding. One of his lunging kicks had caught Morgan on his lame knee and others had suffered some bruises. Fawley was brought to the jail, frequently stopping along the way to make an attempt to get away. He swore and fought like a demon. He made his final stand at the jail and it was some time before he was landed in a cell. One of his hands had been strapped to his side and deputy Oglesby, who.is small of stature and slightly crippled in one knee, went into the cell to take the strap off Fawley’s wrist and he at once set upon Oglesby, staggering him with a blow between the eyes. Several persons, including Constable W. S. Parks, L. A. Harmon and John Robinson, rushed to the rescue of Oglesby and the enraged maniac gave them about all they could handle for some time. To stop his kicking some one caught one of his legs and q>erson went to catch the other leg, but ,got hold of Oglesby’s by mistake and the latter was pinned down as well as Fawley. It was the wildest scene ever enacted ii\ the county jail and Fawley’s oaths kept pace with his flying fists. Finally he was beaten into submission and covered with blood he gave up the fight. The proceedings to place Fawley under bond to keep the peace comes up next Wednesday before Squire Irwin. In the meantime he is confined at the county jail with no charge against him except the peace proceeding. He is frightfully beaten up and is unrecognizable owipg to the bruises and swelling about his face and head. He did not oat any until Thursday noon, when he ate a fair meal. He spends : his time moaning, praying and singing. His prayers are for strength, the strength of a lion, in order that he can destroy his enemies, and when some one at whom he has a grievance comes into sight he applies a terrible oath and a threat at the object of his insane anger, His songs are self composed and set to religious tunes: They deal with his wife principally and he accuses her of deception, singing, “She’s deceived me, she’s deceived me.” Officers are trying to find some charge on which an adequate sentence can be given Fawley and it is hoped to land him where he can not again cause injury to his wife or others. * His body is scarred from knife cuts and evidently he has been in

many troubles before and has exercised the same cunning that he relies upon to free him at this time.