W.C. Fuston, 28, Brownwood city policeman was slain and William
Thomas Haley, 25, escaped burglar was wounded when police sought to
question the Palo Pinto jail breaker in a cabin at Del Mar Courts at 1:40
a.m. Friday.
     Haley whipped out a revolver while being questioned by Fuston and
shot the young officer four times. Haley then ran a gauntlet of gunfire
from City Alkderman A.P. Sprinkle and Patrolman Fred White, who were
outside the cabin.  He fled on foot, leaving a trail of blood.
     Bloodhounds from Gatesville were brought here and placed on the
trial, but cold weather made it difficult for the dogs, and the trail was
lost.
     Fifty or more peace officers from over a wide area converged here
for the greatest manhunt in the history of this section.  They scoured
the brush and stopped cars along highways in an effort to catch the
fleeing badman.
     The two had taken a cabin at Del Mar Courts.  They were traveling in
a Ford coach with "Pampa Packing Company" painted on front and back.
     When Haley ran under a hail of bullets from the cabin, he leaped
into the car, but Sprinkle and White, who had emptied their guns into the
cabin, reloaded and began firing.  Haley leaped out of the machine and
ran off on foot, leaving blood on the seat of the car from a wound in his
shoulder or arm.
     Haley, under two year sentence for burglary in Palo Pinto county and
wanted in numerous other burglaries used a "soap pistol" to escape from
the Palo Pinto jail in December 29.
     The city alderman and the two radio patrolmen went to the courts and
to Haley's cabin.  Fuston, who has been on the force for three months,
went to the door of the cabin and knocked.  Haley opened the door and
invited Fuston in.
     Fuston walked inside and began questioning Haley.  The bandit said
he was not the man Fuston thought he was, and offered to produce papers
to prove his identity. 
     As Haley distracted Fuston's attention for a split second, the
bandit produced a revolver and shot Fuston four times, Fuston fell to the
floor of the cabin.
     Haley then darted into the bathroom as Sprinkle and White, from
outside the cabin began firing.
     The officers emptied their revolvers through the door and window of
the cabin.  Haley then dashed outside, jumped into the seat of his car,
but was forced to flee on foot when a bullet crashed through the back
part of the machine.
     Fuston died an hour after the shooting in Medical Arts Hospital.

                   

     Dublin, Texas
     William Thomas Haley,  ex-convict, who fatally shot police officer
Jack Fuston to death in Brownwood today, was captured about seven hours
later near here.
     Deputy Sheriff B. M. Hassler of Erath County reported that Haley was
captured about a mile from the point where Hassler and another officer
chased him in to brush.
     Haley was turned over to Brown county offices who had sped to Erath
county on report that Haley was in Dublin area.  They immediately
started back to Brownwood with him.
     A short time after escaping a Brownwood, Haley jumped on the running
board of an automobile, driven by a Brownwood youth, Charles Watkins, and
forced the motorist to drive toward Dublin with him. 
    Between Dublin and Stephenville the car was stopped by Deputy Sheriff
B.M. Hassler and Nathaniel McInroe, Haley jumped from the car and dashed
into the brush.
    After Hassler lost the fugitive in the brush he returned to the hiway
where McInroe was waiting with Watkins.  He did not know of the killing
until it was told to him by a traveling man, who stopped to see what the
excitement was about.
     He and McInroe immediately spread the alarm and a posse was formed
to search for the fugitive.
    The Brownwood youth told them of Haley's wounds and that he was
bleeding profusely. Watkins was forced into a clothing store with Haley,
where he purchased a new pair of pants to replace the ones he was
wearing.
     Haley was lodged in the Brown County jail where his wounds were
attended to by Dr. H. I. Lobstien, who later reported that he had a wound
in the right arm near the elbow and  in the left thigh

         

    William T. Haley, 25, may have escaped prosecution for murder in the
fatal shooting of Policeman W. C. Fuston by hanging himself in
his cell on the third floor of the Brown County jail.  It was the last of
multiple suicide attempts following in rapid succession today.
     Haley, during the noon hour today, was rushed to the new Brownwood
Memorial Hospital after he had been found hanging from a wire about his
neck which he had attached to top of his cell door.
    The prisoner was not expected to survive. Blood flowed from his ears,
and his breathing was faint. A group of police officers lingered at his
bedside.

     [News reporting left a lot to be desired in those days, did not find
an article stating if Haley survived his suicide attempt or not.]

          

     Funeral services for William Clarence Fuston will be held Saturday
afternoon a 3 p.m. at the Coggin Avenue Baptist Church, with Rev. J.M.
Bradford officiating.
     Mr. Fuston was born March 24, 1912, in Erath county.  He was a
member of the Coggin Avenue Baptist Church.
     Surviving are his wife Mrs. W. C. Fuston; his mother, Mrs. Ruby
Fuston of Brownwood; two sisters, Mrs. Lila Gilbreath and Mrs. Irene
Williams of Brownwood.
    Pallbearers will be Dr. J.B. Walker, H. L. Ehrke. Leeman Brice,
Melvin Bruton, Marvin Crump, and Claude Taylor.
     White and London Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

     Mayor Wendell Mayes, on behalf of the City of Brownwood issued the
following statement today in connection with the slaying of City Officer
Jack Fuston.
     "All Brownwood is bowed in sorrow at the untimely death of Jack
Fuston.  He was mercilessly shot down as he was performing his routine
duty of protecting, to the best of his ability, the lives and property of
Brownwood citizens.  It is unbelievable that he should have been called
on to make such a sacrifice.
     "Jack Fuston was a capable, popular, efficient officer.  He was
alert in the performance of his duty, amiable in his relations with his
associated and friends, and considerate of those whom he was required to
bring to justice.  The City can ill afford to lose such an officer;
Brownwood can ill afford the loss of such a citizen.
     "To his family, the city joins the citizenship in  extending
sympathy, knowing full well that nothing can be said or done to diminish
the shock and sorrow of such a loss. To all, we give assurance that
nothing will be left undone to apprehend the criminal and bring him to
justice."
             **********************************************************

Patsy in Brownwood.

 Site space provided by:

All TXGenWeb Counties Alphabetized
TXGenWeb County Index

© 1996-2004 TXGenWeb