News Articles about W.C. Fuston, Police Officer of Brownwood
3 February 1939W.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
Suicide Series Are Attempted In Jail
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 of Slain Officer Will Be Saturday at 3 P.M.
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 Pays Tribute to Jack Fuston
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."