A picture of Charles Troutman and others, some years after the events of this story, as they displayed their cars on a Canoe street.
On April 3, 1906 Fred L. Hancock awaited his fate from an Escambia County jury for the slaying of Canoe School Professor Jesse Troutman. As one local newspaper printed, "Hancock will know early tomorrow whether the shackles of the law which have bound him fifteen months are to be burst or whether he is to be punished for slaying Jesse A. Troutman on January 1, 1905."
The trial had been a sensational one, with more than 50 witnesses taking the stand and with Judge Samuel E. Brewer presiding over the trial. Brewer was said to be a no-nonsense judge who was punctual and demanding of both defense and prosecution in any case which he oversaw.
The final day of trial went on until 11pm with more than four hours of impassioned final arguments by J.M. Rabb and Jesse Stallings for the Defendant and John D. Leigh and Solicitor Bricken for the State. Newspapers reported the most prominent people in Brewton were in the great audience, more than one hundred of them being stylishly dressed women.
The trial began and Solicitor Bricken called upon W.J. Troutman, Justice of the Peace in Canoe Station, and father of the deceased. He also put on the stand a brother of the victim who testified that his brother was found dead, sitting in his buggy at a railroad crossing at Canoe, Alabama.
The witness testified the victim weighed only 75 pounds and he had used crutches for most of his life. This testimony was most likely intended to dispute the testimony of defense witnesses who were expected to testify that Troutman pulled a gun on Hancock, which misfired three times as he allegedly attempted to shoot Hancock in the face.
The defense team would go on to put two witnesses on the stand who testified to having seen the gun and having found it several days after the shooting. Yet both witnesses stated no one was aware of their presence at the crime scene and the State decried the two witnesses as fakes.
During Troutman's testimony about the frail condition of his brother prior to the shooting, he mentioned Professor Troutman did not have good use of his body due to his paralysis. He stated under cross-examination that he and his brother Teve Troutman carried their dead brother's body a few miles northwest of Canoe to Teve's home which he shared with Professor Troutman.
The State thereafter introduced Frank Stanton, a farmer, who helped undress the body of Troutman after his death. The witness described the wounds and testified as to the holes in the clothing.
A.J. Hall, county commissioner and resident of Canoe Station, stated he was present as the body of Troutman was examined and that two bullets fell from the corpse as the body was being undressed.
Peter Horn, also of Canoe, testified in the case as well. Young Peter Horn testified that he had seen the men talking prior to the shooting in that the events happened in front of his home about a quarter mile west of the train station.
Horn stated that he had seen Hancock prior to the shooting about 12 noon in front of his residence. Horn testified that Hancock was accompanied by Boland Weaver and Professor Troutman. They came to his house. He first saw them on the front porch. Clayton Troutman and Homer Troutman, sons of Justice Troutman, were there. Charlie Troutman, the youngest brother of Professor Troutman, was also present.
Defense attorney Stallings tried to bring out that Clayton Troutman went to his home and returned with a shotgun, and that he fired the shotgun some time before the tragedy. Solicitor Bricken objected to this testimony, objection sustained and exceptions were reserved for purposes of appeal.
Horn swore that Troutman was in his buggy in the road and that Hancock and Weaver were standing by the buggy, talking to him. Hancock walked away, going in the direction of Canoe Station. In a few minutes, Troutman drove his buggy in the same direction and Weaver walked along the road. As soon as Troutman overtook Hancock, the shooting began.
According to Horn, Hancock was on the right side of the buggy, from where he stood Horn said he could not see inside the buggy or the victim. The horse immediately took off at a gallop with the bullet riddled body of Troutman and travelled 100 yards before being stopped.
Horn stated that the Troutman's brothers had left his residence about ten minutes prior to the shooting. Stallings attempted to show there had been a conspiracy on the part of the Troutmans to do violence to Hancock. Bricken objected to all statements regarding the movements of the Troutman boys and the objections were sustained.
Also testifying that day was Mrs. C.C. Horn, apparently the mother of Peter Horn. She denied Defense contentions that Troutman had said to Hancock, "The cowardly cur wont fight anyhow." She also testified she did not hear Charlie Troutman calling for his brother to come back and not follow Hancock and Weaver.
Ross Peavy, a young farmer from Canoe, testified he was in the company of Mr. John Bethea and the two men saw Weaver speaking to Troutman and they noticed Hancock squatting in the bushes.
Allegedly Troutman had written a letter to Miss Weaver, a young lady who he had hoped to court, questioning the legitimate birth of her brother in law Mr. Hancock. This allegedly enraged Hancock. Yet the court declined to allow either the letter or mention of the relationship with Miss Weaver to be mentioned at trial.
Hancock took the stand in his own defense. Hancock essentially stated that he had been talking with Troutman and Weaver at Canoe Station. He stated that as he attempted to leave, Troutman attempted to bushwhack him and that what he had done was in self-defense.
The jury proved to be hopelessly dead-locked in the case, with one juror voting for acquittal and the others finding the Defendant guilty. Hancock was sure the jury would find him not guilty for the murder. Yet with the mistrial, it was back to the jail in Brewton for Hancock.
Or was it? On May 10, 1906 the Montgomery Advertiser reported Hancock escaped the jail, along with another inmate named Ben Starks. The two sawed the bars out of their cells and escaped through a window. The newspapers criticized the jail staff stating that the new jail had been built at a price of $10,000 and it was the second escape incident in a year.
A reward of $200 was offered for Hancock's capture but he had quickly left the area. Hancock resurfaced in Kansas City where he set up shop as a horse trader. He was mistakenly arrested as a horse thief, or at the very least questioned about a curious looking bill of sale. Hancock believed law enforcement had come to arrest him for having fled Escambia County. Hancock stated to the Kansas City officials, "I know what you are here for; for the murder I am charged with in Alabama." They were not there for that purpose, but their purpose soon changed with the admission and their review of wanted posters at the station house.
Sheriff Raley of Escambia County arrived to transport Hancock back to Brewton. Supposedly he tried to escape again along the way and cut his leg in the process. After being returned to Brewton someone brought him a bottle of carbolic acid to treat the cut. Hancock drank the contents and thereby committed suicide. This ended one of the most tragic stories of that era.
The book Shadows and Dust III: Legacies is now available for purchase. The hidden history of our area is documented through ten years of All Things Southern articles. Shadows and Dust III is available online at Lulu publishing.com or by sending $35 (this includes shipping-the book cost without shipping is $30) to Kevin McKinley at PO Box 579 Atmore, AL 36054. Also available: Shadows and Dust I and II and Canoe: History of A Southern Town Shadows and Dust I and II and the Canoe book are available for $20 each
