Columbus (IN) Daily Herald, January 5, 1897, p. 1. NOTE: The item below
was abbreviated from the original as noted by the ellipsis. It appears that
this tragedy occurred in Indianapolis.
IN A FRIENDLY SCUFFLE
Fred Falk is Fatally Wounded by Thomas H. Hanna
Frederick Morris Falk, the 13-year-old son of Dr. F. Falk, 112 Fletcher
Avenue, was accidentally stabbed about noon yesterday while engaged in a
friendly scuffle with Thomas H. Hanna, sixteen years old, son of
ex-Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hanna of 432 N. Pennsylvania St. The knife
blade penetrated the heart, and the boy died inside an hour.
Dr. Falk formerly lived on N. Illinois Street and there his son became
acquainted with young Hanna. Both boys sang in St. Paul's church choir and
were the very best of friends.(I)t was not an uncommon thing for Hanna to
call at the Fletcher Avenue house. He went there shortly before noon
yesterday to deliver two pieces of music to a sister of the dead boy. While
he was at the house, Fred, or Dick as he was familiarly called by his
associates, came rushing in from school. At the time, Hanna was paring his
finger nails using a knife with a blade about two and one-half inches in
length. After the boys had exchanged the usual greetings, Dick noticed the
knife in his friend's hand. "Give me your knife, Tom," said he.
"No, I won't," replied Tom.
Dick started toward him and Tom started to back away. Dick finally grabbed
his hand, and the struggle that ended in the death of young Falk took place.
The boys were laughing all the while, and Miss Emma Falk a sister of the
dead boy, stood by and watched them.
Frederick was the only son of Dr. Falk, and the parents are prostrated.