Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-01


A Railroad Conductor in a Fit Of De
spair sends Bullet Crashing Through
his Brain-No Motive Assigned for the
Rash Deed.
The community was somewhat startled
yesterday morning by the report that
young and popular conductor, MIR. W. a.
Key. lately in the employ of the Sayan-
nah. Florida and Western Railway, had
committed suicide at his boarding house,
corner of Reynolds and Liberty streets,
by shooting himself in the forehead with
a revolver. Coroner Sheftal was notified
Of the occurrence about 10 O'Clock, and
Immediately visited the scene Of the
tragedy. and summOning jury held an
inoIest. in the course of which the fol-
lowing particulars were developed:
Mrs. Catharine Donovan, at whose
house the deceased boarded, testified that
between and s O'Clock in the morning
she started to go up town, when she
heard the report of a pistol, but did not
know that il was in her house. She told
her daughter when she was leaving to keep
Mr.. Keys breakfast warm until he got up.
She said she had never known the de-
ceased to be intoxicated, and that he re-
tired to his room the night previous be-
tween : 80 and 5 O'Clock; that he was
conductor on the Savannah, Florida and
Western Railway, and was from Macon,
where he has a wife and two children.
Mrs. Donovan also identified the remains
as those of Mr.. W A. Key.
Miss Mary Donovan testified that yes
| terday morning there was knock at the
/ front door, and that she went to the door
and a gentleman asked if Mr.. tkey staid
/ there. She said Eyes, what do you want
with him." He replied that Mr.. Key had
/ lost some money on the night before and
/ that he thought he knew who robbed him,
and wanted to give him some information.
| The young lady went up to Mr..
| KEYS room to call him and
| on entering the room saw pistol in the
| hand of the deceased and blood on his
I pillow. She ran down and told the gen.
| tleman that Mr.. Key was shot. She also
! testified that she heard the shot fired, and
thought it was outside.
Mr.. VIM. /. Griffin testified that he re-
cOgnized the deceased as MIR. W. A. Key,
/ from Macon. Ga: that he was a conduc-
tor on the Savannah, Florida and West
ern Railway, and that bis wife and two
children were living in Macon.
The testimony here closed, when the
| Jury. consisting of Messrs. Samuel Sam
/ son, II. j. Maggie, c. +, Lee, W, L. strobe,
C. f. Haryev, James Millen, Jas. j, Hum
phries and Richard Robinson. returned a
/ verdict --I0aI from lnG eNlUGACe bCAOlc
them, the said VIM. A Key came to his
death from pistol shot wound inflicted
bv a pistol in his own hand, and We con-
slider it 4 case of suicide"
The remains were neatly incased in a
coffin and sent OH the O'Clock train to
Macon.
In the pockets of his clothing were
found several keys, railway papers and a
railroad punch, besides a note, which
read:
compliments Of Minnie f. BastOn tC
Mr.. Key, and will accept his company
tonight.
''T'h0masrille, Feb. 20, 1892"
The following letter was also found on
his person.:
NIX DEAR HUsBAND-I am glad tC
hear from you. l send you little change
by him. (Mr. Phinney). Write soon tG
me. Uncle Jim was dying Yesterday
''BABE."
Mr.. Phinney is an engineer on the Sa
yannah, Florida and Western Railway.
The deceased was for time in the EN-
plOy of the Macon and Brunswick Rail
road as a freight conductor, and after
wards served in the same capacity Gu the
Savannah. Florida and Western Railway
but this office he resigned about week
ago. He was about thirty-fye years OF
age, and though a drinking man at times
was not generally regarded as intemper
ate. He was liked by all who knew him
and no explanation has been assigned fol-
the motive which impelled him to take
his Iifa