Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1891-04-29
HE TOOK HIS OWN LIFE,
WHEN EVERYBODY THOUGHT
HE WAS HAPPY.
suicide Ofa Young Man In Knox.
willie Who Was to Have Been
Married This Evening to the
POstmaster's Daughter.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, April PIN. o.
Merideth, young man quite well known
in the city, and prominent in business
circles, committed suicide this afternoon
by blowing out his brains with pistol.
The suicide has created a most pro-
found sensation, which is increased by
the fact that he was engaged to be mar
ried Wednesday night to Miss Lucy Hud-
iburg, the beautiful young daughter of
Postmaster Hudiburg. So far it seems
very difficult to get at the facts, which
caused him to commit the rash deed.
Scores of rumors are shoat. 1t does
seem to be true, however, that financial
troubles led to it.
Merideth has been the local agent for
the New South building and loan associ
alton, OF Middcsborough, Ky. Charges
are made that he is defaulter to the
company, and Others again that he has
collected dues from many stockholders
and not turned them over to the COM
pany. He came here some three or four
years since and seemed to be poor but
hard working man. He protessed reli-
gion and Joined the Church street Metho-
dist church, and has been one of the most
prominent and active workers in the
church. He took the lead in church
work, prayed in public and was a most
Jealous christian seemingly. He courted
the daughter of Postmaster Hudiburg
and won her hand. The cards were all
out for the marriage, and it was looked
forward to as coming social event.
This morning Meredith was up early.
He took an electric car about or s
O'Clock and went to a suburb about three
miles east of the city. Some time before
noon he returned, and visited his aft
anccd. 1t now developed that he insisted
strcnuously on her taking buggy ride
with him. She told him she could not
go. as she was too busy preparing for
the wedding. He continued to insist,
and was with difficulty put off. He left
the house and about noon was seen 60
ing in the direction of the historic old
Fort Saunders. Several persons saw
and recognized him.
last after dinner he was seen near the
old tort, sitting under tree reading a
letter. AS tar as known this was the
last time he was seen alive. Between /
and 3 O'Clock some one was passing the
fort, and was startled by the report of a
pistol. The party looked and saw
man under a tree, with pistol at his
head, fall. The alarm was given and as
slstancc rendered.
The man was found with bullet hole
through his head, from which his brains
and blood oozed. The pistol was still in
his hand, but he was dead. He had cyl
IDENTIFY deliberately planned his own
death. He had taken off his coat and
selected beautiful spot under the
pines, which skirt the memorable battle
field of Fort Saunders. He had fallen
with his head on his coat.
About ten days since Meredith was re-
ported to have fallen from a Knoxville,
Cumberland Gap and Louisville train
and hurt himself 1t is now said that he
jumped from the train with the intention
OF killing himself, but that he failed to do
so This story may be false. Blu. he did
jump or tall from train. BY his body
today was found letter addressed to
his affianccd, The contents of this letter
have not yet become public, and may
not. 1t is said however, that in this let
ter he states that he had been bounded
by parties into the deed. This story puts
gossip going again. The statement is
that the parties he referred to have had
some dealings with him in the building
and loan association, and had threaten
ed him with criminal prosecution. The
affair is i'll deeper mystery as the state
mcnts come out, but the facts will doubt
less be dcyclopcd.