The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-08-24

death of Colonel Winstead taken from
the Richmond State:
Mr.. w. H. Hansford, who liyes at Nc.
| 102 north 5th street, was standing on the
southwest corner Of Tenth and Broad
streets, from which point he witnessed
the suicide. He said:
81 saw an old gentleman in the granite
| balcony at the foot of the tower on the
| Broad street side While l was lookip g
saw him plunge headlong over the
stone balustrade. He fell with terrific
speed through the air head downward
until he had reached to about the second
story when his body doubled up like a
ball and the next moment was quivering
on the sharp points of the iron rails,
which guard the area immediatly under
the private office Of the city treasurer"
The head and body hung downward
inside the iron fence and over the mouth
Of the area. 1t was suspended fir, m one
of the sharp spears which had caught the
left leg just at the hip joint, as the body
fell face down ward and the force Of the
fall had torn it entirely out of its socket
This hung over the side of the railing
next to the sidewalk.
AS Mr.. Toler took hold Of the body
the flesh quiverei and in removing the
remains from the fence the limb was sep
arated from the trunk.
A crowd Immediately gathered about
the corpse when it was laid on the con-
crete walk, and Officer Robbins had to
| force the curious thrOng away from it.
The coroner was summoned by one Of
the police officials and was soon on the
ground. Officer Clnely found bundle
of letters, some papers and telegram in
the dead mans inside coat pocket, which
revealed his identity. The telegram
reads:
"RoXBoRo, N. c., August %, 1894
81. NJ. Winstead, HOTEL Richmond:
81 will be in Richmond tomorrow.
c. S. WINsTEAD"
Among the other personal effects found
on the body were three notes for $4,000
oil maui pdJdOlC " y III w IuStcdu-lNO Y
in sixty days from July Is and 81, res
pectiYely, and the third dated June IA,
payable in ninety days. All these were
signed by Henry P. Scales, secretary and
treasurer, for the Henry p. Scales Tc-
bacco company, Atlanta, Ga.
There was also a cheque dated August
IS, drawn upon the National bank of
Greensboro for 81 ,551 80 payable to the
order of the Henry p. Scales Tobacco
company, and signed by j. NJ Winstead
In letter which the deceased had writ
ten under date of August II, to c. s.
Winstead, his brothes, and which had
never been mailed, Col. Winstcad stated
that, "My land company business is
worrying me no little, but We are likely
to get it in better shape"
Colonel Winstead arrived in this city
yesterday afternoon, ii is believed He
entered Fords hotel about O'Clock, and
asked Mr.. J. B. Lipscomb, the clerk, for
a comfortable room. After registering
he was assigned to room No. 1G7, which
overlooks the Capitol Square. He ap
peared in good spirits and spoke cheer
fully to several gentleman about the
hotel.
At about 9:15 the banker entered the
elevator in the City Hall and told Chas.
Mettert, who was in charge Of the car,
that be wanted 10 go to the top Of the
building. Mettert explained that the
car went no further than the fourth
story, but told him that he could get the
key of the tower from the office Of the
superintendent of fire alarm. He
procured the key from Clerk Z. G.
Minor and promised TO close
the doors and windows in
the tower when he should come down
according to the instructions given him
by Mr.. Minor and left the office The
base of the tower begins on the fourth
floor and the top is reached by winding
stairways Of iron. At the first landing
aboye the base windows look out upon
the granite balcony from which the fatal
leap was made.
Tie unfortunate man either removed
his shoes on the landing, the stairway or
the balcony.
He could have gone out upon the bal
cony through the doors, which close to-
gether between the windows on either
side, but instead he raised the sash of the
window next the west side OF the tower.
He probably mounted the broad baIus-
trade OF granite, which surrounds the
balcony, and dived headforemost after
throwing his shoes and cane before him