The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-01-04
BLOWS HIS BRAINS
OUT IN CHURCH
Banker wilkins, Of Selma, Kills Himself
In The Early Eornlns.
BLOOD FLOWS AT THE ALTAR
Wife Grows Uneasy and Search Is
Nade-Just as lie Is Found he
Pulls the Trigger.

Selma. Ala, December 30.-(Special.)-Ihe
Commercial bank, after a career or more
than quarter of a century. assigned tou"S,
naming as assignces Lewis Jef1ries anu
T. Gilman, OF Selma. and S. Well. or Ne"
York.
The bank has been hard-pressed TOT soiho
time, owing to it's inability to realize on
loans fast enough to meet maturing paper
lis uneasy condition was transmitted 70 ~
patrons on Monday. S. We'll, repres' uhs
eight New York banks to which the Com
mercial is indebted $4,000. reached tho
city. ,,.,-.,.-,,,
Ills arrival prefaced large withdra"als,
which on Yesterday developed INTO ui'
on the bank, and an hour after open,is,
the officials enforced the one-huhuIeu -uo'"A
| limit, reducing it later to 500. -.
| In the afternoon meeting OF stoon
| holders and directors was held whlch last
| cd until long after midnight Wheh an
! agreement was reached and a notlce Wds
| pasted CA the closed doors TINS hoi iii''
! stating that the bank had made an as
! eignuent. bat that negotiations were pehu-
! ing TO resume. 1900 ~
Tho deposits do not exceed 100000. NO
/ statement of assets and liabilities can yot
be secured. The capital stock Is $Joo'Vo.
pepositors today signed an agreement TO
! Withdraw deposits in three six and nine
/ months. III Is tltuSii liitAN 'F~'
banks and stockholders will FURNISH SUN
cicrt funds for reorganization. and that the
bank will resume within ten days
He Seeks o. Church ut Night.
selma Ala. December Sl.-(SDeclaL)-
George A. wilkins. vice president & inc
Commercial bank which assigned yester-
day. shot himself ct st. Paurs church at
an early hour this morning, after spending
the night in the altar alone. lie deu
shortly after o'clock this afternoon
Last night at 7.3) o'clock wilkins II. II.
Stewart. Jr. and Fred Peterson were None
I'm Tho bank. when wilkins suggested that
all 20 homo and get some rest and return
to worl, ct $50 this morning. He was hrst
ia leave. saying that he was going mono
ana to bed. Ho spoke rheerfuliy as ne
walked ont aud closed the door behind
him.
A short time after leaving tho bank
Wilkins stepped into e a. SCOTS store
on Broad street. lie and Mr. Scott nave
been intimate friends for years. and they
had q long conversation together about
tho bank. Mr.. Scott. in order TO cheer
him mp, told him Of tho pleasant things
he had heard said about Ire oahk ahd
the faih and confidence no hdd he@ru
! expressed iu tho officials.
From the first OF the conversation until
he bid his friend goodnight lac seemed
more cheerful thau ne had FOR three weeks
o.. s,ain, pa saA-S e. " 49,, $50. 81 81 on
ueratils his intention ct going home and
20 boa. hc Left the store about 8 o'clock
Who- transplrcd between o'clock and
$3.50 this morning no one knows.
The circumstances ind cate that some
thing happened between tho store and st.
8tis church that turned his thoughts
from their hopeful path and that his over
I taxed brain became unbalanced. lie was
/ Tor many years Il member of St. PaUFs
I choir ass wen as Of the Vcstry of the
church, ana he carried q key to the door
leading To the choir. Through this he went
I into the darkness W Thin ana there through
out the long hours Of the night he remained.
Ills wiIe, sharing her husbands anxiety
sat up forlorn, waiting for his footsteps
At o'clock he had not returned ana grow
! ing uneasy she awakened hcr brOther-in-
Law, Julian Park, and requested him to 20
| 10 the bank and see If Mr. Wilkins was
! there lie found the bank i'm darkness and
/ filled with fear lest something had hap
! pcned he hurried TO the home of Captain
| r. W. Nelson president Of the bank, think
| ing perhaps he was there or that Captain
/ Nelson knew his whereabouts. Getting no
/ news from hu there he continued tho
search in company with Police officer Holt
/ Knowing his attachment for the church, ne
/ went there. hut could not get in, all Of the
! doors being locked He left ana tried to
! obtain q key. bat failed and securing a
! light the two returned TO the church, de-
! terulncd to force am en- rance. Going to the
| window back OF The organ they succeeded
| in forcing IL open. Air Park mounted TO
| The window sin and pecring into The dark
hess called. George! Goorse!'
Answers with Pistol Shot
At the same instant there as the report
Of pistol near tie altar. and jumping IN
1ir Park. with light in hand. rushed toward
st. 10 find the object Of his search lying
fun length upon tine floor inside the chan
Gel railing. pistol bah wound behind the
right ear. and the pistol with which tho
net was committed still smoking and grasp
"a firmly In his hand.
No sooner had the pistol fired than the
policeman blew his whistle and a moment
later j. 81. LumpNn. who lives across the
street from the church, was on the scene.
DIS King, Furnss. Gay and Harper were
hastily summoned The gas was lighted.
Tie was breathing heavily and was un-
conscious, the brain ooZng from the
wound soon the family who had heard
the report of the pistol. for the home is but
a block away, FASTENED into the church.
ana az 1879 clock, an hour after the shoot
ms nc was removed to has home.
iiy this time hacks had been sent for va
rious friends, and quite number We're on
hand. anxious to render any assistance
possible. From tho first the wound was
pronounced necessarily fatal
All through the morning the house was
throlgcd with anxious men ana ladies.
Death came at 2I0 o'clock. the wounded
man not having regained consciousness |
from the time the fatal shot was fired
lie spoke no word or left no writing CIV |
ms the reason for the fatal step. but it Is |
heNeNcd that t. was the result of the in
tense mental strain through which ne has |
passed.
AR. Wilkins was born IN Virginia forty |
years ago, and has been resident Of Sell |
ma since lis hOyhood. Ia 1881 he married |
MISS Emma McCord, Of .his city. He leaves |
q widow and n daughter, Carrie, twelve |
years of age. He has been connected with /
IRE dark or which he was elected vice |
president lest Sea~. for fifteen years. and |
throughout his life has proven true to
every trust
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