The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-27
BELIEVE TWAS FOUL PLAY.
FRIENDS OF PERDUE AND HOPE
ENTERTAIN SUSPICIOUS.

Progress of the Reuu@On Were
Murdered and Did Not Accidental
Iy XIII TbemseIves-AII the Facts,
However, Bear Out The Latter Hy-
pothesis and the Probabilities Are
All on the Same side-"Signs of
Violence" said to Have been
Found on the Bodies, Explained
by Coroner Goette.
An Associated Press dispatch from Lo-
vett, Ga, the home Of David NJ. Perdue
and Daniel W. Pope, who lost their lives
in Savannah during The Confederate reun-
ion. from asphyxiation. Gays il is believed
in Lovett that the men were murdered.
The dispatch reads:
'Iovett. Ca Nov. 26.-The friends Of
David NJ Perdue and Daniel W, Pope Of
this pace, who died in Savannah during
the recent Confederate reunion 1t is a.
legged by reason Of their Blowing out the
gas in their room, claim that there is
grave reason TO believe the men were vic
tins of foul play. They say that both the
men had considerable sums Of money with
them, which has never been accounted for,
and their bodies showed signs Of violence.
The belief is current here that they were
robbed and murdered and some of their
friends intend to go to Savannah at once
and institute a thorough investigation"
From investigations made last night
there is no reason TO believe that the sus-
piclons of the friends of the two men
have any foundation. The dispatch was
shown to Coroner Goette and to Mr.. D. B.
Overton, at whose home, No. 40 Charlton
street, east, the men died. The respect
ability and character Of Mr.. and Mrs
Overton negative all idea of foul play
The further testimony of DR.. w. E. Nor
cton and the results of the investigation
made by Coroner Goette remove the last
vestige of doubt. The alleged signs of
violence" on the bodies of the dead men
are explained by a statement of Coroner
Goette, made to a representative of the
Morning News, showing that they were
post-mortem and moi ante-mortem wounds.
The men went to Mr.. and Mrs. Overton s
house Tuesday night and applied for lodg-
ing. They were assigned to a room on
the third floor and left almost immedi-
ately afterwards, saying they were going
TO see the city. Shortly before midnight
they returned and were admitted by Mr..
Overton, who showed them to their room
and cautioned them as to the use of the
gas. They replied that they well under
stood 1t, and that there was no cause for
Apprehension on their account one of
the men showed signs of an over-indulg-
ence In stimulants, and it was evident
that both of them had been seeing the
town to quite a considerable extent.
Early the next morning Mrs. Overton
strangers whom she had never seen be-
fore and has never seen since. They were
taken up to the third floor and assigned to
a room next to the one occupied by Per-
due and Pope. 1t was at this time that
the strong odor of escaping gas was de-
tected and, after some investigation, was
found TO come from the room occupied by
Perdue and Pope
The door was tried, but 1t was found
to be locked on the inside. Suspicious
that the men had come to an untimely
end possessed the mind of Mrs Overton.
and they were soon substantiated she
asked that the new dodgers she had been
conducting to their room break down the
door of the room occupied by Perdue and
Pope, which was done. One of the men
kicked in the door with the toe of his
boot and dreadful sight was revealed.
The two men were lying in close proxim-
ity to each other and were dead. The
bStist NQluilit u EdS mat SaNdpel DIS SbOn
as the door was opened showed the cause
of their death and one OF the jets was
found to be turned on full blast
Coroner GOette was notified at once but
because of some error in the address
which was given him did not respond for
nearly an hour. In the meantime, DIR. w.
E. Norton had arrived, and stated that
death was clearly and beyond the posi-
bility of doubt due to asphyxia. When the
coroner came the attitudes in which the
bodies were found and the surrounding cir
cuplstances convinced him of the accuracy
of DR.. Nortcn's diagnosis beyond any
question. He did not consider an inquest
was necessary
The witnesses to the finding Of the
bodies OF the men were advised of the ma
ture of the telegram sent out from Low
EFT and they secuted the truth of the sus-
picions IL alleged are held by the friends
of Perdue and Pope. The two dodgers
who broke open the door for Mrs. Overton
left the house Immediately afterwards,
with the idea probably. of avoiding the
annoyance of being witnesses at an in
quest but it is reasonably certain they
can be found and their eorropora ting testi-
mony secured if il should appear necessa-
ry.
AS for the wounds said to have besn
found in the bodies Coroner Goette ac-
counts for them readily enough. He says
that when the bodies were brought to his
undertaking rooms, and were to be pre-
pared for shipment 10 the homes of the
men, there was not scartch on them.
The preparations rendered necessary by
the distance they were to be carried made
arterial embalming essential and to this
process the bodies were subjected 1t in
wolves several incisions in the breast and
these must have been "the signs Of Vio-
lence" the friends of The dead men discov-
cred
When the coroner 600 rchad The ,.,c1-o+-
of Perdue and Pope for valuables, he
found that neither of the men had more
than dollar or two in money. If they
ever had Considerable sums of moaey
with them" which is rather seriously 10
be doubted, they had managed to get rid
Of il before returning to their lodging at
the Overtons' Tuesday night. more
than half emptied bottle of whisky was in
their room when they were found.
THE GARRISON REINFORCED.