The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-08-22
Grief Over Her Husbands Murder
Prompted The Let.
HAS BEEN IN BAD HEALTH
She Vas Dressed Ready to Accompany a
hGighbOr to Town.
STANDING IN FRONT OF MIRROR
Desperate Woman Used the Same
Weapon With Which Her Hus-
band Sought to Defend Him
self Against Murderer
STANDING IN FRONT OF MIRROR

Crazed with inconsolable grief over the
tragic death of her husband. the late Chief
Deputy Sheriff Robert Warnock, who was
killed some months ago in an encounter
with a desperate negro criminal, Mrs.
Annie E. Warnock yesterday sent a bullet
crashing into her brain putting an end to
life. which to her had become unbearable.
The deed was committed at the Warnock
residence No. 1918 Eighth avenue and ap-
pears to have been done in a moment of
sheer desperation when the mind mad tenn
porarily given way under its burden of
heavy sorrow.
The agent of destruction was a short
barrel IS calibre Smith & Wesson revolver.
the Same weapon which her husband used
in attempting to defend himself against
the murderous attack of Win Golson, the
negro who is now in the county Jail under
sentence of death for the crime which
shocked the entire community.
In Bad Health for Many Years
Mrs. Warnock had been in bad health for
a number of years, and since the death OF
her husband has been very respondent and
downcast. often remarking that life was
burden which she could not bear much
longer.
For the past few weeks she had been
very melancholy and her friends, who were
numerous, sought to divert her mind from
the trouble by frequent visits in the hope
that she would grow stronger and more
cheerful.
About 10 o'clock yesterday morning Mrs
Warnock went up stairs to dress prepara-
TO- with Mrs. sam
Truss, neighbor who lived across the
street at the corner of Nineteenth. She
carefully dressed herself in her widows
garb and started down stairs to join Mrs.
Truss, who was waiting at the corner.
When she reached the lower hall she dis
covered that she had left her purse on the
dresser and went back to get 1t. Her room
is located just at the top of the stairs and
directly opposite the door is situated the
dresser with a large plate-glass mirror in
which she could see her image reflected
Started Afresh the Wounds
It is probable that the sight of her black
garments and her haggard face rejected
in the glass started afresh the terrible
wounds in her breast and recalled the
tragedy which took from her loving nus
band and from her children a devoted and
indulgent father. Under this overpowerins
influence she walked to the dresser, and.
picking up the revolver in a fit OF despera-
ton, she placed 1t to her right temple and
still gazing In the mirror she pulled the
trigger The report rang out and the
frail weak woman fell to the floor
corpse. the bullet having passed entirely
through the head, coming out at the left
r1a Tn falling she turned partly to
the left and fell upon her left side. The
cruel instrument of destruction fell to the
floor at her feet. The report of the pistol
startled the neighborhood and several per-
sons rushed to the house alarmed by the
screams of the children, who were playing
on the front porch. Berney, the oldest Of
the three girls. ran into the street crying
that her mother had shot herself.
H. /. Harley a young man who resides
on the Southsde, was passing on his wheel
at the time and, hearing the shot and the
screams of the children, ran into the house.
reaching it about the same time as Mrs.
A. o. Lane, Mrs. Sam Rich, Mrs. Truss
and several other neighbors.
1t Was CHASTITY Sight
Several of the ladies and Mr.. Farley
rushed up stairs, and as they reached the
top a CHASTITY sight met their gaze. Stretch
ed out on the carpeted floor lay the body
of Mrs. Warnock with blood ooDing from
the wound in her temple and life already
extinct. The pistol which lay at her feet
told silent story of what had taken place.
while the pangs of anguish which were
stamped upon the dead woman's face told
plainly of the impulses which had prompt
ed self-destruction.
The three children were taken TO the
residence of Judge NJ. T. Porter, next door.
where they were taken in charge by