The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-11
SUICIDED AT BoNAvENTURE.
DIR. TABB's BODY FOUND JUST OUT
SIDE THE CEMETERY.

Taken Poison, Evidently the
Day of HIS Disappearance-Was
Last Seen Passing Through Bona
venture on April 3o-The Body
Identified by Friends and Taken
in Charge by Coroner Goette-He
VIII BE Sent to Richmond To-day.
HIS Friends Believe His Mind to
Ravc Been Unbalanced as the Re-
suit of Mental Suffering.
The body of DR.. Sherrard Rutherford
Tabb, who has been missing since Mon
day, April 20, was found in the woods
near Bonaventure Cemetery yesterday
morning. The discovery was made by
negro woodcutter in the employ Of Mr..
T. II. Mcmillan. The negro notified the
keeper of Bonaventure Cemetery of his
find, and the latter telephoned the infor-
nation to Coroner Goette.
Health Officer Drummer and DR.. Rudolph
Won Ezdorf, who arrived here from New
Orleans the day before to take charge of
the office left vacant by DIR. Tabb's dis
appearance, also received the information
shortly after. Coroner Goette left for
the scene about 1873 o'clock. and was
soon followed by Drs. Drummer and Won
Ezdorf. They were accompanied by Lieut..
G. B. Maher, of the revenue cutter ser
vice, and Treasury Agent Macatee, who
had been instructed by the department to
investigate the missing mans disappear
ance.
The body was found in the deep woods,
a short distance south of the cemetery,
and for he % he
1t will be remembered that the first au-
thentic news received of DR.. Tabb after
his disapps arance was from negro who
knew him, and who met him at the Boil
ton street junction shortly before noon
of the day he disappeared. He exchanged
some words with DR.. Tabb and inquired
where he was going. The Doctors reply
was that he was going out into the
woods 1t is supposed that he took the car
there and got off at Bonaventure. The
keeper of the cemetery recalled yesterday
that he had seen man who answered Dr.
Tabb's description walking through the
cemetery about noon of that day, and
that when last seen he was going 10
wards the gate on the south side of the
cemetery. A road leads from this gate
down through the woods. He probably
AOiAONcu tills IOdu LOT d snort Instance
and then turned off 40 a large oak tree
beneath which the body was found
He had evidently lett the city prepa red,
and with the full intention of putting an
end to his life. A large bottle labelled
"chloroform" was found lying near the
body. Whether this or some other drug
was used is not certain. A bottle of
poisonous tincture, which had teen among
the medical stock at the marine hospital
once is missing, and 1t was the absence
of this bottle which first led DR. Tabbs
friends to think that he might have COM
mitted suicide. The physicians who saw
the body were doubtful If chloroform had
been used, though this might easily have
been done. The dead mans coat was I'M
Ger his head and the sleeve was lying
across his face. Coroner Goettes theory
Is that after preparing himself for death
he pulled the sleeve across his face, emp
tied the bottle Of chloroform upon HIM
SELF, ana then sank into unconseiousness
II Is natural to suppose that the sui
eide was committed on the afternoon of
the day on which he disappeared The
condition of the body justified this belief
The foul vultures of the sky had done
their work and the sight which met the
eyes of the dead mans friends was
gruesome one The body was easily iden-
titled by the service uniform trousers,
the light gray coat and vest which he
usually wore when not in uniform the
hat which lay by his side containing his
eye glasses, and other evidences. There was
also a letter in his pocket addressed 10
him, but unopened. Il proved to be of
no Importance however, except as an ad-
ditional means of Identification A small
pocketknife and 10 cents in cash were
found in one of the pockets. 1t was no
ticed that two small birds eggs, probably
those of whippoorwill were lying in
the hat beside the spectaces. 1t is sup
20 fhaxy 49,
dead man as he pursued his fatal jour
ney through the woods.
The spot was an ideal one and not in
appropriate for the deed and was evil
IDENTIFY selected with a view to seclusion
and a determination to keep the manner
of his death a secret as far as possible
1t is secluded spot, surrounded by thick
woods, removed from the ways of travel
and seldom visited by any one. The char
acter of the foliage is much the same as
that of Bonaventure and the moss-covered
branches of the oaks give it the same
funereal aspect. Its proximity to the
cemetery may have suggested its peculiar
fitness for the deed.
After satisfactorily identifying the
body the party left Coroner Goette in
charge and returned to the city. AS 1t
was plainly a case of suicide, the coroner
decided that II was unnecessary 10 hold
an inquest. Last night he removed the
body 20 his undertaking establishment
on Broughton street and prepared it for
shipment.
DR.. Tabs friends are generally agreed
that his deed was the result of dementa
or dependency. He was of a peculiarly
sensitive nature and was subject 20 fits
Of melancholy and in all probability had
contemplated suicide on previous occa-
sions. He was thoroughly familiar with
the effect of various poisons and some
times discussed this subject with his
friends, though never conveying the
slightest idea that he had any intention
of using his knowledge against himself
Tormented by the thought that he lad
wasted his opportunities and wrecked his
career, that he had made no return for
the love so freely showered upon him by
relatives, and abused the confidence of his
friends by mourning obligations to them
which he would be unable 20 meet, and
fearing that this condition OF affairs
must ultimately come to the attention of
the department. with its conse-
quences, he decided TO seek IN death an
end of all his troubles. Whether his act
was that of man rendered morally ire