The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-14
IR. B. DANFoRTH A SUICIDE.
COMMENT BUSINESS MAJ AND
I-MBERMAN OF BRUSsWICk-

sbot Himself Through the Head in
His ParIOr just After Leaving His
Nife-Left "a Request That He BE
uuried at Sea-DanfOrth KILLED
Um. Landsberg i'm Macon some
Vears AEo-Was Sentenced to PEN
..ontiary ana Afterwards Pardon
cd Inv Gov. Northumberland Luni-
ber Business i'm Penitentiary and
uod since Been Very Successful.
,,-,rswick. Ga. March 13,--Mf.- j. R. B.
,,onfortb a wholesale lumber dealer and
ono Of Brunswick's most prominent bus
,,oss men, committed suicide at his res
lance III Grant street, 4:3O this after
nam and it is thought that tits a clear
.ase of temporary insanity. N" -
rho deceased came to this city about
oiobt wears ago, from Macon, where he
,yas raised and during the past five years
Iva has held the important position of
,,anaeet for Charles S. Hirsch & Co,
,,n,ber dealers. He received a handsome
solarv from this firm. but resigned his
,o.itiou few months ago 20 enter the
h,siness for himself and it, is said that
ne has been successful beyond all expec--
tatons. 1 <ys
He returned a few days ago from Wash
ington. where he went to witness the in
augural of President Mckinley and since
,,at, time has attended to business only
few hours. This afternoon he seemed
in better humor than usual he did
not go to work this morning, but re-
manned in his room, where he pleasant
ID, convIrsed with his wife until the din
ner hour, and after that he seemed just
little worried, but this was nothing out
Of the usual as he was given to morose
spells.
Mrs. Danforth was busy in the yard
when she heard a pistol shot, and rush
ing to the parlor window, which is very
near the ground. she went in and was
borrifed to see her husband with pis-
,ol in his hand and stream OF blood
flowing from his head. She called neigh
bors and the unfortunate man was placed
upon a. sofa, where he expired in few
minutes after firing the fatal shot
When found Mr.. Danforth was sitting
in an easy chair, he was attired in
dress suit, and it seems he arranged even
the minor details.
Those who knew the deceased best are
positive that at times he was an insane
man. and it is only a few days ago that
he acted in very strange manner Whlle
with a party of friends.
Yesterday morning when he awoke he
found that one of his little step-sons had
left home, and this worried him very
much He wired and had the little fellow
stopped in Waycross, and last night re-
NAMED up until IL o'clock waiting for the
train. He seemed to think that the pub
lie would be under the impression that
he did not treat his step children right
but after the assurance of the children
that they regarded him as a father he
felt better and was in an excellent humor
After the excitement had somewhat
subsidized a search of the parlor, where
he suicided was made for the purpose of
finding a message, and on the wall near
where he was found was written the fol-
lowing:
THE heart knoweth its own bitterness
and stranger doth not intermeddle With
his ioY.-Proverbs 4-10." -
ITO My Brother knights of Pythias:
L am. clean inside and out, and had on
my wedding suit. Kindly don't disturb
same, except you may put white gloves
on my hands and slippers on s1ays feet q
please bury me at sea, with no cere-
mony except the reading of marked ex-
tract from Spencers Education, which VIII
show that I am gone to meet friend
Fraternally, j. X. b. DantorTh"
Mr. Danforth had a copy of. Spepcer's
Education, and it was examined, but
many paragraphs were marked and of
course. it is not known which particular
one he referred to.
The deceased leaves a sister and no
funeral arrangements will be announced
until she arrives, which will be to-mor-
row. OF course. he will not be buried
in the sea. He was a member of Ogle-
thorpe Lodge Knights of Pythias, when
organization will, have charge of the tu-
neral Mr. Danforth was also member
of the Hoo Hoos, the lumbermen's secret
society.
Mr.. Danforth married Mrs. Eolia Tison
about five years ago, and with her inter-
esting family of five children he seemed
the happiest of happy men. and his I'M
timely end has naturally caused a SEN
sation here.
MIR. Danforth came to Brunswick about
nine years ago, and for long time was
employed by the Franklin Commission
Company. Later he worked for lumber
firms until he secured the position with
Hirsch & Company.
1t is thought by those who should know
that at times he lost his mind almost
completely, caused by worrying about the
killing of Mr.. William Landsberg in Ma
con in 1884. Mr.. Danforth was employed
by Mr.. Landsberg's firm, and during a
dull season his wages were cut. He went
TO Mr.. Landsberg and complained. and Hhe
claimed that his employer said something
insulting about his sister. whereupon he
pulled revolver and killed him. The
case was tried by the Superior Court Of
Bibb county. and after one of the hottest
legal battles in the state he was found
guilty and sentenced to the penitentiary
for life, but only served eight years of his
sentence, having been pardoned by Gov.
W. J. Northen. He served at one of the
Gress camps, and It was while there that
ne learned the lumber business The. de-
ceased often worried about the sad af
iair at Macon, and sometimes made some
very peculiar statements. 1T was only
Yesterday that he told Col. A.. D. Gale
That he desired to have all his business
arranged within a few hours, as he was
very much worried, and desired ~ get
lhe whole thing off his mind.