Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-02-20
NOT MURDER,
BUT DEATH by
ACCIDENT
MYSTERY OF THE DEATH OF MRS.
AMANDA LESTER, WHO WAS
FOUND IN SWAMP, HAS
BEEN. CLEARED.

There have been few accidental deaths
in Georgia so fraught with tragedy as
that OF, Mrs. Amanda Lester, who was
found dead in a swamp last Monday near
Weston. IL was thought for some time
that Mrs Lester had been foully dealt
with. but after a careful investigation 1t
has been found that she died from cold
and exposure and exhaustion. The latter
was brought on by her efforts to get out
of the mire where she had fallen.
It seems that last Friday Mrs. Lester
received through the mail a money order
for a small amount She decided on sat
urday that she would go to Weston from
her sisters. Mrs. Dismuke's, a mile from
Weston, and get it cashed at the Weston
postoffice.. She reached the poStonce, Sc
cured the money in bills, and began the
return journey afoot,. At one point be-
tween Weston and Mrs. Dismukes Is a
fork in the roads. Mrs. Lester, who was
IS years old, not observing where she was
going took the wrong road. After pro-
ceeding for some distance she lost her
way. She asked a little negro boy, which
was the nearest way to the aDismuke
home The little boy pointed her to a
by-path through the woods and across
the swamps. which abound in this VI
cinity and told her if she would follow
such a route she would reach her des-
tination.
Mrs. Lester plunged into the woods. BY
tracing her steps through the soft sand
around the little swamps it was found
that she wandered considerably, retraced
her steps several times and invariably
moved in a circle.
When found it was seen that she at
tempted to walk over. a marshy place up
on a fallen tree. While upon this log she
slipped and fell into the miry swamp a
foot beneath the log. While Mrs. Lester
was strong and enjoyed good health for
one of her age she seemed unable to eX-
tricate herself from her position. Evil
dences were everywhere of her struggling.
Her skirts were torn and the flesh of her
legs from the knee down were terribly
torn where she had attempted to raise
herself Hdr hands had grasped franu-
cally at all surrounding objects in an eff
fort to get a hold upon some solid sub
stance. ~ st t fss f1.s
The weather on Saturday night and
Sunday was bitter cold, and it Is Thought
that Mrs. Lester must have felt the ex-
posure keenly. t@ MIS-
The fact that she did not return to the
home of the Dismukes on Saturday af-
ternoon was not regarded as unusual,
since she had been accustomed to go TO
Weston and stay at Mrs. Vests, another
sister. sal II
on Sunday AFTERNOON the Dlsmukes de-
cided they would call upon Mrs. West.
'.Aunt Amanda" was. II was not known
until that time that Mrs. Lester had been
lost each family presuming that she was
visiting the other. Searching parties We're
Immediately sent almost n hours AFTER
Mrs. Lester had fallen in the swamp. Inc
search was kept UP until midnight sun
day night 1t was then resumed early
Monday morning. when her footsteps were
traced and she was found dead.
Mrs. Lester fell into the swamp only
few hundred feet from the Dfsmuke home.
Groans were heard at the house on Sat
urday night and Sunday, but no sfgnin-
canoe was attached to them because those
who heard them thought they were some
of the negroes on the place. It is Thought
that Mrs. Lester lived 36 hours in the
swamp after her fall i.ff
The theory of foul play which was dirst
attached to her disappearance has been
thoroughly dissipated. When found Mrs.
Lester had upon her all the money she
had obtained from the postoffice. her
watch and other little things that she
carried on her person. @1sfr .
She was visiting in Weston with her
relatives and spending only a short time.
She was a woman of considerable prop
erty.
The body of Mrs. Amanda Lester passed
through Atlanta Tuesday night to Athens
The funeral and interment took place
there.