The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-11-19
MR., JOSHUA CANNON
DIES VERY SUDDENLY.
ONE OF TERRELL'S POPULAR CITIZENS
SUCCUMBS TO THE GRIM REAPER.
His Death Thought BY Many to Be Sui
eide. Though Some Believe Heart
Failure Was the Cause.

Mr.. Joshua T. Cannon one OF Terrell
countvs best known and most popular
men, died suddenly at the home OF
his son-in-law, Mr.. r. j. Sem, near
the Central railroad depot Saturday
afternoon shortly after l o'clock.
MIR. Cannon was on the streets Sat
urday morning and at Il o'clock went
10 the home of Mr.. Sem, and, both
Mr.. and Mrs. Sem being absent,
asked the cook to give him din
ner. She invited him to seat at the
table and was preparing the meal for
him when he told her not TO fix din
ner as he had begun to feel sick. Mr..
Cannon went into an adjoining room
and fell across a bed. After a short
time had elapsed he called his little
grandson to him and told the little
fellow to go for his mother as he was
very sick. Mrs. Sem and DR.. Lamar
were Immediately summoned, but be-
fore they reached the bedside, Mr..
Cannon was dead.
Mr.. Cannon had been respondent
ever since his wife died, which occurr-
ed in 1899, aud be had often expressed
a desire TO die and join her, saying If
il were not for his children he would
be tempted to take his own life, and
for this reason it became widely eircu-
lated that he had committed suicide
by taking strychnine, and that he had
bought the drug for this purpose at a
certain drug store. Upon investigation
it was learned that he did buy strych'
nine from the drug store in question
on September 10th, Swing he wanted
il to poison skunks and dogs. 1t is
known positively, however, that he
used the drug for the purpose desig-
mated by him to the drug clerk who
sold it. He left no message and there
was nothing found on the body or in
the house to produce death from pois-
oning except package of strvcb nine
purchased sometime ago by Mr.. Sem,
and the re port OF his having suicided
was based on mere theory.
While it is yet the prevailing opin-
ion that Mr.. Cannon took his own life
his relatives and immediate friends
knowing of his plans ami anticipatiOns
for the future are almost positive that
he did not. 1t was known by those
who were closely associated with Mr..
Cannon that be suffered with heart
trouble, and they attribute this as the
immediate cause of his death, as there
were no symptoms of poisoning.
The remains we're inferred at the
cemetery of the Bethel Methodist
church, five miles east OF Dawson,
Rev. O. f. Cook officiating.
Gosh" Cannon, as he was familiar
" called by his friends, was always a
genial light hearted "hail fellow well
met" and a generous and trusted
friend and neighbor. By his afable
manners he endeared himself In the
hearts of all, and his friends were
legion, as was fully attested by the
large procession that followed his re-
mains to their last resting place, and
bv the immense crowd of his former
neighbors and friends who gathered
10 pay their last tribute to his mem
ory, the capacity of the church not be-
ing sufficient to seat or even admit
them all, and by the many expressions
OF regr ct,
Mr.. Cannon was Sc years OF age and
leaves a family of six children, four
sons and two daughters, three Of whom
are married To these many hearts
go out in sympathy.