The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-06
DEATH GAME IL,
in AF |. !. J |
Mr.. W. M. Justls. ST.. Found
Dead In an Office.
ON THE STREET ALL DAY
4ad Painting speIl'in the Morning, but
Soor, Recovered and Went About
Business as usuaI--Had Papers.
CIinched In His Hands.

Mr.. William NJ. Justis. a we'll known
Business man Of Richmond and con-
+ federate veteran who had line war
record was found dead In the office OF
his son-jn-law, Mr.. Haddon 8. Watkins,
on the third floor of The Times Dispatch
Building late last evening.
Mr.. Justis must have died about 6
o'clock, or little later. The elevator
man Of the building saw some one lying
m the sofa of Mr.. Watkins Office about
G o'clock. but thought he was asleep.
Inter he went to the room and touched
the sleeper to find the flesh was cold.
He at once reported the matter, and 1t
was soon evident to all that the sleep
was the sleep of death. The city coroner,
promptly notified. Some one, thinking
life had not yet gone out Of the body.
sent for Or. w. r.. Oppenhmer Mr.
watkins came In his buggy, bringing
Mrs. Justis with him. DR. Taylor learned
the circumstances OF the death and de-
c!ded that an inquest was unnecessary.
It was plain that death was due to heart
failure.
Sttiken While Alone,
When the light was turned on In the
office 1t revealed the body Of Mr.. Justis
lying half on and half off the sofa Ap-
parently he had been stricken and had
sought TO reach the sofa before falling.
He had lust done so. One of his hands
clcnched several papers which he was
proba bly, examining when the end came:
The suddenness Of his death Will be a
shock to his acquaintance. He was APP
pnrently as we'll yesterday as usual,
and his health was generally very good
for a man near to scventy-flve years In
age. But yesterday morning before leav-
ing home he had slight fainting spell.
Recovering in short While, no came
down town as usual and spent the day at
work. Nearly all of tho offices IN the
building are closed Saturday afternoon.
and this accounts for his being alone
there at the time of his death.
The remains were taken to his late resi-
dence No. 1901 West Avenue, Lee Dis
trict The funeral arrangements VIII not
be made before to-day, as every ono OF
the children are out Of the CITY, Mrs.
Justis alone is hare at present. But the
ginterment will be made In Richmond
probably Monday afternoon.
Was Fine Soldier
Deceased was born In Powhatan county
nearly seventy-five years ago. The name
is a we'll known one in that county MIR.
Justis enlisted in the army at the begin
ming of the war, and did excellent SER
vice in the engineering corps. The breast
works at York town were built In part
under his direction. Later he was en-
gagged in an allied service in the Valley
OF Virginia. He was counted by all a good
soldier.
About thirty years ago he brought his
family to Richmond, and since that time
this has been their home. At the time
OF his death he was engaged In the bus'-
ness of selling sand to builders.
His children are Mrs. TTaddon 8. Wat
kins of this city; Mrs. S. G. Fleming, Of
Waynesboro, Va; Mrs. r. f. Roberts, Of
Newport News, Va: Mr.. w M. Justis, Jr.,
lawyer Of Richmond, and Mr.. Edgar l..
Justis, a musician, of Camden, N. j. None
are here at present. He was an uncle of
Mr.. r. A. Justis, the mill owner Of Man
chester.