The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-12
ARTHUR JONES SOUGHT DEATH Popular Young MOntgOm- erian Kills Himself. SHOT THROUGH HEART Suffering of Melancholia End cd Life in Bed Room. Son of T. L. Jones Used Pistol While His Friend Was Preparing to
 Take Him Out
 Driving.

Arthur L. Jones' one of the best known young men i'll Mont tgomery, yesterday af- ternoon shortly after o'clock committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart with pistol. MT. Jones killed himself in his bed room at the residence ot ms father, 249 Catoma Street.
 Fo. several wesxs MT. Jones had been in i.I health, and at the time of his death was under the treatment of l physician. His death by suicide was not altogether unexpected. l. was known to number of friends that he was suffering from melanch olia. and ne vas the objec: of their constant attention.
 G. A. Sanderson. ciose friend of Mir. Jones. was Tn the hall of the Jones resi- dence at the telephone when the fatal shot was fired
 Hanging up the telephone receiver. MT. Sandei son hurried across the hall to the door of the room, from whence the report | of the pistol vas heard. The door con- l the hali was locked. Mir. Sanderscn hast ened through an adjacent room and se- cured entrance through another door. Lying on the bed, half dressed, and with 32-caliore pistol by his side, was Arthur Jones. in dying condition. As Mr Sanderson entered the room, the
 young man gasped, his body became rigid and he died,
 The father of Mir. Jones, T. l.. Jones, Secretary and Treasurer of the Peoples Cotton Factory, was communicated with, as was his brother. Clarence L. Jones. With the exception of Mir. Sanderson and some negro servants, no one was in the Jones home at the time of the sui- l eide.
 Coroner w. H. Tice was summoned, ] but on account of illness was unable to I.respond. Justice w. s. Stokes, for some | time Coroner of Montgomery County, was called in and acted for the Coroner. Af- ter Investigating the case Justice Stokes 1 gave certificate of Suicide.
 The news of the rash act of MT. Jones. who had wide circle of friends. spread | rapidly. Neignbors and friends hurried to | the scene of the tragedy.
 No message was eft by Mir. Jones in 1 reference to the cause of his taking his life. He had been in his room with Mir.
 sanderson some time and about 4 1 clock he informsd MT. Sander
 son that he want d to drive to she cot ton factory and see his father on bbsi- ness. He asked Mir. Sanderson to teie- phone to the stable for his horse and | buggy. MT. SaalersJn assentcd and left the room to use the telephone As he did so the door was locked and the shot was fired
 The ball entered the hodv of M-. Jones
 on the left side directly over the heart. T. L. Jones, the father, and Clarence | l.. Jones, brother of the deceased hur-
 ried to he house. Both were prostrated
 with grief.
 1 l h. JOHeS was ScGU SuOTllJ
 the suicide, He said: My son commit
 ted suicide in his bedroom at 4:1O o'clock | this afternoon. for what reason l do nor | know. His acti lns during the past week
 have been unaccountable to both myself
 and his friends, and he has received our | constant attention. His disposition has | been Respondent and his health was bad.
 He was a successful young man and had
 good prospects, and can see no reason
 why he took his life"
 Dr. T. Chiffon Thoring on said yes-
 terday afternoon that he had been treat l ing MT. Jones for some time for disease
 of the heart and melancholia. pr. Thor l ington said that meiancholia and insanity
 are but different forms of the same dis
 ease. and that a pe.son suffering from | melanchoia was apt to do things which
 his natural mind would not consider.
 Outdoor exercise and cheering company
 were suggested for Mir. Jone@s~ He was
 seen on the streets Sunday and appeared
 to he in excellent spirits
 | MT. Jones was born in Montgomery on | the last day of December thirty years ously except during his college years l spent in Auburn. when a student at the
 Alabama Polytechnic Institute. He was educated in the public and pri-
 vate schols of Montgomery and at Au- l burn. There he graduated with the de- | gree of Civil Engineer and was consid- | cred one of the most brilliant alumni of that institution.
 On ms return to Montgomery MT. Jones | became associated with his father in the cotton mill business. which he learned thoroughly. Several years ago he invent ed and had successfully operated the ''humidifie~." an engine through the agency of which the atmosphere of cot ton and tobacco factories were kept moist, relieving the necessity of constant spvink-
 ling
 MT. Jones was a young man of many attainments. He had the faculty of max
 ing friends and was popular with all classes. He eXceled as a chess player and was considered one of the ablest ex- ponents of the game in Montgomery. He was also an excellent golf and tennis player and several years ago in company
 with J. Ware Walker of Montgomery won
 the Southern championship at tennis
 doubles.
 In the business world MT. Jones was considered as one of the soundest young business men in Montgomery. He was a prominent member of the Commercial and Industrial Association and often lent his influence and talent to public movements.
 was a member of the Bcauvoir Club and
 through his affablity, polish and appear
 ance, drew about him men of culture. He
 was a member of no fraternal organiza-
 tiou. except the Alpha Tau Omega fra
 ternity. which he joined at Auburn, and
 the Elks.
 The funeral of Mir. Jones will take
 place this afternoon at o'clock from the
 residence of his father 229 Catoma Street. pr. Charles A. Stakelv, pastor of the
 First Baptist Church. will officiate.
 He leaves no family with the exception of his father, and a younger brother,