The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-06-06
Well Known Montgomery Man
Commits Suicide,
BODY sWATHED IN BLOOD
Had Laid In His Room Since Thurs
day Afternoon, and Was Discov-
cred Only When Awful Odor
Permeated the House.

Montgomery. June 5.-(Special) l)-swath-
ed in blood, with decomposition well ad-
vanced. the body of William Ludicus,
well to do citizen of this city, was discov-
ered this morning in his room at the home
of Mrs. Lucy A. o'Connell on Montgom-
cry and Moulton streets. He killed him
self with pistol last Thursday between
and o'clock in the afternoon. He was
a dwarf. being only little over three
feet tall.
swarms of flies were passing in and out
of the room through a back window and
the transom, and nearly all that part of
the building was permeated with hor-
rible stencil. These caused the investi-
cation that led to the discovery of the
tragedy.
Pistol Shot Heard.
Mrs OConnell and her son were sit
ting on their front veranda Thursday
afternoon when they heard a report like
a pistol shot Both remarked about it,
but concluded 1t was only a torpedo on
the tracks of the street car line nearby,
explosions of which are frequent occur
renee.
Mr.. Ludicus had zone into the house
and up to his room about an hour be-
fore, but no connection between that and
the report heard was suggested.
Early In the week Mrs OConnell had
secured a new house girl and the latter
being undrilled in the service thought
nothing of not being able to get into the
dead mans room Friday morning. 1t
was the custom of the latter to go away
and stay for a week at time, conse-
ouently his absence from meals created
no comment The house girl made anoth-
or effort to enter the room yesterday
morning, but still did not report the fact
of its being locked.
Flies and Bad Odor.
Early this morning the same servant
made a third attempt to enter Mr..
I.udicus' room. She not only found the
door still locked, but discovered flies
passing in and out in swarms through the
transom and a back window, and detect
ed an odor that was sitting. Mr.. o'con-
nell became conscious of the odor yes
terday and had a servant go over the
house and look for escaping gas.
Becoming curious about her discoveries,
which she did not even then consider
Of enough Importance to relate to Mrs
O'Connell, the house girl went and told
the cook about them. The two then
went to see further, and finding the sit
uation as the house servant had reported,
the cook called Mrs. OConnell at once
Door Broken In.
The lady of the house went to the room,
accompanied by some gentlemen called
to her assistance. Trying the door and
finding it securely fastened on the inside,
one of the party brought a small table
from the hall nearby and standing upon
II, looked over into the room.
An awful sight met his gaze. The dead
man had evidently been sitting upon his
trunk when he decided to take his own
life, and his body had fallen, face down
ward, upon the floor in a narrow space
between the trunk and the bed.
He had shot himself in the right temple,
the ball crashing into his brain The
weapon used was a 32-caibre old style
Smith & Wesson revolver, of the single
action variety 1t was lyinG, by his side
with one chamber empty.
Evidence of Struggle.
Indications were profuse that the un-
fortunate man struggled considerably af-
ter the fatal shot was fired. Falling from
the trunk the force of 1t threw him face
downward, with his head almost under
the edge of the bed. He had drawn his
knees up until he had raised his hips into
almost the same elevation they would
have been had he been kneeling. His
hands and arms were lying fiat on the
floor from the elbows down, and his face
was mashed on to the mating between
his wrists the attitude being almost as II
he had been crouching to look under the
bed.
Decomposition lad made his face and
other exposed parts of his body mushy,
cfri hraa n ,nd
The coroner and undertaken w. H. Tice
were notified and came in a few moments.
removing the body to the undertaking
parlors on South Court street. where 1t
was prepared for the funeral which took
place at 5 o'clock this afternoon.
No Message Left.
While waiting for the coroner the mem
bers of Mrs. O'Connell's household made
diligent search for any note or letter
the deceased might have left 1t was also
known that ne owned q beautiful dia-
mond ring which was not in sight in the
room The ring was included in the
uuest and 1t was suggested that he had
been murdered for the jewel. The lat
ter. however, was soon discovered. but
the most thorough investigation failed
to reveal anything in the way of note
or message explaining the deed.
The mating in the room of the dead
man was saturated with blood and moist
from decomposition, for space of about
eighteen inches by three and half
feet. His shaving tools were in plain
. sight and his J.nlng was on a chair in
orderly way. He had undressed to his
underwear and shoes.
Had Many Friends.
william Ludicus, Billy as hundreds
of devoted friends were wont to speak to
and of him. was raised in Montgomery.
He was about three feet three inches tall
and as a friend described him today.
"a man In every sense, save his legs and
arms" Early in life he went to New
york where he learned the watch making
and jewelry business staying there for
a number of years. After this absence
he returned to his home in this city. and
opened up a jewelry business which
proved q great financial success. He
an1assed fortune. on which he has
lived for some time His property con-
lists of real estate and bank stock. much