The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-14
NEGRESS FOUND DEAD
BODY SAT UPRIGHT ON DOORSTEP
 ON MADISON AVENUE.
SaIlie smith, a Faithful old Woman Was Overcome by Great Age. Considerable money Taken
 From Her Person.

Overcome by the weight of years, Sallie Smith, a well known negress of Montgomery. whffe returning to her home in the rear of sos Randolph Street about twilight yesterday even | ing after trip down town, stopped to rest a moment on the steps of Mrs. Susan Bibb's home at PIT Madison Avenue and a few minutes later she was found there dead.
 Her walking stick and her wicker basket with one sweet potato in it lay beside her as she sat on the second step, her elbows resting upon her knees and her weary head lying close | ly in the wrinkled hands that had per- | formed their last toll.
 Jesse Williams. a negro. was pass | ing along the sidewalk when he saw the outline of a strange looking ob- ject on the bottom of the steps and he went closer to investigate. He saw it was an old woman, apparently sick and suffering. He caught her arm and l asked If she was sick but he received no reply and as the body lost its na- 1 tural balance and fell over into his arms. he saw that life was gone and that in his arms. ne held a corpse. | Williams immediately notified the occupants of the Bibb Street residence and tho police ana coroner were called.
 Coroner w. H .Tice was quickly at the scene of the pitiable touch of deaths hand upon one of Gods hum blest servants and 1t made a deep inn pression upon him although accus- toned as he was to come into the presence of death so often. He made an investigation and heard all that could be told him by the excited little group that had gathered about the place before he pronounced his verdict that old age coupled with heart fail- ure had caused the end of the faithful old woman's- life.
 In the bosom of the old negress the coroner found a little cloth sack which jingled with coins. He opened the queer pocketbook and took out in bank notes, dollars, quarters, nickels and dimes, $1O465. a sum that represented the savings of the old woman. | A blue checked handkerchief was wrapped in old-fashioned negro style about her head and formed the only headgear that she wore. Her dress was simple but neat. Her eighty years had rested lightly on her shoulders and she looked to be in good health l except for the care worn wrinkles that made enuiess furrows in her kind ly face. Wrapped securely, in her handkerchief were several rent notes and other papers of importance to her.
 The body was turned over to a ne- gro undertaken to be prepared for burial.
 SalIie Smith was & familiar figure about the streets and was known to many persons as a faithful and de- serving negress. She lived with her daughter and grand daughter and spent the latter part of fer days in accu- initiating what she could that would make her descendants more comfort able after she had gone to the other world. For a number of years, she was a cook for Mrs. Rebecca String fellow at ner home on Madison Avenue and was held inN esteem by everyone who knew her.
 The funeral will take place tomor- row and another landmark of older Montgomery will be laid to eternal rest in Oakwod Cemetery