Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1906-04-27
Mr.. ". W. ASHLEY
DIES SUDDENLY
Found Dead at His Desk in Sun
Office Thursday.
CAUSED BY HEART DISEASE

Was In His Usual Good Humor During
Day, and His Demise Was a Great
Shock 10 People Of the CitY-Fu.
neral Today
Mr.. w. W. Ashley, associate editor
Of The Sun, was found dead st his desk
In the editorial rooms Just before the
clock In the court houss tower an
nounced the hour OF six ThuFsdsy az
ternoon.
The discovery was made by T. j.
Fsus, an attache Of the composihg
rooms, who reported the same TO ]. r.
Merchant, making the remark that MIR.
Ashley was asleep in HE chair. Mr..
Merchant, who was seated In a room
adjoining, feeling that there was evi.
IDENTITY something wrong, immediately
went to investigate, and q shocking
eight greeted him. Mr.. Ashley was
seated in HE chair, with his head
thrown back--dead. With the ex.
ception OF the attitude Of his head, he
appeared to be 10 the act OF p,epaTing
copy, and II was evident that he wss
engaged In the preparation OF sn ar,i-
Gle, % his pen lay on the floor beside
him and an unfinished sentence lay ON
the table before him, these circum-
stances seeming to indicate that the
end came without q stTuggle, being
caused from heart disease.
Mr.. Merchant Immediately tele.
phoned for q physician, but IL being
impossible TO reach one by this meth.
Cd, he made haste to the street, when
he reported the :matter, afterwards
summoning Undertaken Dr., T. +
Thomas, and also Dr.. Clyde Garter,
bot upon viewing tho body the physi.
clans read IlWdiscerned that life was
extinct Dr. Thomas took charge OF
the remains, when, a short while later,
they were removed to his late home,
300 North Oak avenue.
The news OF his death rapidly spread |
throughout the city, and was greeted |
with . spirit OF deep sadness, a. IN
numbered his friends by his ScquAint-
Anees. I
Deceased was born In DAnVille. n |
Y, Ia the year l649, A few years later
his parents removed to Eaton Rapids,
Mich, a. which place they made their
home, Al The age OF fifteen yeAn MIR
Ashley entered the printing business,
engaging Ia the work ~ an apprentice.
He learned rapidly and was Soon act.
lively engaged on leading papers In To-
lsdO, Detroit, Chicago and other cIlirI.
HE services we're always In demand.
HE work being thorough and efficient.
Me-. Ashley Waited Florida for the
nTst time in 1900, locating for the
winter In this city, In the spring he
returned TO hlS Michigan home. but
since that time he has been q regular
winter vIsitoV to this State, spending
The greater portion Of HE time In
About two years ago he
decided 10 make Florida his psSma.
nent home, believing the climate Of
THE State 10 DO OF benefit to HE health.
aud accordingly moved here, being
by HE sister, Mrs Sarah
Smith. For some time they
we're located ~ the National Odd Eel.
love- Home, buI for the pas, year have
made their residence u 905 Moth Dab
avenue. he being engaged ~ associate
editor Of The Sun, lie WAS q member
OF the Kuiehn Of Pythias and Odd
Fellows oFden. and took considerable
intsreS. 10 frat ssnAl work,
Ne, A,hleY's ability - . writer 10
veil known, and lev men Of the pro.
fes,lou ever reach the degree Of Ell.
eisncy that characterized HE work
he vas Alwayt IoviAl aud HE pleas.
ant couhtehanee will be greatly
missed by HE AssootAtss in the various
departments OF thr Office
Deceased 10 Survived by . widowed
sIa,er, Mu sarah Elisabeth Smith.
and other distant relatives rvsIdipe IN
Missoun
The funeral services will ~ con.
daelsd from the re,idenee at t,So
O'clock this afternoon, Rev rAos. y
Hay OF the fiSs, Presbyterian CAarrh
otaeiAllnR friendt Av Invited, The
FrRaaina will leave via thA Atlantie