Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-09-04
SHOT WIFE DEAD;
TOOK OWN LIFE
Covered Wief's Eyes and Shot
Her to Death.
THEN TURNS PISTOL ON HIMSELF
Hayes and Wife Were in Bed When
Tragedy Was Enacted-Albany Is
Greatly Stirred by the Bloody Act.
Cause Is Known,

Greatly Stirred by the Bloody Act.
Cause Is Known.
Albany, Ga, Sept. 3.-With their
mothers cries for help still ringing
In their ears, the children of G..
Howard Hayes and wife, heard the
| two pistol shots which sent both of
their parents into eternity, few min
| utes before noon Sunday.
The double tragedy is one of the
| strangest that ever occurred in AL
bany, was enacted in a bed chamber
OF the Hayes home on north Washing
ton street. When a physician reach
ed the place, few minutes later, Mrs.
Hayes was dead, and her husband
was gasping his last.
e. Howard Hayes was a saw mill
operator, who spent every week at the
B. Pope MILL some miles above Albany
and the A and n railroad. He re-
turned home each Saturday evening
and remained with his family until
Monday.
He came in as usual Saturday even
ing, and at the supper table appeared
to be in the best Of humor.
Sunday morning neither Hayes nor
his wife appeared at the breakfast
table, both taking the meal in their
room. 1t was just before noon that
Mrs. Hayes was heard to call for help.
From her room there proceeded for
an hour or more no response. then the
voices were raised above g. conversa-
tional tone and Mrs. Hayes called as
II in terror: ''Emmie, Rosa, Mr..
White, come quick," A
Almost Immediately D. soI shot
rang out closely followed by bother,
and then noise as if a body falling
on the floor followed, after which
deep silence prevailed in the closed
room. The parties called were the
eldest daughter of the Hayes.
J. S. White and Miss Rosa Clemens,
who boarded with the family.
The door opening from the bedroom
to the dining room was locked and
when White, climbing into a window
opening into the yard, he saw that the
two shots had done their work only
too well.
The body Of Mrs. Hayes was still
laying in the bed, while that of her
husbands was on the floor at her side.
Both were in their night clothes.
Miss Emmie Hayes, though White
begged her not to go into the room,
climbed through the window into the
room in the midst of the most awful
scene her eyes ever witnessed. She
opened the door from the inside and
gave directions for the immediate
summons of a physicians.
Mrs Hayes was shot just back of
the left ear, apparently as she lay on
the bed. Hayes probably held his left
hand over her eyes as he fired the
first shot, as the hand bore powder
marks. He then placed the muzzle
of the revolver behind his own ear
and sent bullet crashing through his
brains.
The cause Of the double tragedy is
not revealed. Mrs. Hayes had been
in bad health for some time and at
times her mind appeared to be affect
cd, but the occasional family quarrels
were apparently not more serious In
character than are to be expected be-
tween the average married couple
Hayes left no note to explain his
rash act. He drank occasionally but
was perfectly sober. He came to
this state from New York a number
of years ago. Mrs. Hayes was Miss
Lula Manning. There are three sur
viving children. A coroner's inquest
threw no light on the case.
Because Of ill-health, May Hook kill
ed herself by inhaling illuminating
gas.
Despondent because she had lost
all her possessions in a fire. which
destroyed her home, Mrs. Chrissie
Snyder, 80 years old, ended her life