The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-01-08
A 0nce Popular Man Becomes a Mystery,
Then Suicide.

Little Mounta Jan. 6-The stran
ger who committed suicide by drink
ing poison here last Friday night wa:
buried in the cemetery this evening a
5o'clock.
All possible efforts we're made t
establish his indentity, but to no aval
until about an hour after his burial
Engineer Graham of the Colnmols
Newberrv & Laurens railroad gave
very nearly an exact description OF the
deceased. whom be said was A. n
Freeland of Sumter and had at one
time been connected with the Atlantic
Coast Line railroad. Mr.. Graham
stated that he saw Mr.. Freeland aoou'
10 miles north of here on Friday morn
ing last sitting by the railroad track
and feels almost certain that this is the
same man.
TEE INQUEST.
Magistrate B. B. Davis, in the OBJ
sence OF the coroner, came at once
emparelled a jury and held the ln'
Quest. The result of the inquest wa:
that the deceased came to his death by
poison administered by his own hand.
Certain parties suspected him of be-
ing a DR.. Johnson from Sajey's: 5. e.,
but nc answer has been received from
an inquiry made at that place by wire.
The inquest brought out the addl-
tional facts that he had five gold filled
tee:h-two jaw teeth on each side and
a gold-crowned incisor: that be stood
about FIVE feet, eleven inches, and that
his laundry bore the mark of ''V. j."
CAPT. FREELAND's LIFE READS LIKE
A NOVEL.
Sumter, JAN 6-The news OF the sui
eide OF Capt. A. n. Freeland, formerly
of Sumter, at Little Mountain, was a
shock to a number of the genial, cap
tain's old friends and acquaintaDces 10
this CITY. He was d man who had so
much to his credit foe the good deeds
in his time of good fortune and before
and before his troubles set in, that not
a few people will regret to hear OF his
untimely end.
Capt. Freeland came to this section
about 25 or 30 years ago an obscure and
poor young man. He first went into
the employ of the Atlantic Coast Line
Railroad company: as a section hand,
it is said. But by dint of perserrer-
ance, devotion to duty, and honesty, he
climbed the ladder of success until
finally he was made roadmaster and 1t
is claimed by railroad men and others
who knew him Intimately that he was
one of the most competent roadnasters
in the South. Certain it was that he
retained the utmost confidence OF the
railroad people for years, and by his
generosity, good heartedness, and
clever ways won the friendship anu
good will of all OF his employees and
associates in railroad circles. But he
''lost out" with the railroad company
and just why was never explained.
HIS BUSINESS VENTURE.
After his severance OF railroad ties
ne became identified with the business
interests of Sumter as a land owner and
as president of the old Ducker & Built
man company of Sumter, which COM
panv, however, failed in business some
years ago.
Capt Freelaud was wesi-to-do man
when he left Sumter about y or 13
wears ago. Just why he suddenly left
here was mystery, and is today. No
act of his which caused any one to suf-
fer has ever been made public, He
was one Of the biggest hearted and
most public-spiriteC citizens OF Sumter.
He was ever ready TO do anything he
could to help his fellowman, particu-
larlv those in distress, and no few men
are indebted to him for assistance, not