Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-04
WITHROW HAD SAVED THE
LIVES OF TWO OTHERS

Though an excellent swimmer. having
saved two people from a watery grave
during the past FIVE years, William With
row Friday afternoon was drowned In the
lake at Lakewood park while trying to
save his sister from drowning. All those
at the picnic at Lakewood knew OF his
prowess as a swimmer and life saver.
Ever since his childhood days Withrow
has been an excellent swimmer. He
learned to swim in a creek close to his
fathers farm near Culberson, n. c..
where the farmer boys met each after
noon and had swimming races down the
creek. He was the champion swimmer
of the surrounding country and after
moving to Atlanta some ten years ago
kept up his swimming exercises in the
lakes and streams in and around the city.
Here he also gained quite a reputation as
a swimmer.
1t was in the creek near his fathers
home that Withrow first won distinction
as a life saver. While a number of boy
friends were I'm the creek swimming, Os-
car Withrow. a brother of the dead man,
taught cramp and was rapidly sinking
when William Withrow dived into the
stream and by heroic efforts managed to
save his brother. Oscar Withrow had
gone beneath the surface of the water
the third time and it was necessary for
his brother to dive into the water to
catch him. Despite the fact that his
brother was given up for lost he was
saved.
Croley saws that on September "A he
had a warrant to serve, and about
O'Clock in the evening he was driving to-
wards his home at Coolidge, near Thorn
asvilIe. When he had reached a point
about two miles from Thomasville, and
a mile from the Vashti home, where Miss
Linton was said to have been rescued,
he met Mitchell. The latter was striking
matches, and looking for something in
the road.
Croley called to Mitchell, and asked him
what his name was, and what he was
looking for. Mitchell gave his name. and
said that somebody had stolen his horse,
and he was endeavoring to find tracks on
the road.
Croley says this was in a side road
leading into the Boulevard, and was less
than 100 yards from an old deserted
house where DISCUSSES said to have been
worn by. Mitchell were found. He says
he met Mitchell between. $40 and 6:15
O'Clock. He was confident of the time be-
cause a half mile or so down the road he
had heard the Thomasville clock strike
six,
Croley says he hadn't given this tes-
timony sooner because at the time of
the Mitchell trial he was at home with
a sick grandchild. Afterwards. however
when he heard of MitchelPs conviction he
went to Thomasville and gave the infor-
nation to w. c. Snodgrass, and to friends
of Mitchell.
Would Show AIibi
The defense claims that this affidavit
showed a double alibi. According to the
charges. Mitchell disguised himself as a
negro woman, and drove to Miss Linton s
house with note purpOrting to be from
her brother, who, the note said was
dangerously hurt. and was then at a point
near the Vashti house in need of his sis
ter's attention.
Miss Linton testified that arc lights
were burning when she left home with
Mitchell. According to brownsville re-
cords. the arcs are lighted at 6:1S o'clock
at that time OF the year According to
this, il would have been impossible for
Mitchell to have been two miles from
Townsville at the time Croley saw him,
which was between 6:10 and 6:15 O'Clock
The defense also claims that ne was
nearly a mile from the alleged scene Of
the abduction and Miss Linton's rescue of
the time II was alleged to have occurred
Reuben r. Arnold, OF Atlanta. and
Theodore Titus and Judge S. A. Rodden-
berry. of ThOmasville. represent Mitchell.
The prosecution is represented by Solic-
itor General W. f. Thomas, OF Valdosta.
and Thomas F. Green, of Athens, Miss
Linton's brother-in-law.
Withrow's second life-saving act occur
red at Switzerland park. near Atlanta, af-
ter he moved here six years ago. He was
out with a party of friends when he
heard some unknown man calling for
help. Realizing that he was drowning.