Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-13
SUICIDE NOT MURDER
CAUSEDHIL 'SDEATH
MAYOR WHIDDON, OF MRAE, DE-
CLARES ON INFORMATION RE-
GENTLY DISCOVERED, MUIR
DER THEORY Is WRONG.

MRAE. Ca. April s.-Despite the fact
that the corOner's jury returned YER
dict OF murder in the mysterious death
Of Mr.. Pope Hin. Of Macon. Ca, Whleh
occurred here at ? a. m Monday IN
view Of Information recently discovered
fn connection with Mr.. Hilrs movements
ca Saturday night and Sunday, together
with a careful and studied investigation
II the interior OF the room where the
tragedy occurred. the murder theory
must Be abandoned. 81.
Mr Hill left Macon over the Southern
railway Saturday afternoon, eomlns
south. but did not come 20 McRae. lie
returned 10 Macon the same evening and
registered at the European hotel about
midnight and Sunday morning boarded
the regular down train. arriving in Nc
Rae at 10 p. m.
The local attorneys and office force of
the Dodge company. with whom Mr. Hill
had business. were not expecting him un-
Ill sunday noon Upon his arrival IN
McRae he went Immediately 10 the no.
tel was assigned a room and went IN
10 dinner. Mr. T. J. Curry, an employs
of the Dodge company, saw him as ne
was entering the hotel, went mme-
diately over there, and when Mr. Hill
the office OF the Dodge company. While
tbere Mr.. Hin made mention Of two
bucket letters that he had received,
produced one OF them and after reading
Il 10 Mr. Curry said that IL had wor-
ried him no little. and that he wanted
70 buy a revolver. Mr.. Curry rendered
him his. but il was declined and urged
nv Mr.. Hin. Mr.. Curry phoned TO the
local hardware dealer. who came down
and let them have one Some time dur
ing the afternoon Mr.. Hill had his grip
carried from the hotel TO the Dodge
company's Office. stating that he wished
Is put on q clean shirt, although he had
not spoken OF going out anywhere and
could have changed his clothing in mis-
room at the hotel.
The alleged threatening note was writ
ten on Trade Bond paper and no such
stationery IS sold here. He had no en-
xelope TO show where the note was
mailed. and when Mr. Curry asked him
about this. he stated that he left the
envelope on his desk in his Macon Of
Zee. Local attorneys for the Dodge
company say that there was one settle
ment about titles pending, but there
was no occasion for the parties interest
ed 10 have sent a threatening note MT
nm had at first opposed this settle
ment and everything was declared on
Tor a while but negotiations look
ing to an amicable adjustment had
only recently been renewed. The settle
ment referred to was with the Mckee es-
tate OF Baltimore. and parties living IN
north Georgia On Saturday Afternoon
one OF the local attorneys for the Dodge
company called up Mr.. Hills residence
from McRse over the phone and was
answered BY Mrs HILL who stated thai
her husband was in McRae-
Whereabouts Kept Secret
why did Mr.. Hin keep secret from
his wife his whereabouts on Saturday
Where was he and what was he doins
from the time he returned TO Maeor
SATURDAY afternoon until midnight, wheT
he registered at the European hotel? In
fact. Why did he go to the hotel at an
when his home and family were in Ma
rone why did he not keep the envelops
n which the alleged threatening letteI
vas mailed? He, being a lawyer, knew
the value Of the postmark as evi
dence in case he tried to find the sender
why did he transfer his suit case to ths
Land Office to change his linen. wher
he had q room at the hotel, and stated
10 Mr.. Curry that he was not COINS
out anywhere that night2 What was
the meaning OF the telegram which Id
sent from here az p m Sunday TO
party in WarrentOn?
hurried glance by citizens just awak-
ened from sleep. at the gruesOme sight
the disordered furniture. etc. left but one
irupression-that Mr.. Hill, after fearful
combat had been murdered. but TO &C
there today and dissrrange the furniture
iust as II was then. and IL will appear
that the two chairs were merely tipped
over in their accustomed places. thai
the crushed waste basket was pushed in
with the bar used 10 fasten the back
door: that the bucket which was sit
ting on the stove could not have beer
Knocked OF. as the ornament which
swung on a pivot and covered the tOI
of the stove when nothing was on tbs
stove. Was turned I'm a directly opposite
direction 10 that in which the buckle
was supposed 70 have been hurled BY
those who first reached the scene IL ii
pointed out that the bucket was only
couple OF feet from the stove. that Thea,
was no water splashed about, and thai
~ no time had the water extended mOrs
than eighteen inches in front OF tn,
bucket and about ten inches on eithel
side That the spot was wet sOlidly
and there was not the slightest linden
tation on the bucket from it's being
Knocked on, nor was II bent or bruiseC
BY coming In contact with the floor
NEven had the vessel been sitting on the
floor. and been kicked over. the waite
would have spread over a eonsiderabl,
area
Absence of Powder Burns
The absence Of powder burns is tn,
only thing with which TO refute the sui
eide theory, and that in itself is no
sufficient. Only q few weeks ago a mar
living near McRae placed the muzzI'
OF a E-calihre Marlin rife to his fore
head and pulled the trigger. with sui
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