Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-11
DRIVES BUGGY into
RIVER IS DROWNED
w. Hewlett Joyner, Brother of
Ex-Mayor, Met Tragic Death
Sunday Morning

". Hewlett Joyner. brother OF ex-may-
or w. r. Joyner, and for many years
Unidentified with the city waterworks and
\ fire departments. met death by drowning
when about o'clock Sunday morning he
| drove mule over the bank and into the
Chattahoochee river near the ferry for
| the Austell farm.
| Jack O'Meara, an assistant bookkeep-
er in the waterworks department, who
was in the buggy with Mr.. Joyner, mar
/ rowly escaped death, but managed to
| swim to the bank. At late hour Mon
/ day the body of the drowned man had
not been recovered. despite a thorough
search Of the river for some distance
The mule failed to extricate himself from
the harness, and was found doubled I'M
der the buggy, three-fourths of a mile
down stream from the place the team
| went over the bank.
Just how Mr.. Joyner happened to drive
headlong into the river will probably
never be known, as his companion was
asleep at the time and was only awaken
ened when he struck the cold water In
the river.
FERRY ON OTHER SIDE
Contrary to general custom. so IL is
said. the ferry was on the Austell farm
SAuC VI the anu II 10 POSSlbAc NndA
Mr.. Joyner thought he was driving his
mule onto the ferry and did not realize
his mistake until the animal took the
downward plunge, which resulted so IA
tally.
The night was dark and rain was fall
ing, and this fact lends strength to the
theory that driving in the dark. Mr..
Joyner thought that he was going onto
the ferry.
A. a. z-..~-. a.. a. r~,.....hs~.t..e
is badly swollen, and at the time of the
accident II was six feet higher than usu-
al This fact not only made escape from
the strong current more difficult for the
men in the accident, but makes smaller
the chances of recovering the body "
Mr.. Joyner
The energetic searchers have notified
all the farmers and others living near
the Chattahoochee for miles down
stream to be on the lookout for the
body. At the present time there are
approximately 800 men engaged in the
search.
CURRENT VERY SWIFT.
The unusual strength of the current
is shown by the fact that the team
was found nearly a mile downstream
from the place Of the accident. BY
his struggles the mule had not broken
the shafts, and was doubled beneath
the buggy.
According to Mr.. O'Meara, he and Mr..
Joyner left Atlanta shortly after 3
o'clock Saturday night and started on
the 1S-mile drive to the Austell farm.
where they both lived. Mr.. O'Meara
left the driving to his companion and
some time before they arrived at the
river he was asleep in the buggy.
1t is his opinion that Mr.. Joyner
not thinking that he was so close 20
the river. drove the mule straight over
the bank. At any rate, Mr.. O'Meara
was only awakened by the plunge of
the mule as he struck the water.
Mr.. O'Meara seems to have beer
thrown clear Of the harness and the
buggy by the plunge. He was forced
to battle desperately for his life and
was unable to be of any assistance to
Mr. Joyner.
Il called to him several times" said
Mr.. O'Meara, but I did not receive
an answer. The only sound heard
was the struggling of the mule in the
water.
1T seems to me that I was in the wa
ter for fully half an hour. I was car
ried downstream for some distance, but
finally managed to swim to the bank de-
spite the impediment Of my shoes and
clothing"
BROTHER NOTIFIED.
Mr. OMeara was practically exhaust
ed by the battle with the current of the
river. but he managed to walk up to
the ferry and thence home. 1t was ear
ly Sunday morning before ex-Mayor
Joyner AMI friends of the drowned man
in Atlanta were notified of the tragedy.
Mr.. Joyner and Lumber of others
Immediately went to the scene of the
tragedy and a Systematic search Of the
river was commenced.
Divers, drag-nets, pole RATS and every
conceivable means Of searching a river
bottom were employed, but all day Sun
day and Sunday night the efforts were
futile About o'clock Monday morn
ing the team was found.
W. Hewlett Joyner is survived by his
brother, w. r. Joyner, four sons, Rob-
ert Alex, James and W. Hewlett, Jr.,
and three daughters, Mrs. f. p. Dame
ron. Mrs S. G. Jordan and Miss Mar
garet Joyner. Mr.. Joyner was a Confed-
crate veteran. He was widely known
and universally liked. His tragic death
has caused sorrow through out the city.
Mr.. Joyner was in his Saith year at
the time OF his death.
Jack O'Meara, survivor OF the fatal
accident, is a native OF Covington, KY.
He has been in Atlanta for the past IA
years, and for the past IL years he has
been connected with the waterworks de-
partment.