The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-04-10

ry Over DefamatOry Circular.
ALBANY. W. Walters, Jr..
solicitor of the city court of Albany
and brilliant young attorney of
this city, shot himself through the
heart this afternoon. Worry over
the recent circulation of a defama-
tory anonymous letter semitic voters
OF Dougherty county urging his de-
feat for reelection to the Office of
solicitor is the supposed cause of
his act
The act of self destruction was
committed in closet at the bottling
works of the Albany Coca-Cola
Bottling company. Mr.. Walters
brother-in-law, N. R. Dehon, is a
bookkeeperfor the bottling company,
and he had been there talking the
matter over with Mr.. Dehon and |.
G. Crimson, who travels for the COM
pany Ollie Bales, an employee of
the company, was also in the build
ing. Mr.. Crimson and Mr.. Walters
mad been together most of the day,
and the former states that Mr.. Wal
tiers was in an exceedingly melan-
choly frame of mind and he had
been doing his best to cheer him up.
Gave No Intimation.
The two had been sitting in back
room of the bottling plant and as
they rose to go to the front office Mr..
Crimson remarked: Cheer up, old
fellow, you have no reason to be so
down in the mouth " Mr.. Walters
made no reply, but turned and went
to the closet. Mr.. Crimson Joined
the others in the Office. In a few
moments pistol shot was heard.
All who were there hurried back
and found Mr.. Walters dead with a |
38-calibre automatic revolver in his
hand.
1t is stated that Mr.. Walters, |
though inadeeply melancholic mood,
had given nobody the slightest init |
nation that he entertaineda thought
OF self destruction. Mr.. Walters
was about 30 years old and unmar-
ried. His family is one of the best
known and most prominent in AL |
bany. His father, Jesse W. Wal i
ters, Sr., is one of the leading men,
bers of the Albany bar, and the fam
lily is one of the best connected in
Georgia, Thesuicide has caused a |
profound sensation here.
Letter Was ScurriIous.
The scurrilous letter, tothe circu-
latiOn of which Mr.. Walters act is
attributed, was sent to hundreds Of |
Dougherty county voters through
the mails. Neither Mr.. Walters nor
any one who knows his opponent for
Office believed he had anything to do
with the letter, but it's circulation
was generally attributed to some one
who had felt the hand of the law in !
the city court under Mr.. Walters
vigorous prosecution. Mr.. Walters
had accomplished the conviction of
a number of criminals of certain
class, and other offenders, and had
received numerous threats of ven
geance. The circular letter was a
SANDER on it's face, and concluded
with charges of such a vile charac-
ter that United States postal inspec-
tors have been, and still are, vigor-
ously engaged in ascertaining the
identity Of its perpetrator. It's circu-
latlon caused a sensationalmoste equal
to that caused by Walters suicide
today, and wave of intense indig-
nation against its author swept over
the city. Its falsity was abso
luteIy proven by afidavits that left
not the slightest room for doubt.
His sensitive nature felt deeply
wronged by the knowledge that an
unseen hand had attempted to in
]ure him, and it soon became evident
to his friends that the affair was
preying deeply on his mind.