Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-08
DAUGHTER RUNS
GREAT BUSINESS
PAINTER LEAVES
Whole City Is Stirred Over the
Unusual End Of Wealthy
Manufacturer.
Continued From Page I.

not mentally responsible The latter
theory has fewest champions. Sui
eide or accident is the main question.
A likely motive for suicide is sug-
Fested in reports that Painter had
been checkmated in financial plans he
had afoot to double the CAPITAL stock
and surplus Of the + .. Painter Fer
tHizer Company. Of which he was
president and directing power. 10 a
total book value Of 500. 900. The plan,
81 is stated, was to sell a new stock
issue, which, because Of his high bus
mess standing and his enormous in
surance as a protection to the com
pany, would find a ready market He
was known in Jacksonville and
throughout Florida and South Geor-
Eia as "A remarkably successful bust
ness man who had built up his for
tune from a nominal start.
Banks Believed in Him.
The Jacksonville banks accepted his
notes and other negotiable paper as
the safest Of private securities, be-
cause Of his unquestioned integrity
But when the Insurance companies
shut down on him by rejecting APP
plications actually made for $I25,000
more insurance he doubtlo called
that he had gone the lir u that
direction. The policies se,o.rd were
all made payable either TO The ferti-
lizer company his estate, his wife or
his daughter
a stockholders meeting had been
called for this week 10 declare l5
per cent dividend on the outstanding
issue, but because of his death this
was not done The stockholders VIII
meet after the inquest IS concluded,
when future plans OF the company
win be perfected. state Senator Con
rad has been named acting president
by the directors pending the election
Of a permanent head
When II became known In Jackson
willie that Painter had drowned. there
was Wild scramble 20 recover his
body, Practically every undertaken In
Jacksonville had a boat on the river,
and with graphing hooks the men
aboard dragged for three hours until
the body was brought up. Moulton
and Kyle were successful The body
was taken to their morgue and there
IS where "a hasty autopsy was per
formed before the Coronors jury had
viewed the body.
Detectives start inquiry.
Two physicians representing the
family started removing the heart,
lungs stomach, brain and kidneys be-
fore the state had representative
present These organs We're shipped
immediately to Baltimore. but before
they could be delivered there by the
express company the Coroner had
been in Geographic communication
with that city and delivery was held
up until he could direct 20 whom de-
livery should be made. The shipment
was made In less than twelve hours
after Painter lost his life. No sooner
had IL become known In Jacksonville
that Painter was dead than insurance
agents notified their home offices and
detectives and other investigators
were dispatched to Jacksonville by
the first trains.
They Investigated the case thor
oughly and suspicious OF suicide de-
veloped one theory advanced In In
surance circles was that Painter had
been taking choral or some other
drug AMI that this so weakened him
that self destruction became the re-
suit.
The jury impaneled 10 sit in the
case is composed OF men Of promi-
hence in Jacksonville. The members
are;
J. c. ConnaIly. spring bed manu-
faCturer.
A. +. Barber. oficer OF a wholesale
grocery company.
Charles H. Howard. big river man
end prominent odd Fellow,
J c. Alhritton, restaurant proprie-
tor.
n C Hopkins, real estate dealer
II r. Culley, Jr,, editor Of Jack
sonville paper
Painter Was Prominent.
Painter occupied AN euviabie posi-
tiou Ia jacksonville. He was "a public
official as Port Commissioner civic
leader as chairman Of the Board OF
Trades foreign commerce committee;
a charity worker as secretary of the
Childrgn's Home Society. A reformer
as secretary OF the State Anti Saloon
League and churChman AS dea-
con in the fashionable Riverside Rap
list Church. His position as Port
Commissioner has already been filled
by the election Of Zach Anderson, and
On the Board ~ Trade commerce com
Ee3ttee 10y the election Of DR.. W. II.
Stinson. His successors in the other
places are yet 20 be named
Painter. native of New York ~
years old. came % Florida in 1877.
Ten years later he was editing an
agricultural paper al De'aud Through
that medium ha became interested in
fertilizers and Ia 1855 located In
Jacksonville f1 manufacture such
products Three years later he In.
corperste5 the present company AS
h3S e-.y daughter. Miss Nkie Painter
grew ul. he tuoE hey irtw his office
and gave her thorough business
training. SO that she has If recent
years been one of the directing POW
sE NJ the business since his death
she has assumed the business respon-
sibH.t5s- fo~ the family.
Estate Valued az $4,000.
Estimates Of Painters estate en-
elusive gf any insurance holdings
place the value az approximately
$4,000 but how heavily tf NAV be
inruune-eE ay mortgages or loans has
not been brought out The r. .g.. which
was probated Thursday. tg,a. weeks
after his death. contained no lis, uf
his property nor other information
that would show the estates value
except that special requests Of about
$4,000 principally I'm stock in the r
o. Painter Fertilizer Company. was
SCI down. But this will was made
February 10. 1912. a year before he
Ne~zv taking r7G million dollars