The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-05
WALTER B. PEBBLES
TAKES own LIFE
81 ssssse SsSv 49,
BODY Found NEAR SEVEN PINES
CAR LINE YESTERDAY
AFTERNOON.
MISSING SINCE MONDAY
WAS EMPLOYED ny LOCAL FURNI-
TURE STORE AND WAS HAPPY
IN FAMILY RELATIoNs--NO
CAUSE KNOWN FOR ACT.

You will find my body just across
the road was the gruesome message
inscribed on card in the hat of Wal
ter Il. PEBBLES, forty-three years old.
of 1909 West Main Street, whose life
less body was found lying in the woods
near Peco Switch. on the Seven Pines
car line. late yesterday afternoon,
when parties of citizens investigated
the~peculiar inscription, and found
that he had ehoked himself to death
with his necktie and handkerchief. The
hat was lying just to one side or the
car tracks. and children going from
school found 1t shortly after O'CLOCK
frightened, the young boys ran to a
nearby store, which stands probably
two hundred yards away. There they
displayed to the country marchant, ).
C. Strater, the black derby hat. with
a card telling that they would find his
body just across the road. The card
was fastened inside the hat band with
safety pin. With the ca4t which
bore this message was also PEBBLES
personal card and his address.
The merchant, with several neigh
bors, went to the car tracks and started
q search for the body. Finally the
lifeless remains were discovered In
thicket, with his necktie and handker-
chief still around his neck. lying in the
woods about fifty yards from the car
track. and Just opposite the spot where
Miss Fannie Chenault was criminaiiy
ASA lted ON last May 3.
Missed Since Monday.
PEBBLES had been missing from his
home here since Monday afternoon.
He leaves wife and two young chill
dren. Since that time his family
and several relatives and connections
in the city have been investigating his
disappearance. His home life liz said
to have been very happy, and PEBBLES,
who Is An upholsterer. has been en-
ployed for nearly five years by the
Sydnor Il Hundley Company, large
furniture dealers.
After the finding of PEBBLES hat at
the edge OF the woods, and shortly
afterwards the discovery of his body
the county coroner was notified. and
several county officers were dispatched
to the scene. County Officer Wilson
Seay reached the spot about o'clock
last night. He at once began an in
vestigation.
! The affair seemed to be plain sui
eide and the officer notified the family
of the body being found.
His body was brought back to the
city late last night by a local under
taker Here the body underwent q
further examination. Around the deat
mans neck Is a large black circle
where the tie was tied very tight, ant
the flesh is slightly indented. Thu
theory advanced by some Is that Pee
bles first tied the handkerchief around
his neck. and then fastened his hand
kerchtef through this to the limb o.
; a willow which bent nearly to thu
, ground over the spot near where hi
body was discovered. The fact tina
the handkerchief was found lying 1oos'
. is accounted for by the explanation
that, probably, during the dealt
l struggle that the handkerchief wal
iloosened. PEBBLES falling back to tn
2 ground dead small hole which ap
I pears just in the corner of his lef
a eye led many TO believe the theor.
that the case was one of murder, AM
e the perpetrator OF the deed tied tn
Y handkerchief and necktie around hi
] neck to make 1t appear case OF sui
r eide. Those who expressed this opin
! ion also stated that 1t would have beei
b an easy matter for the murderer Z
have also left the card in the dea
mans hat lying near the car tracks
i Look for Stranger.
: PEBBLES is said to have been seen 4
!. Richmond Monday with a stranger
= who is said to have been from Balti
= more This man Is said to have calle
" at a store on Broad Street late Mon
:. day afternoon and secured PEBBLES
:. grip, which he took with him. Th
" county police are investigating tn
theory that it was case OF murde
and an inquest will be held over tn
1.to uitan