The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-25
WILL DEMAND
INQUEST INTO
DEATHS CAUSE
Family of OrawelI Williams,
Whose Body Was Found in
Sanitarium Baths, Scout
Theory of Suicide.
DECLARE ACCIDENT
BEFELL SWIMMER
Demise of Suspended Postal
Clerk Recalls Suicide of AS.
sistant, Following Inves-
tigation of Accounts.

In order to decide tho question as
to whether her husband met with
accidental death yesterday morning by
drowning or committed suicide, Mrs
Orawell Williams will today demand
that an inquest be held. Preliminary
investigation yesterday resulted III the
announcement by the police that the
case was one Of suicide, but later in
vestigation by members of the family
brought out details which are alleged
to indicate that An accident was the
cause Of the tragedy.
An examination Of the insurance
policies held by Williams last night re-
vealed the fact that one Of them, for
$1,000, contained suicide clause invali.
dating the policy should the holder
commit suicide within FIVE years That
given as an additional reason by bis
family for establishing beyond a doubt
that Williams met with accidental
death.
The body of Orawell Williams, for.
merly superintendent of the mail order
department of the postoffce, was found
yesterday morning by other swimmers
in the deepest portion of the rear pool
of the Sanitarium baths on West Third
South street. DR.. r. w. Ashley, the
first physician to be called, said that
Williams had been dead for more than
an hour when his body was found. A
cash on the side OF his head and
aceration on his arm led members of
his family to believe that the man
might have been stunned while diving
or that he might have fallen on the
stone pavement at the side of the pool.
Body Discovered.
Attendants at the Baths said last
night that Williams had gone into the
pool shortly after s O'Clock There
were no other bathers Mt that time and
no attention was paid to Williams,
there being no guard regularly sta
toned In the rear pool at that hour.
Louis Lietz, who entered the pool at
II O'Clock with r. A. Boice and Jacob
Rinderer, discovered Williams s body in
the deepest end of the pool and lying
at the bottom and against the sidewall.
Gideon Snyder, manager of the baths,
was notified. and the body was imme-
diately taken from the pool
Williams was discharged from his po-
sition with the postof6ce nearly two
months ago through the action of the
assistant postmaster general of the
United States at Washington. A re-
port, fled with the official at Washing.
ton by Postofiice Inspector L. A, McGee
and in which it is said a shortage in
Williams g accounts was alleged to have
been found, caused Williams s dismis-
sal With the assistant postmaster gen
eral were also fled an answer and
defense from Williams. The matter Of
the alleged shortage is pending in the
hands of the officials at Washington.
An incident in connection with Viii
liams s death is that Alma Harper, an
assistant to Williams and who had also
been suspended because of alleged short
ages, committed suicide on January
by shooting himself nfter he had been
temporarily discharged from the serv
ice The alleged Irregularities in tho
accounts of both Williams and Harper
were to have been brought before the
federal grand jury at its session next
April.
Was Expert Swimmer.
Attendants at the baths said yester.
dav that Williams was n frequeptcr of
the place, but that he WAS not known
by name. Mrs Williams said last night
that her husband was an expert swim
mer and that his death could NOT have
been caused because he got into the
deeper portion of the pool.
ri is said that Williams is of nerV-
Gus nature and that he has been
over his difficulty with the
postoffice department and the disgrace
attendant upon /, his suspension. How
ever, he and his wife took a trip TO
California. nnd upon their return it was
noted that Williams seemed 10 have IN
4 large measure recovered from the
shock incident to the suspension.
The llfc insurance policies OF Williams
were for total OF $500 One OF the
1000 The latter contains ciauso i'm
'alida ting II n the holder should COM
nit suicide within five years. That time
,as not yet expired. Both policies are
,ald up 10 date,
The man IS NERVOUSNESS. tho fact that
ic was known 10 he an expert swimmer,
hat he frequented the baths and that
he was familiar with the
leptb of the water an,i could readily
(Continued oil Pago Nine,)s